Septal aperture of the humerus in a mediaeval human skeletal population

Humeral septal aperture is studied in a large Mediaeval skeletal series from England. The aims are to investigate associations between septal aperture and sex, age, side and humeral robusticity; and to evaluate any associations with relative projection of ulna coronoid and olecranon processes. In th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of physical anthropology 2008-08, Vol.136 (4), p.432-440
Main Author: Mays, Simon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
age
Biological anthropology
England
Female
Functional Laterality
History, Medieval
Human remains
Humans
Humeral Fractures - pathology
humeral robusticity
humero-ulnar joint
Humerus - anatomy & histology
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Medieval history
Morphology
Physical anthropology
septal perforation
sex
Ulna - anatomy & histology
United Kingdom
Wharram Percy
Youth
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Summary:Humeral septal aperture is studied in a large Mediaeval skeletal series from England. The aims are to investigate associations between septal aperture and sex, age, side and humeral robusticity; and to evaluate any associations with relative projection of ulna coronoid and olecranon processes. In this way, it is hoped to shed light on age at occurrence and the causation of the trait. Results showed a paucity of cases in juveniles. In adults, the trait was more common in left bones and in females. No association was found with humeral robusticity or humero‐ulnar conformation. Detailed morphological study of humeral septa of individuals with and without apertures suggested that septal aperture forms via resorption from the anterior surface of the septum. In this group, apertures appear generally to form in early adult life. It is suggested that in the study group septal aperture generally arises from impingement on the humeral septum by the coronoid and olecranon processes, chiefly the former. It is tentatively suggested that frequency of septal aperture may be an index of joint hypermobility in earlier populations. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:0002-9483
1096-8644
DOI:10.1002/ajpa.20826