The area between the elbow and the shoulder is called the upper arm or brachium. It's important to note that the hand itself does not extend to the elbow; the hand is located distal (further away) to the elbow. The upper arm contains the humerus, the long bone that runs from the shoulder to the elbow joint.
Understanding the Upper Arm Anatomy
- Bone: The humerus is the primary bone of the upper arm, a long bone crucial for movement and support.
- Muscles: Numerous muscles, including biceps and triceps, are located in the upper arm, enabling a wide range of movements such as flexion, extension, and rotation. These muscles allow for the manipulation of the forearm and hand.
- Joints: The shoulder joint connects the upper arm to the shoulder girdle, while the elbow joint connects the upper arm to the forearm. These joints are critical for the mobility of the entire upper limb.
- Nerves and Blood Vessels: A complex network of nerves and blood vessels run through the upper arm, providing sensory information and supplying the muscles and tissues with essential nutrients and oxygen.
Several references support this definition:
- "The arm proper (brachium), sometimes called the upper arm, the region between the shoulder and the elbow, is composed of the humerus with the elbow joint at its distal end." This explicitly defines the upper arm as the region between the shoulder and the elbow.
- Multiple sources (e.g., Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine) describe the area between the shoulder and elbow as the "upper arm," clarifying the terminology.
- Resources focusing on hand and upper extremity anatomy consistently differentiate the upper arm from the forearm and hand.
