Prelab Images - Joints of the Upper & Lower Limbs

Prelab Images - Joints of the Upper & Lower Limbs

Prelab should consist of reading the lab manual and dissector answers and viewing the dissection video. To begin your study, you may find it useful to look over the Netter's or LWW Atlas images listed below.
Step 1. Plastinated specimens are available for this dissection.
Observe plastinated specimens.
Step 2. Dissect one limb only, review as dissecting.
Dissect one upper and one lower limb only, preserving the other side for review.
Step 3. Dissect the sternoclavicular joint. (Play movie)
The sternoclavicular joint is shown in plate N419 or TG2-42. Sawing through the joint (N419 or TG2-42) will reveal the articular disk. Removing the deltoid muscle from its attachment to the clavicle (N424 or TG2-12) should expose the coracoacromial ligament (N423 or TG2-42). The acromioclavicular joint and coracoclavicular ligament can also be seen in plate N423 or TG2-42.
Step 4. Dissect the shoulder joint by removing surrounding muscles, opening the capsule posteriorly and chiseling off the humeral head. (Play movie)
Plates N423 or TG2-08A, N425 or TG2-08B, and N426 or TG2-16 show supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor muscles, which need to be reflected laterally to expose the joint capsule of the shoulder. Plate N426 or TG2-08 shows the long head of the triceps that needs to be cut and folded inferiorly and plate N426 or TG2-19 shows the short head of the biceps and the coracobrachialis cut to expose the shoulder joint. Plate N424 or TG2-08 shows the teres major and latissimus dorsi, which need to be reflected as far laterally as possible. After moving all these muscles cut through the joint capsule posteriorly and move the head of the humerus posteriorly and laterally. Now you should be able to identify the following: glenohumeral bands, subscapular bursa, long head of the biceps tendon, transverse humeral ligament, and the glenoid labrum. All of these items are identified in plate N423 or TG2-42.
Step 5. Open the elbow by removing the anterior and posterior capsules. (Play movie)
Plate N438 or TG2-43 shows the elbow joint. Plates N431 or TG2-17 and N432 or TG2-18 show muscles spanning the elbow joint, which must be reflected away from the joint as well as the insertion of the biceps tendon on the radial tuberosity. Plate N438 or TG2-43 identifies the radial collateral, ulnar collateral, and anular ligaments. To dissect the elbow joint, leave these ligaments intact and remove the capsule. This should look like plate N438 or TG2-43. The interosseous membrane is shown in plate N439 or TG2-43. The distal radioulnar joint and its articular disc is in plate N454 or TG2-44A and N455 or TG2-44B and TG2-44C. See the joint learning module for its movement.
Step 6. Dissect the wrist by making a frontal section through the distal radius and ulna, carpals and proximal metacarpals. (Play movie)
The ligaments of the wrist (dorsal radiocarpal, palmar radiocarpal, ulnar collateral, and radial collateral) are identified in plates N454 or TG2-44A and N455 or TG2-44B. Flex the wrist and hand so that the forearm and hand look like the number 7 (the hand being the top of the number and the forearm being the vertical line in the number). Now saw through the wrist moving towards the elbow (the result will look similar to plate N455 or TG2-44C). Plate N453 tries to describe the movements of the wrist, but the learning module on joints may be more helpful. Plate N455 or TG2-44A and TG2-44B shows the articulation of the thumb, but the learning module on joints is also more helpful in understanding the movement of the thumb. Finally, plate N458 or TG2-45 shows the deep transverse metacarpal ligaments and the metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints with their accompanying collateral ligaments.
Step 7. The hip joint is dissected by removing the overlying muscles, opening its capsule posteriorly and medially rotating the femur. (Play movie)
Plates N494 or TG3-17 and N496 show the iliopsoas muscle covering the hip joint. This muscle must be removed from its insertion on the lesser trochanter (N490 or TG3-12) to see the hip joint. Plates N496 and N487 or TG3-54 show the iliopectineal bursa under the iliopsoas muscle. Next, remove the adductor muscles (if any remain from the previous dissection) from the femur to help reveal the hip joint. Plate N493 or TG3-21 shows obturator externus. Plate N491 or TG3-13 shows the insertion of this muscle into the trochanteric fossa and plate N539 or TG3-64 shows its innervation via the obturator nerve. Reflect this muscle medially by cutting it from its insertion on the femur to expose the obturator membrane (N487 or TG3-55) and the obturator artery (N487 or TG3-55 and N504 or TG3-62). Next remove the muscles attaching near the hip on the posterior side of the lower limb (see plate N503 or TG3-26 - gluteus minimus, piriformis, obturator internus, the gemelli muscles, and quadratus femoris). You should now be able to identify the iliofemoral, pubofemoral, and ischiofemoral ligaments (seen in plate N487 or TG3-54A and TG3-54B). The zona orbicularis (TG3-55A, TG3-55B), acetabular labrum, transverse acetabular ligament, and the ligamentum capitis femoris (ligament of head of femur) are all labeled in plate N487 or TG3-55. You should also see synovial membrane folds within the acetabular notch of plates N486 or TG3-04 and N487 or TG3-55A, but they are not pictured in Netter's atlas. The blood supply to the hip is considered in plate N504 or TG3-55B.
