Let us examine the structure of the humerus (humerus).

It is a long tubular bone with several main parts:

• Body (corpus humeri / diaphysis)

• Proximal epiphysis (epiphysis proximalis)

  

• Distal epiphysis (epiphysis distalis)

  

  We also distinguish between several surfaces (best seen in the area of the diaphysis of the bone):

• Anterolateral surface (facies anterolateralis)

  

• Anteromedial surface (facies anteromedialis)

  

• Posterior surface (facies posterior)

  

  There are also two margins:

• Lateral margin (margo lateralis)

  

• Medial margin (margo medialis)

  

  On the proximal epiphysis is a prominence — the head of the humerus (caput humeri).

  

  And on the margin of the head there is a small groove — the anatomical neck (collum anatomicum).

  

  We also distinguish the surgical neck (collum chirurgicum), the thinnest place of the humerus, where the most frequent fractures occur.

  

  Near the head are two tubercles, the greater tubercle (tuberculum majus) and the lesser tubercle (tuberculum minus), to which various muscles are attached.

  

  

  The crest of the greater tubercle (crista tuberculi majoris) and the crest of the lesser tubercle (crista tuberculi minoris) depart downward from these tubercles.

  They also have muscles attached to them.

  Between the tubercles and the crests lies the intertubercular sulcus (sulcus intertubercularis). The tendon of the long head of the biceps passes through it.

  

  

  

  Lateral to the crests of the greater tubercle is the deltoid tuberosity (tuberositas deltoidea), to which the deltoid is attached.

  

  The radial groove (sulcus nervi radialis), in which this nerve passes, can be distinguished on the body of the bone. The groove “wraps” around the bone and ends below at the lateral margin.

  

  In the area of the distal epiphysis, the bone expands again to form the so-called condyle of the humerus (condylus humeri).

  

  It consists of two parts:

• The trochlea of the humerus (trochlea humeri), connecting to the ulna

  

• The capitulum (capitulum humeri), which is connected to the radius

At the front above the block lies the coronoid fossa (fossa coronoidea), into which the coronoid process of the ulna enters when the upper extremity is flexed.

Above the head of the condyle is the radial fossa (fossa radialis).

The olecranon fossa (fossa olecrani) can be found behind the condyle, into which the olecranon enters when the upper extremity is flexed.

Above the condyle of the humerus on both sides are the so-called epicondyli. These are the medial epicondyle (epicondylus medialis) and the lateral epicondyle (epicondylus lateralis).

The groove for the ulnar nerve (sulcus nervi ulnaris) is on the posterior surface of the medial epicondyle.

Both epicondyli continue upward into their respective ridges, the medial supracondylar ridge (crista supracondylaris medialis) and the lateral supracondylar ridge (crista supracondylaris lateralis).

Dictionary

Humerus

humerus

humerus

corpus humeri/diaphysis

body of humerus/diaphysis

epiphysis proximalis

proximal epiphysis

epiphysis distalis

distal epiphysis

facies anterolateralis

anterolateral surface

facies anteromedialis

anteromedial surface

facies posterior

posterior surface

margo lateralis

lateral border

margo medialis

medial border

caput humeri

head of humerus

collum anatomicum

anatomical neck

collum chirurgicum

surgical neck

tuberculum majus

greater tubercle

tuberculum minus

lesser tubercle

crista tuberculi majoris

crest of greater tubercle

crista tuberculi minoris

crest of lesser tubercle

sulcus intertubercularis

intertubercular sulcus

tuberositas deltoidea

deltoid tuberosity

sulcus nervi radialis

radial groove

condylus humeri

condyle of humerus

trochlea humeri

trochlea of humerus

capitulum humeri

capitulum

fossa coronoidea

coronoid fossa

fossa radialis

radial fossa

fossa olecrani

olecranon fossa

epicondylus medialis

medial epicondyle

epicondylus lateralis

lateral epicondyle

sulcus nervi ulnaris

groove for ulnar nerve

crista supracondylaris medialis

medial supracondylar ridge

crista supracondylaris lateralis

lateral supracondylar ridge