MORPHOMETRIC STUDY OF THE ACROMION PROCESS OF THE SCAPULA

The shape of the acromion process of the scapula is an important causative factor implicated in the pathogenesis of impingement syndrome of the shoulder joint. Morphometric study of the acromion process of the scapula was done in 50 scapulae from the Institute of Anatomy, Madras Medical College, Chennai. Based on the shape, the acromion process is classified in to 3 types Type I-flat, Type II-curved and Type III-hooked. The bony parameters measured were length and width of the acromion, acromio-coracoid distance and acromio-glenoid distance. In the present study the results were Type I flat was16 percent, Type II-curved was 56 percent and Type III-hooked was 28 percent. Type II-curved was the most common variety comprising about 56 percent. The length of the acromion was 43.04mm(mean),width measured 25.38mm, acromio-corocoid distance37.06mm and acromio-glenoid distance 29.86mm.