Phylogeny

Introduction

The human elbow forms the link between brachium and forearm, controlling length of reach and orientation of the hand, and is one of our most distinctive anatomic regions. An appreciation of elbow phylogeny complements anatomic knowledge in three ways: (1) it demonstrates how the elbow has evolved to facilitate specific functional demands, such as suspensory locomotion and dexterous manipulation; (2) it explains the functional significance of each morphologic feature; and (3) it assists in predicting the consequences of loss of such features through disease, injury, or treatment.

Most of the characteristic features of the human elbow significantly predate the appearance of modern Homo sapiens . In fact, current evidence suggests that this morphology can be traced back to the common ancestor of humans and apes, extant approximately 15 to 20 million years ago (mya).