Sternoclavicular joint

The sternoclavicular joint or sternoclavicular articulation is the joint between the manubrium of the sternum and the clavicle bone.

It is structurally classed as a synovial plane joint and functionally classed as a diarthrosis and multiaxial joint.

It is composed of two portions separated by an articular disc of fibrocartilage.

The bone areas entering into its formation are the sternal end of the clavicle, the upper and lateral part of the sternum, (the clavicular notch), and the cartilage of the first rib, visible from the outside as the suprasternal notch.

The articular surface of the clavicle is much larger than that of the sternum, and is invested with a layer of cartilage, which is considerably thicker than that on the sternum.

The costoclavicular ligament is the main limitation to movement, and therefore the main stabilizer of the joint.

A fibrocartilaginous disc present at the joint increases the range of movement.

Sternoclavicular dislocation is rare, but may result from direct trauma to the clavicle or indirect forces applied to the shoulder.

Posterior dislocations deserve special attention, as they have the potential to be life-threatening because of the risk of damage to vital structures in the mediastinum.