AnatomyUpper limbOverview

Regions of the upper limb: want to learn more about it?

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Regions of the upper limb

Learning objectives

In this study unit you will learn how to:

List the main regions of the upper limb.
Name the important terms used to describe various parts of the upper limb.

Watch videos

Every medical professional needs to know the descriptive terms used for the regions of the whole body in order to localise and diagnose different injuries and diseases, as well as communicate them to other physicians. The same goes for the upper limb, which is divided into several regions on its anterior and posterior aspects. Many of these regions contain various neurovascular structures, which makes them important surgical landmarks. Get a visual of the upper limb regions, their borders and contents by watching the video below.

Take a quiz

Now that you’re more familiar with the regions of the upper limb, test yourself with the following quiz to solidify your knowledge. If you already feel like a pro, try out our custom quiz to get a broader quiz on the general terminology of the body.

Browse atlas

Regions of the upper limb: The upper limb is divided into 4 main parts - shoulder, arm, forearm and hand. The shoulder contains two important regions; the deltoid region and the axillary (armpit) region. The arm and forearm contain two regions each that correspond to their anterior and posterior surfaces. Found between the arm and forearm are the anterior and posterior cubital regions. Below the forearm is the carpal region, which connects the forearm with the hand. Lastly, the hand consists of the palm anteriorly, and dorsum of hand posteriorly. The hand can be subdivided into the metacarpal region and the digits. The digits are numbered 1-5 from from the thumb to the little finger.

Many of the main regions of the upper limb are also known by other names. Some of these represent their synonyms, and some are their subregions or other related terms that may be used interchangeably. It’s important you know these as you will find them in anatomy textbooks, articles, videos and quizzes.

Important anatomy terms for regions of the upper limb
Shoulder region	Deltoid region (subregion, but in some sources used as synonym)
Axillary region	Axilla, axillary fossa
Arm region	Brachial region Anterior arm region: anterior brachial region Posterior arm region: posterior brachial region
Elbow region	Cubital region Anterior elbow region: anterior cubital region, cubital fossa Posterior elbow region: posterior cubital region, olecranon region
Forearm region	Antebrachial region Anterior forearm region: anterior antebrachial region Posterior forearm: posterior antebrachial region Medial border of forearm: Ulnar border Lateral border of forearm: Radial border
Wrist region	Carpal region Anterior region of wrist: anterior carpal region Posterior region of wrist: posterior carpal region
Hand region	Radial foveola: anatomical snuffbox Digits: Thumb (pollex): 1st digit Index finger: 2nd digit Middle finger: 3rd digit Ring finger: 4th digit Little finger: 5th digit

To get a visual of the individual major regions of the upper limb, take a look at our gallery of highlighted images. Be sure to assess the location and boundaries of the upper limb regions and how they compare to each other.

Summary

Key points
Main regions of the upper limb	Shoulder, arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand
Main subregions of upper limb region	Shoulder region: deltoid region, axillary region Arm region: anterior arm region, posterior arm region Elbow region: anterior cubital region, cubital fossa, posterior cubital region Forearm region: anterior forearm region, posterior forearm region Wrist region: anterior carpal region, posterior carpal region Hand region: palm of hand, dorsum of hand, metacarpal region, regions of digits, interdigital spaces of hand, radial foveola

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Continue your learning

Beside the upper limb regions, there are many other regions of the human body for you to learn. Continue learning about these regions in the study units below.