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Bones of the Upper Limb Quiz
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Which bony landmark of the humerus articulates with the head of the radius at the elbow joint?
- A Medial epicondyle You picked ✕
- B Olecranon fossa You picked ✕
- C Greater tubercle You picked ✕
- D Trochlea You picked ✕
- E Capitulum You picked ✓
Correct!
Incorrect
The answer is E: Capitulum
Explanation
Why E is correct
See Humerus. Option E is correct because the capitulum is the rounded joint surface on the outer (lateral) side of the lower end of the humerus, and it articulates with the head of the radius. Next to it, on the inner side, is the trochlea, a spool-shaped surface that articulates with the ulna. The elbow joint is therefore formed by the lower humerus meeting both forearm bones, the radius laterally and the ulna medially. Above the joint surfaces are three shallow hollows, the coronoid, radial and olecranon fossae, that accommodate the forearm bones as the elbow bends and straightens. The epicondyles are the bumps on each side that you can feel at the elbow, and they are for muscle attachment rather than for joints. Because the radial head also rolls against the capitulum as the forearm rotates, this surface takes part in pronation and supination as well as in flexion and extension. Memory aid: the radius is on the thumb side (lateral), so it meets the capitulum on the lateral side, and the ulna meets the trochlea.
- Capitulum: the rounded lateral surface at the lower end of the humerus.
- Partner: it articulates with the head of the radius.
- Contrast: the trochlea, on the medial side, articulates with the ulna.
Why the other options are incorrect
- A. Medial epicondyle: The medial epicondyle is the larger of the two epicondyles, a bony bump on the inner side of the lower humerus where forearm flexor muscles attach. It is not a joint surface. Your answer
- B. Olecranon fossa: The olecranon fossa is a hollow on the back of the lower humerus that receives the tip of the ulna when the elbow straightens. It is a depression, not a joint surface. Your answer
- C. Greater tubercle: The greater tubercle is a bump at the top of the humerus, at the shoulder, where rotator cuff muscles attach. It has no part in the elbow. Your answer
- D. Trochlea: The trochlea is the spool-shaped surface medial to the capitulum, and it articulates with the ulna. It would be the answer if the question asked about the ulna. Your answer
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More questions from this set. Start the quiz to answer them and see each explanation.
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1
Which part of the clavicle is most prone to fracture?
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2
A 21-year-old has a fracture at the proximal end of the radius and difficulty turning the forearm. Which feature of the radius forms the pivot at the proximal radioulnar joint?
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