Wednesday 18 February 2009

ABC Wednesday - E

I thought I'd do something a little different this week. So this weeks letter, E, is for Elbow!!!


The elbow is a complex joint which forms a hinge or ginglymus. What a great word!!

The elbow is where three bones, the humerous (upper arm bone), ulna and radius (the lower arm bones) meet.

The nobbly bit on the outside of your elbow is actually part of the ulna bone called the Olecranon.

When you hit your funny bone the sensation you feel is actually irritation of the ulna nerve which is the largest unprotected (by bone or muscle) nerve in the body. It runs from your shoulder all the way down to the tip of your little finger.

This useful info was sourced from Wikipedia.


Other 'interesting' facts about elbows;

It is physically impossible to lick your own elbow.

The length between the inside of your wrist and the inside of your elbow is roughly the same as the length of your foot!! Looks huge, but try it, it works!

This info came from a file in my head labelled 'Weird and Useless Information!'


Scientists have discovered that Octopuses and Squid have the ability to form 'part-time' elbows to help them eat. Strange but true!

And that came from a random google search for 'elbows'.



Hope you've enjoyed discovering more about your elbows!! To read more interesting ABC Wednesday posts from around the world please visit here.

7 comments:

Tumblewords: said...

It's so much fun knowing little tidbits like this - you never know when they might come in really handy! Thanks for sharing...I'm trying to fit my foot into the space between my wrist and elbow...

auntiegwen said...

I can actually lick my own elbow ! sad but true, I am a freak !

Buddhist in Training said...

Tumblewords; you're welcome and good luck with the foot thing!!

AuntieGwen; if that is true you really are a freak and I demand photographic proof!!

Carolina said...

See!?! Just this weekend I tried to tell someone that interesting fact about your underarm being the same length as your foot, but all I could think of was: "uhm, uhm, you know, if you take the length of your wrist to your elbow uhm, that's the same size as...uhm, something else!"
Forgot about the foot! Stupid me! Will never forget it anymore. Thanks!

And if you visit my entry and come up with the best name ever! I will let you ride my horse when it's old enough ;-)

Buddhist in Training said...

Carolina I have made my suggestions and will book my flight tomorow ;)

Liz Hinds said...

I heard something recently about the juice of eternal life being in your elbow - and that's why you can't lick it. What was that on? QI?

kRiZcPEc said...

thanks for sharing!