Most Things Biology

Time To Read

2–3 minutes

Date Last Modified

February 6, 2026

The clavicleS-shaped collarbone; connects sternum to scapula; helps brace the shoulder. or collarbone is very nondescript. That’s all.

An illustrated right clavicle depicted from two angles: the superior view (top) and the inferior view (bottom), highlighting structural differences. — Illustration of the right clavicle from superior and inferior views, showcasing key anatomical features.

Sternal end
Acromial end

Clavicle Study Sheet

I do not like the clavicle. In some real bones it can look the same on both side, at least to me it does. You can get a better idea about the clavicle by looking at it on a fully articulated skeleton. This applies to most bones as well. The clavicle is part of the pectoral girdle or the structure that attaches arms to the main body. The scapulaTriangular “shoulder blade” on posterior thorax; connects clavicle and humerus. and sternumFlat bone forming the center of the chest; anchor for ribs and clavicles. Appears as a vertical dagg join the clavicle as part of the pectoral girdle. The pectoral girdle is about movementA fundamental property of life involving motion of the body or its parts. whereas the pelvic girdle is about stability. Think about this for a minute, because both the shoulder and the hip are ball-and-socket joints. The shoulder is dislocated much more easily than the hip. This is because of the shallow socket on the shoulder prioritizes movement over stability.

Isolated vector image of the clavicle bone. Two instances are positioned towards the top-left with a large white field. Top is superior view of the bone. And, anterior view is below that. Tan color highlights bone features. No text elements included. — Clavicle anatomy illustration showing superior and anterior views of bone structure.

The clavicle is part of the pectoral girdle. It connects with the sternum. Then, it connects with the acromial process on the scapula. The scapula’s coracoid processHook-like projection anterior to the acromion; attachment for muscles of the arm and chest. does not connect with the clavicle. You have lots and lots of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that run through here. Some people have a naturally small space for that and can have shoulder issues later in life like bursitis. I have bursitis of the left shoulder. Sometimes it gets so inflamed I need cortisone shots. Bursa are like little ball bearings in the shoulder. They allow the tendons and ligaments to slide over each other easily when you move your arm. However, my bursa just can’t get the job done with such a small space. And so, things become inflamed. I digress.

What do you need to know about the clavicle? One thing: which end is which. The sternal endRounded, medial end of clavicle that articulates with the manubrium of the sternum. of the clavicle is blunt. It just stops. The lateralAway from the midline of the body. end of the clavicle becomes flattened like a spoon so that the clavicle can fit into the acromion. It’s hard to infer the blunt and the flat ends from a picture. The clavicle fits into the sternum at the clavicular notchIndentations on either side of the manubrium where clavicles articulate.. This is a fibrous joint and looks like the clavicle is shoved up against the sternum. You can stretch this fibrous joint when you dislocate a shoulder. It hurts. The flat end of the clavicle fits in with the acromion on the scapula. This is a moveable articulation with the spoon shape of the acromial endFlattened, lateral end that articulates with the acromion of the scapula of the clavicle fitting into the scapula.