Why humerus is called funny bone

Running down the inside part of your elbow is a nerve called the ulnar nerve. The ulnar nerve lets your brain know about feelings in your fourth and fifth fingers. It's also one of the nerves that controls some movement of your hand. You get that funny feeling when the ulnar nerve is bumped against the humerus say: HYOO-muh-rus , the long bone that starts at your elbow and goes up to your shoulder. Tapping your funny bone doesn't do any damage to your elbow, arm, or ulnar nerve.

Luke's Hospital. As for how it got its name, one theory is that it comes from the feeling you get when you smack it, you might say it feels funny. The more likely explanation is the nerve hits up against the humerus bone which sounds like humorous, which means funny. Edit Close. Toggle navigation. Sign Up Log In. Dashboard Logout. Food Things to Do What the Tech? Home News News. Hitting your funny bone is no laughing matter, but how did it get its funny name? What is your funny bone?

This nerve is responsible for giving sensation to your forearm as well as your fourth and fifth fingers and helps stimulate movement in your hand and wrist. Why does it hurt when you hit it? At this specific point, the nerve is not protected by any muscle. The sensation you feel when you hit this precise spot is actually the nerve being pinched and compressed.

Hitting your funny bone happens when your elbow is bent rather than extended because the former opens up this small and sensitive area. Because the nerve is also responsible for some hand and wrist movements, it can take a few minutes to get these movements back after whacking your funny bone.

And while hitting your funny bone is something you can usually laugh about once the pain subsides, in some instances the pain and discomfort is ongoing. Why is it called the funny bone? Share this Article. Related Content. Climate News Nov. Tiffany Crawford. Cayley Dobie. City Council wants TTC operators added to province's 'right to pee' bill City transit operators aching to answer the call of nature may soon find a Better Way towards relief.

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The Canadian Press.