Going Out on a Limb: Anatomy of the Upper Limb

Anatomy lab isn’t just for first year medical students anymore. With this online anatomy course, anyone can learn about the upper limb, without the cadaver.

This course will serve as your introduction to the anatomy of the upper limb. We’ll start with basic human anatomical terminology and apply that knowledge to examining the bones of the upper limb and how they articulate at joints. You will also learn about the muscles that produce movement at those joints in addition to the innervation and blood supply of the upper limb.

• Anatomical terminology
• Bones and muscles of the upper limb
• Actions of each upper limb muscle
• Innervation and blood supply of the upper limb

Week 1 – The Language of Anatomy

• Overview
• Anatomic Terminology and Limb Regions
• Osteology and Skeletal Anatomy; Muscle Actions
• Muscle Attachments; Planes of Motion

Week 2 – Innervation and Blood Supply of the Upper Limb

• The Nervous System: Overview
• The Brachial Plexus: Motor Innervation
• The Brachial Plexus: Sensory Innervation; Blood Supply

Week 3 – The Scapula

• Elevation and Depression
• Protraction, Retraction, Medial Rotation, and Lateral Rotation

Week 4 – The Glenohumeral Joint

• Structure of the Joint; Flexion and Extension
• Abduction, Adduction, and the Rotator Cuff

Week 5 – The Elbow and Wrist

• Elbow: Flexion, Extension, Supination, and Pronation
• Wrist: Structure of the Joint; Flexion and Extension

Week 6 – The Hand

• Bony Structure, the Carpal Tunnel, and Extrinsic Muscles of the Hand
• Intrinsic Muscles of the Hand
• Extrinsic and Intrinsic Muscles of the Thumb