Õlavööde

Õlavööde, also known as the shoulder girdle or pectoral girdle, is a complex structure in anatomy that connects the upper limbs to the axial skeleton. It comprises the clavicle (collarbone) and the scapula (shoulder blade). In humans, the shoulder girdle's primary function is to provide mobility and stability to the arms, allowing for a wide range of motion.

The clavicle articulates with the sternum at its medial end and the scapula at its lateral end, forming the sternoclavicular joint and the acromioclavicular joint, respectively. These joints are crucial for the clavicle's role as a strut, supporting the shoulder and preventing the scapula from collapsing inwards. The scapula, a large, triangular bone, lies on the posterior aspect of the thorax. It possesses several important features, including the glenoid cavity, which forms the socket for the humerus (upper arm bone) in the glenohumeral joint, the main ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder.

The muscles of the shoulder girdle are extensive and include the rotator cuff muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis), deltoid, trapezius, and pectoralis muscles, among others. These muscles work in concert to stabilize the shoulder joint, elevate, depress, protract, retract, and rotate the scapula and humerus. This intricate muscular arrangement is responsible for the remarkable flexibility and strength of the human arm. Injuries to the shoulder girdle, such as fractures of the clavicle or scapula, or dislocations of the glenohumeral joint, can significantly impair upper limb function.