The human upper limb has retained an overall generalized structure, with its details adapted to upright existence. Among the primitive features that persist are the clavicle, or collarbone, which still functions as part of the shoulder; the ability to twist one of the forearm bones (the radius) around the other (the ulna) so that the palm is turned forward or backward, a process called pronation and supination; and a full complement of five digits in the hand.

Pronation and supination of the forearm, which allows the palm of the hand to rotate 180°, is not peculiar to humans. That movement depends upon the possession of both a small disk in the wrist joint and an arrangement of the muscles such that they can rotate the radius to and fro. Both the disk and the muscle arrangement are present in the great apes.

In quadrupedal animals the thorax (chest) is suspended between the shoulder blades by a muscular hammock formed by the serratus anterior muscle. In upright sitting and standing, however, the shoulder girdle is suspended from the trunk. The scapula, or shoulder blade, floats over the thoracic surface by reason of the arrangement of the fibres of the serratus anterior muscle and the support against gravity that is provided by the trapezius, rhomboid, and levator scapulae muscles. When the arms are required to push forward against an object at shoulder level, their action is reminiscent of quadrupedal support.

The change in shape of the chest to emphasize breadth rather than depth altered the relation of muscles in the shoulder region, with an increase in size of the latissimus dorsi muscle and the pectoralis major muscle. The human pectoralis minor muscle has forsaken its attachment to the humerus, the long bone of the upper arm, and presumably derives some stability from attaching to the coracoid process, a projection from the scapula, instead of gliding over it.

The hand of a chimpanzee is dexterous, but the proportions of the digits and the rearrangement and supplementation of muscles are the major reasons for the greater manipulative ability of the hand of a modern human. Most of those changes are concentrated on the thumb. For example, modern humans are the only living hominids to have a separate long thumb flexor, and the short muscle that swings the thumb over toward the palm is particularly well developed in humans. That contributes to the movement of opposition that is crucial for the so-called precision grip—i.e., the bringing together of the tips of the thumb and forefinger.

Changes in the muscles of the head and neck

The muscle group of the head and neck is most directly influenced by the change to an upright posture. That group comprises the muscles of the back (nape) and side of the neck. Posture is not the only influence on those muscles, for the reduction in the size of the jaws in modern humans also contributes to the observed muscular differences. Generally, those involve the reduction in bulk of nuchal (nape) muscles. In the upright posture the head is more evenly balanced on the top of the vertebral column, so less muscle force is needed, whereas in a pronograde animal with large jaws the considerable torque developed at the base of the skull must be resisted by muscle force. The poise of the human head does pose other problems, and the detailed attachment and role of some neck muscles (e.g., sternocleidomastoid) are different in humans from those in apes.

Changes in the muscles of the trunk

The consequences of an upright posture for the support of both the thoracic and the abdominal viscera are profound, but the muscular modifications in the trunk are few. Whereas in pronograde animals the abdominal viscera are supported by the ventral abdominal wall, in the orthograde posture most support comes from the pelvis. That inevitably places greater strain on the passage through the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall, the inguinal canal, which marks the route taken by the descending testicle in the male. Weakness in the canal can result in herniation.

Differences are also seen in the musculature, the levator ani, that supports the floor of the pelvis and that also controls the passage of feces. The loss of the tail in all apes has led to a major rearrangement of that muscle. There is more overlap and fusion between the various parts of the levator ani in modern humans than in apes, and the muscular sling that comprises the puborectalis in humans is more-substantial than in apes.

The muscular compression of the abdomen and the thorax that accompanies upright posture aids the vertebral column in supporting the body and in providing a firm base for upper-limb action. Anteroposterior (fore-and-aft) stability of the trunk is achieved by balancing the flexing action of gravity against back muscles that act to extend the spine. Lateral stability is enhanced by the augmented leverage provided to the spinal muscles by the broadening of the chest.