Skeleton of upper limb (overview)

The skeleton of the upper limb is composed of 32 bones. The upper extremity can be further subdivided into two main parts - the shoulder girdle and the free upper limb.

• The shoulder girdle, also called the pectoral girdle, is composed of two paired bones - clavicle and scapula.
• The free upper limb can be further subdivided into three smaller portions:
  • Upper arm - it is formed by a single bone called the humerus;
  • Lower arm - consists of two bones that are known as the radius and ulna;
  • Hand - the terminal part of the upper limb; it contains most of the bones and is composed of 27 bones, including 8 carpal bones, 5 metacarpal bones, and 14 phalanges.