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

ligament A ligament is the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones. It is also known as ''articular ligament'', ''articular larua'', ''fibrous ligament'', or ''true ligament''. Other ligaments in the body include the: * Peritoneal li ...

at the medial aspect of the

elbow The elbow is the region between the 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 the media ...

uniting the

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

aspect of the

humerus The humerus (; ) 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 and ulna, and consists of three sections. The humeral upper extremity consists of a roun ...

to the proximal aspect of the

ulna The ulna (''pl''. ulnae or ulnas) is a long bone found in the forearm that stretches from the elbow to the smallest finger, and when in anatomical position, is found on the medial side of the forearm. That is, the ulna is on the same side of t ...

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 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 and is directed slightly more posteriorly in the anatomical position. In birds, whe ...

; and, below, by its broad base to the medial margin of the

coronoid process of the ulna The coronoid process of the ulna is a triangular process projecting forward from the anterior proximal portion of the ulna. Structure Its ''base'' is continuous with the body of the bone, and of considerable strength. Anatomy Its ''apex'' is ...

. 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 eminence of the ulna, a long bone in the forearm that projects behind the elbow. It forms the most pointed portion of the elbow and is opposite to the cubital fossa or elbow pit. The olecranon ...

. Between these two bands a few

intermediate fibers Intermediate fibers, also known as fast oxidative-glycolytic fibers, are fast twitch muscle fibers which have been converted via endurance training. These fibers are slightly larger in diameter, have more mitochondria A mitochondrion (; ) i ...

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 Vertebrates () comprise all animal taxa within the subphylum Vertebrata () ( chordates with ba ...

and

flexor carpi ulnaris The flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) is a muscle of the forearm that flexes and adducts at the wrist joint. Structure Origin The flexor carpi ulnaris has two heads; a humeral head and ulnar head. The humeral head originates from the medial epicondyle o ...

and the

ulnar nerve In human anatomy, the ulnar nerve is a nerve that runs near the ulna bone. 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 bone, so injury is ...

, and gives origin to part of the

flexor digitorum superficialis Flexor digitorum superficialis (''flexor digitorum sublimis'') is an extrinsic flexor muscle of the fingers at the proximal interphalangeal joints. It is in the anterior compartment of the forearm. It is sometimes considered to be the deepest pa ...

Injury

During activities such as overhand

baseball pitching In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

, 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, neurologic deficiency, 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