Joint capsuleA loose sleeve of fibrous tissue round the whole joint. It runs from the rim of the socket to the neck of the humerus, and its slack lets the arm swing freely.
Glenohumeral ligamentsThree bands that strengthen the front of the capsule. The superior, middle and inferior bands run from the rim of the socket to the humerus.
Coracohumeral ligamentA band that supports the top of the capsule. It runs from the coracoid process's base to the humerus's greater tubercle.
Coracoacromial ligamentA band between the coracoid process and the acromion. With those two it makes an arch over the joint that stops the ball riding upward.
Acromioclavicular ligamentA band across the top of the small acromioclavicular joint. It runs from the acromion to the outer end of the collarbone.
Coracoclavicular ligamentTwo strong parts, the conoid and the trapezoid ligaments. They run from the coracoid process up to the collarbone and hang the weight of the arm from it.
Transverse humeral ligamentA band between the humerus's two tubercles. It holds the biceps tendon in the groove between them.
Tendon of the long head of the bicepsIt starts at the top of the rim of the socket. It runs through the joint and leaves between the two tubercles to go down the arm.
Subacromial bursaA thin sac of fluid under the acromion and the deltoid. It lies on the supraspinatus tendon and cuts friction as the arm moves.
How this list was compiled: Every name and detail line was checked on 2026-09-30 against TeachMeAnatomy, The Shoulder Joint, https://teachmeanatomy.info/upper-limb/joints/shoulder/, and The Acromioclavicular Joint, https://teachmeanatomy.info/upper-limb/joints/acromioclavicular/; Gray, Anatomy of the Human Body, 20th edition, 1918 (public domain), the sections on the scapula, the shoulder joint and the muscles of the shoulder, https://archive.org/details/anatomyofhumanbo00grayrich; and Kenhub, Glenohumeral joint, https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/the-shoulder-joint. The wording is in our own words. Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site on 2026-09-30 from plain geometry; nothing traced. Licence: own work
How it works
The shoulder joint without labels, drawn with its capsule and ligaments on. The bones and the socket are named on the shoulder anatomy quiz.
Read the full guide
Nine lines to fill in
Three lines leave the top of the drawing, four the left side and two the right. Word bank: joint capsule, glenohumeral ligaments, coracohumeral ligament, coracoacromial ligament, acromioclavicular ligament, coracoclavicular ligament, transverse humeral ligament, tendon of the long head of the biceps, subacromial bursa.
Four bony parts with no line
Write these on the shapes. The clavicle is the long bone across the top. The acromion, a part of the scapula, is the flat plate at its outer end, above the sac that has a line. The scapula is the large triangle at the right. The humerus hangs at the left, with its head inside the capsule.
The transverse humeral ligament is the short band across the arm bone; the biceps tendon is the cord that comes out below it.
The glenohumeral ligaments are three bands on the front of the capsule, and one line serves all three.
Questions and answers
What type of joint is the shoulder joint?
A ball and socket synovial joint between the humerus and the scapula. Its other name, the glenohumeral joint, comes from the two surfaces that meet: the glenoid cavity and the head of the humerus.
What is the acromioclavicular joint?
The second joint on this sheet: a plane synovial joint where the outer end of the clavicle meets the acromion. Two of the nine lines belong to it, the acromioclavicular and the coracoclavicular ligament.
What is the coracoacromial arch?
The arch that the coracoacromial ligament makes over the shoulder joint as it runs between the acromion and the coracoid process. It resists the head of the humerus moving upward.
Is there a labeled copy of the blank shoulder joint diagram?
Yes. The answer key is the same drawing with each name at the end of its line. Four are shortened: GH for glenohumeral, AC for acromioclavicular, CC for coracoclavicular, and Biceps tendon. The numbered copy's key spells all nine out.