The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) or internal lateral ligament is a thick triangular

ligament A ligament is a type of fibrous connective tissue in the body that connects bones to other bones. It also connects flight feathers to bones, in dinosaurs and birds. All 30,000 species of amniotes (land animals with internal bones) have liga ...

at the medial aspect of the

elbow The elbow is the region between the upper arm and the forearm that surrounds the elbow joint. The elbow includes prominent landmarks such as the olecranon, the cubital fossa (also called the chelidon, or the elbow pit), and the lateral and t ...

uniting the

distal Standard anatomical terms of location are used to describe unambiguously the anatomy of humans and other animals. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position provi ...

aspect of the

humerus The humerus (; : humeri) is a long bone in the arm that runs from the shoulder to the elbow. It connects the scapula and the two bones of the lower arm, the radius (bone), radius and ulna, and consists of three sections. The humeral upper extrem ...

to the proximal aspect of the

ulna The ulna or ulnar bone (: ulnae or ulnas) is a long bone in the forearm stretching from the elbow to the wrist. It is on the same side of the forearm as the little finger, running parallel to the Radius (bone), radius, the forearm's other long ...

Structure

It consists of two portions, an anterior and posterior united by a thinner intermediate portion. Note that this ligament is also referred to as the

medial collateral ligament The medial collateral ligament (MCL), also called the superficial medial collateral ligament (sMCL) or tibial collateral ligament (TCL), is one of the major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial (inner) side of the knee joint and occurs in ...

and should not be confused with the lateral ulnar collateral ligament (LUCL). The ''anterior portion'', directed obliquely forward, is attached, above, by its apex, to the front part of the

medial epicondyle of the humerus The medial epicondyle of the humerus is an epicondyle of the humerus bone of the upper arm in humans. It is larger and more prominent than the Lateral epicondyle of the humerus, lateral epicondyle and is directed slightly more posteriorly in the ...

; and, below, by its broad base to the medial margin of the coronoid process of the ulna. The ''posterior portion'', also of triangular form, is attached, above, by its apex, to the lower and back part of the medial epicondyle; below, to the medial margin of the

olecranon The olecranon (, ), is a large, thick, curved bony process on the proximal, posterior end of the ulna. It forms the protruding part of the elbow and is opposite to the cubital fossa or elbow pit (trochlear notch). The olecranon serves as a lever ...

. Between these two bands a few intermediate fibers descend from the medial epicondyle to blend with a transverse band which bridges across the notch between the olecranon and the coronoid process. This ligament is in relation with the

triceps brachii The triceps, or triceps brachii (Latin for "three-headed muscle of the arm"), is a large muscle on the back of the upper limb of many vertebrates. It consists of three parts: the medial, lateral, and long head. All three heads cross the elbow jo ...

and flexor carpi ulnaris and the

ulnar nerve The ulnar nerve is a nerve that runs near the ulna, one of the two long bones in the forearm. The ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint is in relation with the ulnar nerve. The nerve is the largest in the human body unprotected by muscle or ...

, and gives origin to part of the flexor digitorum superficialis.

Injury

During activities such as overhand baseball pitching, this ligament is subjected to extreme tension, which places the overhand-throwing athlete at risk for injury. Acute or chronic disruption and/or attenuation of the ulnar collateral ligament often result in medial elbow pain, valgus instability, and impaired throwing performance. There are both non-surgical and surgical treatment options.

Additional images

File:Elbow joint - deep dissection (anterior view, human cadaver).jpg, Elbow joint. Deep dissection. Anterior view. File:Slide2xzxzxz.JPG, Elbow joint. Deep dissection. Anterior view. File:Anatomy of the ulnar collateral ligament in the pitcher's elbow.png, Anatomy of the ulnar collateral ligament in the pitcher's elbow

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ulnar Collateral Ligament Of Elbow Joint Ligaments of the upper limb

Structure

Injury

Additional images

See also

References