The humerus is your upper arm bone.
Muscles move the humerus.
Location of the Humerus
The humerus is your upper arm bone.
Verywell / Gary Ferster
Anatomy
The humerus can be divided into several parts.
Proximal Aspect
The ball-shaped top of the humerus is called the humeral head.
The greater tubercle of the humerus is a bony prominence where three of the rotator cuff tendons attach.
The other rotator cuff tendon attaches to the lesser tubercle of the humerus, which is another bony prominence.
The intertubercular sulcus or bicipital groove is an indentation between the greater and lesser tubercles.
The scapula and humerus form the shoulder joint.
The humeral head makes up a portion of the ball-and-socket shoulder joint.
This punch in of joint is the most versatile in the body, allowing for all degrees of motion.
The top of the humerus also serves as the origin point for muscles that make up the shoulder girdle.
The anatomical neck is between the humeral head and the greater and lesser tubercles.
Children have a growth platea layer of soft cartilageon this part of the humerus.
When the growth plate closes, it is the anatomical neck.
Shaft
The humerus shaft is the long, middle portion of the humerus.
It supports the weight of your upper arm.
The front part of the lower humerus has two projections called thetrochleaand thecapitulum.
The capitulum is knob-shaped, and the trochlea is shaped like a spool.
The borders of the distal (lower) humerus just above the elbow joint are called the supracondylar ridges.
The bumps at the bottom of the humerus are called theepicondyles.
On the left humerus, the capitulum is located on the left side of the bone.
When this happens, muscles and nerves can also become injured.
The shoulder joint is also vulnerable to injury when improperly moved or subjected to excessive force.
Osteoarthritis
As with any large joint, the head of the humerus is susceptible to osteoarthritis.
Fracture
Fractures may occur anywhere in the humerus.
They are more common at certain locations.
This can lead to shortening or other deformities of the humerus.
Treatment
Treatment will depend on the condition.
Conservative methods of treatment may include injections for pain and inflammation.
Sometimes, surgery is required to correct a significant problem.
Can you recover from a humerus fracture without surgery?
Fractures that don’t require surgery are usually treated with a splint, sling, or cast.
Reduction is realigning the bone pieces.
Sometimes, reduction is not recommended depending on the location and alignment of the fracture.
How long does a broken humerus take to heal?
Summary
The humerus is the upper arm bone.
It is the longest bone in the upper body.
The humerus is part of the shoulder and elbow joints and provides support to the upper arm muscles.
The humerus can be injured in a few different ways, including dislocation and fracture.
Some other conditions that affect the humerus include osteoarthritis.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Arthritis of the shoulder.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Shoulder dislocation.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Humerus fracture (upper arm fracture).
Arm fracture open reduction and internal fixation.
MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center.
Carson J. Proximal Humeral Fracture Protocol.Premier Bone and Joint.
Published March 30, 2011.
Chung A.Shoulder Structure, Function and Common Problems.
Published March 24, 2019.
Mostafa E, Varacallo M.Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Humerus.Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls; 2019.
