arm
Enable an agent to identify a biological arm, describe its anatomical extent and functional state, and determine which observations or assistance are appropriate.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
recalled by Codex without web access - no source was read
Researched by: Codex
Purpose and description
Enable an agent to identify a biological arm, describe its anatomical extent and functional state, and determine which observations or assistance are appropriate.
In human anatomy, the arm (brachium) is the region of the upper limb between the shoulder and elbow, containing the humerus and surrounding soft tissues; ordinary usage often extends the term to the whole upper limb.
It can be Locate and label the arm and its boundaries on an individual or anatomical representation.; Record repeatable dimensions and movement observations using declared landmarks and methods.; Compare observations over time or between sides while accounting for anatomical and measurement differences.; Describe how the arm contributes to reaching, lifting and positioning the hand.; Match documented needs to support or protection requirements and flag missing fitting information.; Communicate local changes and documented restrictions to an appropriate human decision-maker..
Distinguishing features
In the strict human anatomical sense, the arm lies between the shoulder and elbow; the forearm lies between the elbow and wrist.
The humerus identifies the principal skeletal segment of the upper arm, whereas the radius and ulna identify the forearm.
An arm is a part of an individual organism, not an organism or taxon in its own right.
The biological structure is distinguished from an attached prosthesis or external support, even when they contribute jointly to an activity.
A record using arm for the entire upper limb must declare that broader extent before its measurements can be compared with upper-arm records.
Scope
+ Anatomical extent, laterality and attachment to an individual
+ Upper-arm tissues and their relationships to shoulder and elbow
+ Observed movement, strength, sensation and tissue condition
+ Developmental variation, acquired changes and residual anatomy
+ Arm-specific support, protection and activity constraints
- The whole person or organism, including species-level taxonomy
- Detailed forearm, wrist and hand anatomy when arm means upper arm
- Independent models of shoulder and elbow joints
- Diseases, injuries and treatment protocols as standalone concepts
- Prosthetic arms, robotic manipulators, weapons and organisational arms
Characteristics
- Anatomical sense
- upper arm; whole upper limb; other biological usage; unresolved Determines which structures and observations the record includes.
- Individual and laterality
- reference to individual organism plus left, right, bilateral aggregate or unresolved Prevents observations from being assigned to the wrong person or side.
- Present anatomical extent
- described proximal and distal boundaries, present structures and developmental or acquired differences Allows identification without assuming a typical complete limb.
- Upper-arm dimensions
- length and circumference in cm, with landmarks, posture and method Supports repeatable comparison and appropriately fitted supports.
- Movement at adjacent joints
- degrees by named shoulder or elbow movement, active or passive method, posture and date Describes movement involving the arm without treating the arm segment itself as a joint.
- Force production
- N or N·m with movement, apparatus and position, or a named ordinal assessment scale Makes strength observations interpretable and avoids equating unlike assessments.
- Local symptoms and tissue condition
- localised pain, altered sensation, swelling, skin changes or wounds, with onset and observation source Connects reported or observed changes to the relevant arm region without asserting a diagnosis.
- Activity restrictions
- reference to restricted activity, issuing person or care instruction, applicable side and review date Constrains assistance according to documented instructions and current circumstances.
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.arm-artifact
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 5 bundles · 9 layers · 16 findings · 24 questions.
Anatomical identity Establishes which biological structure the word arm denotes in this record.
Arm commonly denotes different anatomical extents, and silently mixing them invalidates subsequent observations.
Sense and boundaries
Declares the intended meaning and physical limits.
Declared arm extent
The draft requires an explicit choice between upper arm and whole upper limb before attaching anatomical observations.
- Does the registry source mean the shoulder-to-elbow segment or the entire upper limb? definition
- Which proximal and distal landmarks delimit the structure in this record? boundary
Individual and side
Anchors the arm to an organism and a specific side.
Body-part reference
Identification distinguishes a particular arm from a generic anatomical description or a bilateral summary.
- Is this a particular individual's arm, a reference anatomy or a population-level description? definition
- Which individual and side does the observation concern, and how was that association established? provenance
Tissues and continuity Describes the arm's skeletal, muscular, surface and connecting structures.
An arm must remain recognisable when its anatomy differs from a typical illustration or changes after injury or surgery.
Skeletal and muscular segment
Records the humeral segment and the tissues that act on or cross it.
Present structures
The model asks which bones and muscle groups are present and how developmental or acquired changes affect the segment.
- Which humeral and muscular structures are documented as present, altered or absent? definition
- What examination, image or operative record supports the description of altered anatomy? provenance
Surface and traversing structures
Locates skin and soft-tissue observations and relates the arm to nerves and vessels passing through it.
