Bone Photos

These images show the normal variation in human bones. None of them are pathological. They graphically display why no two people will ever do yoga poses the same way. If peoples’ bones are different then their joints will have different ranges of motion.

Please feel free to download and use these images for educational presentations and lectures. Click on each image you want and a larger file of that image will come up for you to download.

Left hip socket of two pelvii. Socket in left specimen pointed forward and down. Socket on right specimen pointed sideways and nearly horizontal.
Hip sockets pointing in different directions. Therefore range of motion in different directions will be different.
Hip sockets on right hand specimen are not visible from this front view because they are oriented out to the sides rather than forward.
Five left femurs. Oriented upside down in this image to make it easier to show torsion in the next two images.
Looking down on the neck/head of five left femurs. The degree of torsion (twist) increases left to right.
Two extremes of femoral rotation. Looking down on the neck/head of two left femur. Feet parallel requires completely different femoral rotations.
Two Left Femurs. The inclination of the neck is 40 degrees different. The ability to abduct would be 40 degrees different.
Two left femurs in front view. Femur on left has a neck that is twice as long.
Two right tibia. The one on the left is torsion outward. “Feet Parallel” would require an internal rotation of the femur.
Two right humerus. All bones have torsion. Specimen on left is torsioned internally. Therefore the humerus would have to externally rotate to place “hands parallel”.
Two right scapula from the back view. The acromion process on the left specimen doesn’t cover the shoulder socket. Range of motion of the humerus would be very different.
Two right scapula. Left specimen could easily clasp hands behind the back. The acromion of the right specimen would block this movement.
Three right shoulder sockets of the scapula. The vertical axis of each is different. The acromion processes are also different.
Inside view two right scapula Coracoid process on the right specimen is slanted downward, more likely to pinch with humerus in chaturanga.
Two left scapula. Acromion on left specimen doesn’t cover shoulder socket, making it easy to raise arms up and bring them back  behind the head.
Lumbar vertebrae. The gaps between spinous processes are different, so their back bending extensions would be different. Everyone’s vertebra are different.
Three sacrum. Originally five bones fused in the womb. Different ratios of length to width due to the shape of bones. Everyone’s vertebra are different.
Two sacrum. Originally five bones that fuse in the womb. Difference in curve due to difference in the five bones. Everyone’s vertebra are different.