BONE LANDMARKS

Bone landmarks are specific locations at which major muscles, ligaments, or other connective tissue attach.

The following will familiarize you with basic landmarks and their specific locations on bones.

Surface Markings on BonesDepressions & Openings Foramen

Rounded opening through which blood vessels, nerves and ligaments pass

i.e. Foramen magnum of the skull Fossa

A broad, shallow depressed area. Depression in or on a bone i.e. Olecranon fossa of the humerus

Projections Process

A relatively large projection or prominent bump. Any prominent roughened projection i.e. Mastoid process of temporal bone

Condyle A large, rounded articular process. A large convex prominence i.e. Medial/lateral condyle of femur

Epicondyle A projection near to a condyle but not part of the joint. A projection located just above a condyle i.e. Medial/lateral epicondyle of femur

Head Rounded projection supported on the neck of the bone i.e. Head of the humerus

Tuberosity A projection or bump with a roughened surface Large rounded, usually rough, process i.e. Radial tuberosity of the radius

Tubercle A projection or bump with a roughened surface, generally smaller

than a tuberosity. Small rounded bones i.e. Greater tubercle of the humerus

Trochanter One of two specific tuberosities located on the femur. Very large blunt projection i.e. Greater trochanter of the femur

Crest / Spine Prominent border or ridge on a bone i.e. Crest of the ilium

Landmark AnatomicalDescription

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2 Forameni. Foramen

magnum base of skull superior to the first vertebra (atlas) spinal cord & circulatory vessels pass through

N/A

ii. Obturator foramen

inferior portion of pelvis located on either side of symphysis pubis

Text 25

Landmark AnatomicalDescription

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8 Fossai. Glenoid fossa lateral border of the

scapula superior to infraglenoid fossa insertion for head of humerus

Text 21

ii. Supraspinous fossa

posterior of scapula superior to spine of scapula origin of supraspinatus muscle

Text 21

iii. Infraspinous fossa

posterior of scapula inferior to spine of scapula origin of infraspinatus muscle

Text 21

iv. Subscapular fossa

anterior of scapula central location of scapula origin of subscapularis muscle

Text 21

Landmark AnatomicalDescription

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8 fossa continued

v. Olecranon fossa posterior side of humerus distal end of humerus where the olecranon process of the ulna fits into

Text 22

vi. Coranoid fossa anterior side of humerus distal end of humerus superior to trochlea it accommodates the coronoid process of ulna when the elbow is flexed

Text 21

vii. Intercondylar fossa

posterior side of femur distal end of femur medially located between medial & lateral condyles

Text 26

vii. Radial Fossa

Landmark AnatomicalDescription

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5 processesi. Coracoid

process anterior of scapula lateral side

Text 21

ii. Acromion process

posterior of scapula lateral side, end of scapular spine

Text 21

iii. Styloid process anterior of radius, distal end posterior of ulna, distal end will articulate with carpals *PALPABLE* Feel it !

Text 23

iv. Olecranon process

posterior of ulna proximal end of ulna articulates into fossa of humerus

Text 23

v. Coranoid process

anterior of ulna proximal end of ulna

Text 23

Landmark AnatomicalDescription

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4 condylesi. & ii. Medial

condyle posterior of femur, distal end anterior of tibia, proximal end

Text 26, 27

iii. & iv. Lateral condyle

posterior of femur, distal end anterior of tibia, proximal end

Text 26, 27

4 epicondylesi. & ii. Medial

epicondyle anterior & posterior of humerus, distal end anterior & posterior of femur, distal end

Text 22, 26

iii. & iv. Lateral epicondyle

anterior & posterior of humerus, distal end anterior & posterior of femur, distal end

Text 22, 26

Landmark AnatomicalDescription

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3 headsi. Head of

humerus proximal end of humerus articulates with glenoid fossa

Text 22

ii. Head of femur proximal end of femur articulates with acetabulum

Text 26

iii. Head of fibula proximal end of fibula Text 27

4 tuberclesi. Greater tubercleii. Lesser tubercle

proximal end of humerus inferior to greater tubercle

Text 22

iii. Infraglenoid tubercle

iv. Supraglenoid tubercle

inferior to glenoid fossa

superior to glenoid fossaText 21

Landmark AnatomicalDescription

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4 tuberositiesi. Deltoid

tuberosity lateral border of humerus middle of bone shaft

Text 22

ii. Radial tuberosity

medial border of radius inferior to head @ proximal end

Text 23

iii. Ischial tuberosity

laterally located on inferior pelvis part of the ischium

Text 25

iv. Tibial tuberosity anterior of tibia, proximal end where patellar tendons attach

Text 27

2 trochantersi. Greater

trochanterii. Lesser

trochanter

inferior to head on femur more posterior than anterior proximal end of femur

Text 26

Landmark AnatomicalDescription

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9 crests/spinesi. Iliac crest superior border of pelvis Text 25

ii. & iii. Posterior iliac spines

superior & inferior spines medially located on pelvis articulate with the sacrum

Text 25

iv. Ischial spine posterior of pelvis medially located on ischium

Text 25

v. Anterior crest of tibia

more lateral then medial on tibia Text 27

vi. Scapular spine posterior side of scapula runs from medial border to acromion process

Text 21