Local tissue and pathway relations
Local findings are positioned within the arm while effects elsewhere in the limb remain explicitly linked observations.
- Where on the arm are wounds, swelling, scars or sensory changes located relative to named landmarks? measurement
- Does a nerve or vessel observation concern the upper arm itself, a traversing structure or a downstream effect in the forearm or hand? boundary
Movement and task contribution Describes arm movement and force in relation to adjacent joints and whole-limb activities.
Upper-arm function depends on shoulder and elbow motion, and successful hand activity cannot be attributed to the arm alone.
Joint-mediated movement
Records the joint, movement and conditions behind a mobility observation.
Interpretable motion record
Movement records identify shoulder or elbow action and distinguish active movement from externally assisted movement.
- Which shoulder or elbow movement was measured, through what angle and in what body position? measurement
- Was movement active, passive or assisted, and what pain or compensation accompanied it? measurement
Force and coordinated use
Connects arm force and endurance to a specified activity.
Task-specific capacity
Capacity is described for a named movement or task with its load, duration and contribution from other body parts.
- What force, load or endurance was observed, using which movement, posture and assessment method? measurement
- How much of the observed task depends on the forearm, hand, trunk, opposite limb or an assistive device? boundary
Condition and supported use Tracks local changes and the information needed to support or protect the arm.
An agent needs dated observations and specific restrictions to decide how to assist without turning an anatomical description into an unsupported care plan.
Local state and change
Separates baseline anatomy, current symptoms and observed changes over time.
Dated arm condition
Condition records distinguish self-report from observation and retain location, onset and comparison conditions.
- Which arm symptoms or visible changes are reported or observed, where are they located and when did they begin? measurement
- Are comparisons with an earlier observation or the opposite arm valid given differences in anatomy, posture and method? boundary
Support and restrictions
Links arm assistance to documented needs, fit and activity limits.
Permitted arm assistance
Support choices require the intended activity, anatomical extent, fit information and any applicable care instructions.
- What support, protection or positioning assistance is requested, and which arm dimensions and contact areas govern its fit? action
- Which documented limits on lifting, movement or loading apply to this arm, who issued them and when should they be reviewed? provenance
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Check these first
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- The domain supports a biological interpretation, but the registry should confirm whether arm means the human brachium, the entire upper limb or an appendage of another animal.
- This is an anatomical body region, not an organism or taxon; species-level identifiers and conservation assessments do not apply.
- Terminology and anatomical claims are recalled knowledge, not checked sources.
- Which of these check these first hold for the sense of arm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Kinds and varieties
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Left arm
- Right arm
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of arm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Terminologia Anatomica - brachium - Latin anatomical term for the arm in the shoulder-to-elbow sense.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of arm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Terminologia Anatomica, maintained by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists through its anatomical terminology programme, standardizes anatomical naming.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of arm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Positions the forearm and hand through movement at the shoulder and elbow.
- Transmits forces during lifting, pushing and pulling.
- Provides anatomical landmarks for examination, imaging and surgery.
- Provides sites for blood-pressure cuff placement and selected intramuscular injections.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of arm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Mid-upper-arm circumference - Varies with age, body composition and population; no single reference range applies. - cm
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of arm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Humeral fractures can damage nearby nerves and blood vessels.
- Muscle or tendon injuries can impair strength and movement.
- Peripheral nerve injury can cause weakness or sensory loss.
- Arterial injury or obstruction can compromise tissue perfusion.
- Acute compartment syndrome can damage muscles and nerves.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of arm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Upper limb - The upper limb includes the arm, forearm and hand; the anatomical arm is only its shoulder-to-elbow region.
- Forearm - The forearm lies between the elbow and wrist and contains the radius and ulna.
- Humerus - The humerus is the bone within the arm, whereas the arm also includes muscles, vessels, nerves, skin and other tissues.
- Forelimb - Forelimb is a comparative anatomical term covering the corresponding limb across tetrapods.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of arm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
What the second pass must settle
- Does vr.tr.arm denote the anatomical upper arm or the colloquial whole upper limb in its original registry source?
- Is the intended scope human anatomy only, or must the entry accommodate other biological structures called arms?
- Which neighbouring registry entries own upper limb, forearm, hand, shoulder and elbow, and how should shared observations link to them?
- Which anatomical references and measurement protocols should establish landmarks and repeatable assessments?
- How should congenital limb differences, residual arms and interfaces with prostheses be represented consistently across the catalogue?