Shoulder

Three bones make up the shoulder: the humerus, scapula, and clavicle. The shoulder is very complex in that it’s made up of three separate joints, which means it has extraordinary mobility and range of motion. The glenohumeral joint provides rotating movement, the acromioclavicular joint allows lifting motion of the arm, and the sternoclavicular joint allows the forward and backward motion of the arm. A network of muscles and tendons—the rotator cuff—covers and protects the shoulder. For a visual representation of the shoulder, see the animation.