Human Anatomy
| Right clavicle — from below, and from above. |
| Left clavicle — from above, and from below. |
The clavicle is a doubly curved short bone that connects the arm (upper limb) to the body (trunk), located directly above the first rib. It acts as a strut to keep the scapula in place so the arm can hang freely. Medially, it articulates with the manubrium of the sternum (breast-bone) at the sternoclavicular joint. At its lateral end it articulates with the acromion of the scapula (shoulder blade) at the acromioclavicular joint. It has a rounded medial end and a flattened lateral end.
From the roughly pyramidal sternal end, each clavicle curves laterally and anteriorly for roughly half its length. It then forms a smooth posterior curve to articulate with a process of the scapula (acromion). The flat acromial end of the clavicle is broader than the sternal end. The acromial end has a rough inferior surface that bears prominent line, Trapezoid line and a small rounded projection, Conoid tubercle. These surface features are attachment sites for muscles and ligaments of the shoulder.
It can be divided into three parts: medial end, lateral end and shaft.
Read more about this topic: Clavicle
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