Elbow Morphology and Functional Adaptation: Rethinking the Carrying Angle in a Modern Asian Skeletal Collection

Winsome H.S. Lee*, Maggie M.Y. Yeung, Wing N.W. Chiu, Tina H.K. Lai, Li Joyce S.Y. Li, and Chloe C.C. Chan

The carrying angle of the elbow, defined by the valgus relationship between the humerus and ulna, has traditionally been interpreted as a sexually dimorphic trait, often linked to pelvic breadth differences. However, such explanations may oversimplify the complex interplay between biological, mechanical, and developmental factors shaping skeletal morphology. This study re-examines the carrying angle using the Hong Kong Bone Collection, situating distal humeral morphology within a broader bioarchaeological and osteobiographical framework. Rather than treating the carrying angle as a static anatomical trait, this research explores its potential relationship with habitual activity, biomechanical loading, and life history variables in a modern Asian population. By integrating functional and developmental perspectives, this paper considers how variation in elbow morphology may reflect lived experience, including patterns of labor, mobility, and environmental context. In doing so, it challenges the continued reliance on simplified sexual dimorphism models and highlights the limitations of using the carrying angle as a diagnostic trait in isolation. This approach contributes to wider discussions of health, adaptation, and skeletal plasticity, offering a re-evaluation of how everyday activities and developmental conditions shape the human skeleton. The findings underscore the importance of contextualizing skeletal variation within broader social and environmental frameworks, particularly in understudied Asian populations.