scapula
Meaning of scapula: The scapula, or shoulder blade, is a flat triangular bone on the back of the shoulder that anchors many of the muscles moving the arm.
Definition of scapula
The scapula is a flat, triangular bone situated on the back of the shoulder, commonly called the shoulder blade. It connects to the collarbone at the front through the acromioclavicular joint and to the upper arm bone through the shoulder joint, though it has no direct bony connection to the spine.
The scapula glides across the back of the rib cage as the arm moves, supported and positioned by a group of surrounding muscles rather than by a joint at its inner border. This mobility allows the arm's range of motion to extend well beyond what the shoulder joint alone would permit.
Several muscles that rotate and stabilize the shoulder, including the muscles of the rotator cuff, attach directly to the scapula, and injury or abnormal movement of the bone itself can affect shoulder strength and motion even when the shoulder joint itself is otherwise healthy.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
Physical examination of the shoulder included assessment of scapular movement during arm elevation.
Good to know
Abnormal movement of the scapula against the rib cage, sometimes called scapular winging, can impair shoulder function even when the shoulder joint itself is normal, since the two structures work together during arm movement.
Word origin
Where “scapula” comes from
Formed from Latin scapula, meaning shoulder blade.