Scapula facts for kids

Bone: Scapula
The upper picture is an anterior (from the front) view of the thorax and shoulder girdle. The lower picture is a posterior (from the rear) view of the thorax (scapula shown in red.)
Latin	Scapula (omo)

In anatomy, the scapula (plural scapulae or scapulas), also known as shoulder bone, shoulder blade, wing bone or blade bone, is the bone that connects the humerus (upper arm bone) with the clavicle (collar bone). Like their connected bones the scapulae are paired, with the scapula on either side of the body being roughly a mirror image of the other. The name derives from early Roman times when it was thought that the bone resembled a trowel or small shovel.

In compound terms, the prefix omo- is used for the shoulder blade in Latin medical terminology. The prefix is derived from ὦμος (ōmos), the Ancient Greek word for shoulder, and is cognate with the Latin (h)umerus.

The scapula forms the back of the shoulder girdle. In humans, it is a flat bone, roughly triangular in shape, placed on a posterolateral aspect of the thoracic cage.

Images for kids

• 

  3d model of scapula, along with annotations showing the various parts of the scapula

• 

  Figure 5 : Plan of ossification of the scapula. From seven centers.

• 

  A winged scapula (left)

• 

  Left scapula, anterior surface. Anatomic neck: red, Surgical neck: purple

• 

  Scapulae, spine and ribs of Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown Bat).

• 

  Superior angle shown in red

• 

  Lateral angle shown in red

• 

  Anatomic neck: red, Surgical neck: purple

• 

  Inferior angle shown in red

• 

  Costal surface of left scapula. Superior border shown in red.

• 

  Left scapula. Superior border shown in red.

• 

  Animation. Superior border shown in red.

• 

  Dorsal surface of left scapula. Lateral border shown in red.

• 

  Left scapula. Lateral border shown in red.

• 

  Animation. Lateral border shown in red.

• 

  Left scapula. Medial border shown in red.

• 

  Animation. Medial border shown in red.

• 

  Still image. Medial border shown in red.

• 

  Levator scapulae muscle (red)

• 

  Rhomboid minor muscle (red)

• 

  Rhomboid major muscle (red)

• 

  Position of scapula (shown in red). Animation.

• 

  Shape of scapula (left). Animation.

• 

  Thorax seen from behind.

• 

  The scapular and circumflex arteries.

• 

  Left scapula. Dorsal surface. (Superior border labeled at center top.)

• 

  Scapula. Medial view.

• 

  Scapula. Posterior face.

• 

  Computer Generated turn around Image of scapula

• 

  Suprascapular canal path

See also

In Spanish: Escápula para niños