Tag: anatomy lessons

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Fun Fact: Carpal Bone

Anatomy def: Carpals are eight small bones forming the wrist.

Outlander def: Rocking aboard the Artemis, Claire checks her soaring temperature with the back of wrist. Oh, the lass is on fire! … psst … so is Jamie! He, he!

Learn about carpal bones in Anatomy Lesson #22 Jamie’s Hand – Symbol of Sacrifice. If time is short for a full lesson, consider watching my quickie hand lesson, courtesy of Outlander After the Show. This lesson streamed June 1, 2015, just after the airing of ep 116, Wentworth Prison. The  lesson begins at 16:42 in the following video. Thanks to hosts Keetin, Jen and Ryan for inviting me to discuss the hand’s splendid engineering!

Eight oddly-shaped carpal bones are arranged in two rows to form the wrist. The near row abuts forearm bones and the far row articulates with metacarpal bones. Carpal bones are named for their shapes:

  • scaphoid (boat)
  • lunate (crescent-shaped)
  • triquetrum (three-cornered)
  • pisiform (pea)
  • trapezium (table)
  • trapezoid (quadrilateral)
  • capitate (head-shaped)
  • hamate (hook-shaped)

Carpal bones are arranged in a shallow arch traversed by 9 tendons and a nerve. Small repetitive movements or fluid retention can create pressure on the nerve (median) as it passes through the arch causing tingling and numbness, symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Read about  carpal bones in Outlander book, wherein Claire amuses herself by likening streets and lanes of Cranesmuir to bones of forearm and hand. That Claire – always the doc.  That Diana – always the scientist. We love them!

In fact, I had amused myself on the ride to the smithy by imagining an aerial view of the village as a representation of a skeletal forearm and hand; the High Street was the radius, along which lay the shops and businesses and the residences of the more well-to-do. St. Margaret’s Lane was the ulna, a narrower street running parallel with the High, tenanted by smithy, tannery, and the less genteel artisans and businesses. The village square (which, like all village squares I had ever seen, was not square at all, but roughly oblong) formed the carpals and metacarpals of the hand, while the several lanes of cottages made up the phalangeal joints of the fingers.

See Claire’s wrist in action as she self-diagnoses in Starz Episode 311, Uncharted! Continue watching the episode to see what Jamie does to douse her fever. Wink, wink!

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo credit: Sony/Starz

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Fun Fact: Linea Semilunaris

Anatomy Def: Lineae semilunares (pl.) are a pair of curved tendinous lines of the anterior abdominal wall; one on the left and one on the right, each traces the outer margin of its respective rectus abdominis muscle. 

Outlander Def: Jamie’s right belly line is taut, taut, taut as he gazes upon his beloved (red arrows in image) – it’s been a verra looooong time since I’ve seen ye, Sassenach!!! <G>

Learn about linea semilunaris in Anatomy Lesson 16, Jamie’s Belly or Scottish Six-Pack!

Linea semilunaris is a line where flat tendons of three abdominal muscles (external oblique, internal oblique and transversus abdominis) of one side meet the tendinous sheath enveloping the rectus abdominis muscle of the same side. Wow, what a mouth full!  Understand these lines are strong and fibrous.

Also, lineae semilunares are curve. Why? Because each line runs from 9th rib to pubic tubercle (attachment site). Because our 9th ribs are further apart and our pubic tubercles are closer together, each line assumes a curved shape, hence the name meaning “curved or half-moon.” Early anatomists were very poetic folk!

Although we all have a pair of linea semilunaris, the skin grooves overlying these lines are generally visible only in the fit and lean.  Jamie meets this criteria, and voilà, we see the excellent skin groove overlying his right linea semilunaris! He has a left one, too. Got it? Super-duper!

Fun Fact: Linea semilunaris has yet a third name, the spigelian line. Why? Well,  a hernia may develop among the fibrous layers of linea semilunaris and since this hernia was first described in the 1600s by Brussels anatomist- surgeon Adriaan van den Spiegel, the award goes to Spiegel!

Fortunately, spegelian hernias are small and rare, but also dangerous. If bowel works its way between the tight , fibrous layers of linea semilunaris, it may strangulate (lose its blood supply), creating a medical emergency! Interestingly, for unknown reasons, most spigelian hernias occur on the right side between the 4th and 7th decades of life. Yikes!

Read about Jamie’s belly in Voyager book. After 20 years apart, he and Claire hole up in an Edinburgh brothel.  Herself shares Claire’s astute assessment of her beloved:

We fell quiet again, but could not take our eyes away from each other. I looked him over carefully in the strengthening light, comparing memory to reality. A narrow blade of early sun knifed through the shutters’ crack, lighting a lock of hair like polished bronze, gilding the curve of his shoulder, the smooth flat slope of his belly. He seemed slightly larger than I had remembered, and one hell of a lot more immediate.

There was a momentary pause, and then I said, “Do you mean to tell me what you are, or shall I go on running down the disreputable possibilities until I come close?” “Oh, aye?” he said, entertained by this suggestion. “What’s your best guess?” I looked him over carefully. He lay at ease amid the tumbled sheets, one arm behind his head, grinning at me. “Well, I’d bet my shift you’re not a printer,” I said. The grin widened. “Why not?” I poked him rudely in the ribs. “You’re much too fit. Most men in their forties have begun to go soft round the middle, and you haven’t a spare ounce on you.”

See Jamie’s fit belly in Starz, episode 306, A. Malcolm. Nope, NOT a spare ounce. No the belly of a printer!!!

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo credits: Sony/Starz

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Fun Fact: Iliopsoas

Anatomy def: Iliopsoas muscles are flexors of the hip joints. Flexion draws together the bones of a joint thereby reducing the angle between them. 

Outlander def: Preferring the Highland Fling dismount, Claire and Jamie contract right iliopsoas muscles to hoist their right legs and skedaddle-from-the-saddle.

Learn about iliopsoas in Anatomy Lesson #7: Jamie’s Thighs – Ode to Joy!

Each iliopsoas is a composite muscle formed of iliacus and psoas. These muscles arise in the abdomen via pelvic bone and lumbar vertebrae, respectively. They descend into the thigh, unite and insert via a common tendon into the femur. 

As they contract, the thigh is raised toward the torso, or with the thigh fixed (held steady), the torso is flexed toward the thigh. We actually have nine hip flexors for each hip joint, but iliopsoas is strongest!

Fun Fact: If one is a proper anatomist (he he), psoas is more accurately termed psoas major.  Why? Because, there is a psoas minor – albeit only 25% of people have one. When present, it’s a pretty dinky muscle. It lies anterior to psoas major and contributes little to hip flexion.

And,  just so you know, the “p” in psoas is silent, so the word is pronounced “soas.”  

Read about thighs in Diana’s first splendid tome, Outlander! Does she mention iliopsoas muscle? No, but she does mention thighs. Woot! 

Claire notices Jamie’s thighs on that wild ride through the night near Cocknammon Rock:

My companion seemed to be having little trouble, in spite of being unable to use his right hand. I could feel his thighs behind mine, shifting and pressing occasionally to guide the horse. I clutched the edge of the short saddle in order to stay seated; I had been on horses before, but was by no means the horseman this Jamie was.

And, later after marriage vows have been made, Jamie recalls his thighs and praises Claire’s bottom <G>:

But then that ride through the dark together….with that lovely broad arse wedged between my thighs…

See Claire do the Highland High Kick in Starz ep. 102, Castle Leoch.  Gentleman Jamie follows suit as he dismounts to aid deceitful Geneva in Starz, ep. 304, Of Lost Things!

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo credits: Sony/Starz