HUMERUS
26-12-2024
• Dr Mini K V
• Professor & HOD
• Department of Rachana Sharir
• GGIMS
HUMERUS
General Features
• The humerus is the bone of the arm. It is the longest bone of the upper
limb.
• Humerus is known as “funny bone” as there is a peculiar sensation
when posterior part of medial epicondyle gets hit.
• Humerus is a long bone having an upper end, shaft and a lower end.
• Upper end comprises head, anatomical neck, morphological neck and
surgical neck, greater tubercle, intertubercular sulcus and lesser
tubercle .
Shaft Comprises
Three borders: Anterior, medial and lateral
Three surfaces: Anterio medial, Anterio lateral and posterior
Side Determination
1. The upper end is rounded to form the head.
2. The lower end is expanded from side to side and flattened from before
backwards. Its medial side reveals a prominent medial epicondyle.
3. The head is directed medially and backwards.
4. The lesser tubercle projects from the front of the upper end and is
limited laterally by the intertubercular sulcus or bicipital groove.
General
features of right
humerus: (a)
Seen from
front, and (b)
seen from back
Head Forms Shoulder Joint
Lesser tubercle:
Subscapularis—upper and lower subscapular nerves (C5, 6).
Greater Tubercle
Supraspinatus—Suprascapular nerve (C5, 6)
Infraspinatus—Suprascapular nerve (C5, 6)
Teres minor: Axillary nerve (C5, 6)
Intertubercular sulcus: Tendon of long head of biceps brachii passes
through this sulcus.
Anatomical neck: Capsule of the shoulder joint is attached here. Its
attachment is lower on the medial side to permit abduction of the
shoulder joint.
Surgical neck: Axillary nerve and posterior circumflex humeral vessels
curves around the surgical neck.
Shaft of Humerus
Anterolateral surface carries deltoid tuberosity in its middle to which
deltoid muscle is inserted—axillary nerve.
Anteromedial surface and anterolateral surface in lower halves:
Brachialis—musculocutaneous nerve.
Posterior surface: Lateral head of triceps brachii muscle above and big
medial head below: In between the two heads lies radial nerve and
profunda brachii vessels.
Medial border: Its middle 5 cm gives attachment to coracobrachialis
muscle.
Lateral border in lower part is called lateral supracondylar ridge. It gives
attachment to:
• Brachioradialis from upper two-thirds—radial nerve
• Extensor carpi radialis longus from lower one-third—radial nerve
• Medial border in lower part is called medial supracondylar ridge and
gives attachment to pronator teres—median nerve.
Lower End
It comprises articular capitulum, trochlea and non-articular medial
epicondyle and lateral epicondyle.
Lower end also shows radial fossa, coronoid fossa on front and
olecranon fossa on the back of humerus.
Medial epicondyle: Origin to superficial flexor
muscles of forearm.
Ulnar nerve lies behind this epicondyle.
Lateral epicondyle: Origin to superficial extensor
muscles of forearm.
Attachments
of right
humerus: (a)
Anterior view,
and (b)
posterior view
Relation of axillary, radial and
ulnar nerves to the back of
humerus
CLINICAL ANATOMY
• The common sites of fracture of humerus are the
surgical neck, the shaft, and the supracondylar
region.
• The humerus has a poor blood supply at the
junction of its upper and middle thirds. Fractures
at this site show delayed union or non-union.
