Why Architecture is the Perfect Theme for our. National Shoulder and Elbow Week event in Buffalo.
You could argue that architecture is what happens when art and engineering collide. You might be able to say the same thing for shoulder and elbow surgery.
As shoulder and elbow surgeons we “reconstruct” joints, “restore” anatomy and use CT scans to better understand the “architecture” of the shoulder socket or elbow joint. Even the vocabulary is similar.
Below are a few examples of where the shoulder and elbow world intersect with the world of architecture and building.
- The Gothic Arch. If you have been inside a Gothic Cathedral you will recognize the Gothic arch. Did you know that there is a Gothic arch in the shoulder? The picture below shows that a natural Gothic arch forms where the edge of the shoulder blade (scapula) and the ball part of the shoulder joint (humerus) meet. The picture to the right of the X-ray is of Dennis Maher’s Assembly House 150, a converted church with original gothic arches as a part of the design.
- We often say that the end of the arm bone (humerus) has two “columns.” The columns are thick bony supports (yellow) that are linked by yet another arch (red). See the X-ray below. The picture to the right of the X-ray shows architectural columns.
Columns and arches exist in the shoulder and elbow AND as architectural constructs in buildings. A wonderful example of the parallels between the human body and the outside world, and why architecture is the perfect theme for our National Shoulder and Elbow event on May 17 in Buffalo, NY. Register NOW. You will be helping to “Build the Foundation of Shoulder and Elbow Research and Education” for the future in both Buffalo and the rest of the country. All proceeds will go toward funding research and education for treating shoulder and elbow problems.