What is the shoulder blade called?

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The shoulder blade is called the scapula. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as a large, flat, triangular bone.

Summary

The shoulder blade is called the scapula. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as a large, flat, triangular bone.

What it is

  • A large, flat, triangular bone.
  • Bears a projecting spine on the back, ending in the acromion.
  • Has a shallow socket (the glenoid cavity) that receives the head of the humerus.

Where it is

  • On the upper back, over the second to seventh ribs.
  • Articulates with the clavicle at the acromioclavicular joint.
  • Articulates with the humerus at the shoulder joint.

Sources

According to Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (1918, public domain):

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