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Joint capsule

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

The capsule of the sternoclavicular joint is fibrous and surrounds the whole joint. Its attachments are the:

  • articular margins of clavicle
  • articular margins of sternum
  • superior and medial surface of first costal cartilage

The capsule is thickened at a number of sites to form discrete ligaments:

  • anterior sternoclavicular, supporting anteriorly
  • posterior sternoclavicular, supporting posteriorly
  • interclavicular ligament, supporting superiorly

The inferior area, lacking reinforcement, is the most frequent site of dislocation. Internally, the capsule is lined by a synovial membrane except where it is joined to the articular disc.

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