How many bones are there in the appendicular skeleton?

The appendicular skeleton consists of the bones that form the limbs and the girdles that attach them to the axial skeleton. Specifically, it includes the bones of the upper limbs (arms, forearms, hands), the lower limbs (thighs, legs, feet), as well as the pectoral girdle (scapulae and clavicles) and the pelvic girdle (hip bones). When counted, the total number of bones in the appendicular skeleton is 126.

This total can be broken down into specific groupings: each upper limb contains 30 bones (including the arm, forearm, and hand), and each lower limb contains 30 bones as well. Adding in the two girdles (which consist of 4 bones in total), the figures add up to 126. Understanding this structure of the appendicular skeleton is essential in various fields such as anatomy, fitness training, and movement sciences, as it lays the foundation for knowledge about human movement and physical activity.