Radial Collateral Ligament of Elbow
The structure indicated is the
radial collateral ligament of the elbow. The
fibrous joint capsule which surrounds the elbow joint is reinforced medially and laterally, where it thickens to form the
collateral ligaments – the
radial collateral ligament and the
ulnar collateral ligament. Surrounding the radial head is the
annular ligament, the fibres of which blend with the fibres of the radial collateral ligament. Because of the way the joint capsule is thickened to form ligaments with blended fibres, the elbow ligaments on the lateral aspect of the elbow are often referred to collectively as the
lateral collateral ligament complex (LCLC), which consists of four ligaments:
- Radial collateral ligament (RCL)
- Lateral ulnar collateral ligament (LUCL)
- Accessory lateral collateral ligament (ALCL)
- Annular ligament (AL)
The radial collateral ligament attaches at one end to the
lateral epicondyle of the humerus and at the other end attaches to the lateral part of the annular ligament, the radius and also the ulnar. Learn more about the anatomy of the radial collateral ligament in
this tutorial on the elbow joint. Interact with the
elbow joint using our 3D atlas.
