Age Changes in the Clavicle: from the Early Neonatal Period to Skeletal Maturity

Abstract

Of all the long bones in the human skeleton, it is the clavicle which displays the longest period of growth‐related activity, rendering it particularly useful for the estimation of age at death in the earlier years. However, because of the universal paucity of documented juvenile remains, most previous studies have, by necessity, not only been based on material of estimated age at death but also restricted to a narrow age range. The aim of the present study was to chart developmental age‐related change in the clavicle across its full growth range using juvenile and young adult material of documented age at death. Maximum diaphysial length was recorded for prepubertal individuals and a grading of the progressive alterations in medial epiphysial morphology was recorded for post‐pubertal specimens. In this way, age changes in the clavicle were examined across its developmental maturity continuum.

Age estimation in the Thai male population using epiphyseal union of the medial clavicle

“…Between the age of 11 and 35 years, the degree of the epiphyseal union of the medial clavicular epiphysis changes dynamically and increases with increasing age. In this study, we found no difference in the degree of left and right clavicle union, results which are in accord with previous studies (2,3,6,(12)(13)(14)(15).…”

Anthropological Measurement of the Juvenile Clavicle Using Multi‐Detector Computed Tomography—Affirming Reliability

“…However, to date, the clavicle has not been extensively examined by MDCT throughout the full ontogenetic spectrum. Comparisons of the results obtained in this study are similar to those presented by Black and Scheuer , which, to the authors' knowledge, is the only previously published set of results for this bone. There is therefore supporting evidence to suggest that MDCT measurements closely parallel the dry osteological data available from existing published communications.…”

Age estimation of adolescent and young adult male and female skeletons II, epiphyseal union at the upper limb and scapular girdle in a modern Portuguese skeletal sample

“…The ages of union of the medial clavicle in this study are similar to those documented in Stevenson (1924), Todd and D'Errico (1928), Webb and Suchey (1985) and Black and Scheuer (1996). The major differences are related to the fact that Stevenson (1924) and Black and Scheuer (1996) do not discriminate between the sexes, and have a slightly wider age interval, including both younger and older ages of union for females and males, reported by Webb and Suchey (1985).…”