By Matthew Law

The clavicle is better known as the collar bone, and can easily be felt in a living person at the top of the chest between the sternum and the shoulders. It is slightly S-shaped, and featureless on top.

It has a large proximal joint, and articulates with the sternum at the sterno-clavicular joint.

On the underside is a hole called the the nutrient foramen.
Sometimes there is also a parallel line for the subclavius muscle - this is generally indistinct.

The conoid tubercle, which is found on the lateral end (known as the acromial extremity), is where the conoid ligament attaches. The conoid ligament attached to the coracoid process of the scapula, and reinforces the joint (White and Folkens 2005: 194).

Sometimes there is a big impression for the costoclavicular ligament, which holds the clavicle to the first rib, called the costal impression. This can be confused for pathology.

The larger part of the bone is medial.

The curve is forward facing.

The clavicle is very frequently broken.

The length should be measured. This is sexually diamorphic.

Reference

White, T.D., and Folkens, P.A., 2005, The Human Bone Manual (San Diego: Academic Press)

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