Technical
Tuesday Funny Bone
The “funny
bone” isn’t a bone at all. Nor is it funny, as you know if you’ve ever hit your
elbow on something.
The funny
bone usually refers to the area of the olecranon,
at the upper end of the ulna (one of the two bones in the forearm). On the
inside of this is a small protuberance, the medial epicondyle of the humerus
(upper arm bone). All this makes it sound like the funny bone is a bone, but it
isn’t.
The ulnar nerve runs in a groove (called the cubital tunnel) on
the back of the epicondyle, and it lies near the surface. That’s why it hurts
so much when you hit your funny bone. So actually, the funny bone is a nerve,
not a bone, although it is close to several bones. Confused yet?
If the ulnar
nerve gets obstructed or constricted (from sleeping with a bent arm, for
example), a condition called cubital tunnel syndrome results. The sensation of pain
and tingling is the same as hitting the funny bone, but it lasts longer. Scary.
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Anatomical Secret #26z:
“The funny bone isn’t a bone.”
Link of the Day:
Quote of the Day:
“Whoever
came up with the term “Funny Bone” must have been a masochist, because hitting
it is not funny at all…”
― Gary Hopkins
― Gary Hopkins
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