Step 8. The knee joint is dissected by removing surrounding muscles, opening the capsule posteriorly and reflecting the quadriceps downward. (Play movie)
In plate N516 or TG3-33 remove the semitendinosus and biceps femoris tendons from the sides of the knee joint and reflect them superiorly. Plate N511 or TG3-56 shows the oblique popliteal ligament. Plate N511 or TG3-56 shows the popliteus muscle and plate N509 or TG3-59 traces its tendon around to the anterolateral side of the femur. Plates N506 or TG3-57, N507 or TG3-56, and N509 or TG3-59 identify the fibular (lateral) collateral ligament and the tibial (medial) collateral ligament. Plate N507 or TG3-58 shows the quadriceps femoris reflected inferiorly with the contained patella and the joint capsule has been cleared out anteriorly to reveal the inside of the knee joint as you will do in the lab. Plate N511 shows the patella and its articulations. Plates N511 and N507 or TG3-58 show the infrapatellar fat pad and plate N507 or TG3-58 shows the infrapatellar synovial fold attaching to the intercondylar fossa. The infrapatellar synovial fold, suprapatellar bursa, and deep infrapatellar bursa are pictured in plates N507 or TG3-58 and N511. Cut the attachment of the infrapatellar synovial fold (plate N507 or TG3-58) to reveal the cruciate ligaments posteriorly. Plates N507 or TG3-58A, N508 or TG3-58B and TG3-58C, and N509 or TG3-59 show multiple views of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments and the medial and lateral menisci. Plate N509 or TG3-59 and TG3-58C labels the transverse (genicular) ligament of the knee. Plate N509 or TG3-59 shows what the ligaments look like when you open the posterior aspect of the joint. Plate N509 or TG3-59 shows the attachments of the menisci and cruciate ligaments. Plate N508 or TG3-58 also shows these attachments. Consider the motions of the knee (TG3-59).
Step 9. Open the ankle by removing the anterior and posterior capsules. (Play movie)
To view the ankle joint you will need to remove all the tendons that cross it in plate N529 and N530 or TG3-35 and TG3-45. Plate N514 or TG3-30 shows the interosseous membrane. Plates N514, N525, and N527 or TG3-60A and TG3-60B label the anterior and posterior tibiofibular ligaments. In plate N496 (inferior view picture) you should see some fibers connecting the fibula to the tibia directly (in between the two bones, not wrapping around them like the anterior and posterior tibiofibular ligaments), but these are not pictured in Netter's atlas. Plate N527 or TG3-60A and TG3-60B show the deltoid (medial) and lateral (anterior talofibular, calcaneofibular, and posterior talofibular) ligaments of the ankle joint, which you should be able to see after removing the muscles and their fascia. Remove the capsule from the anterior and posterior ankle joint while preserving these ligaments. Plate N525 (posterior view) and plate N527 or TG3-60A and TG3-60B shows the ligaments that stabilize the ankle joint. Plates N516 or TG3-33 through N521 or TG3-37 review the muscles that produce movement at the ankle joint and plates N529 and N530 or TG3-35 and TG3-45 show their tendons crossing the ankle. Plate N515 or TG3-30A and TG3-30B shows the origin and insertion of these muscles.
Step 10. Remove the overlying tissue and clean the ligaments of the plantar surface of the foot.
Plate N535 or TG3-51 shows the foot at the end of last dissection. By reflecting quadratus plantae you should reveal the ligaments of the foot (plate N536 or TG3-52). Plate N528 or TG3-61 gives a view with all the interossei muscles removed. The long plantar ligament, short plantar ligament, plantar calcaneonavicular (spring) ligaments, and tendon of fibularis longus are all labeled in plate N528 or TG3-61A and their attachments are seen in TG3-61C. The head of the talus is not labeled, but traces of it can be seen underneath the spring ligaments in plate N528 or TG3-60. The subtalar articulation (between the talus and the calcaneus) is seen, but not labeled in plate N524 or TG3-60 and N525. The tarsal sinus is labeled in plate N524 or TG3-41 and it contains the interosseous talocalcaneal ligament (TG3-60), which steadies the subtalar articulation. Plate N523 or TG3-61 shows the transverse tarsal joint. The bifurcate ligament is seen in plate N527 or TG3-60. Plates N523 or TG3-40, N524 or TG3-41, N527 or TG3-60, and N528 or TG3-61 review the arches of the foot, its major articulations, and the ligaments that reinforce it.