An Anterior View Of The Greater Tubercle Of The Humerus

Description

Rotating into an anterior orientation, the proximal humerus fills the frame with the greater tubercle positioned lateral to the humeral head and just distal to the anatomic neck. As the sequence settles, the intertubercular sulcus (bicipital groove) appears between the greater and lesser tubercles, while the surgical neck is seen inferior to the tubercles as the metaphysis narrows into the shaft. A bony prominence with consequences. Lateral shoulder pain often comes down to what inserts on the greater tubercle. The animation supports rotator cuff teaching by linking specific facets of the greater tubercle to tendon footprints: supraspinatus on the superior facet, infraspinatus on the middle facet, and teres minor on the inferior facet, all arranged around the lateral aspect of the proximal humerus adjacent to the glenohumeral joint. Watching the humerus orient from a general anterior view into a clear proximal close-up helps learners understand why displaced greater tuberosity fractures and rotator cuff tears can both narrow the subacromial space and provoke impingement during abduction. Use this clip in upper limb gross anatomy labs to anchor proximal humerus landmarks, in orthopedics or sports medicine lectures when explaining rotator cuff pathology and surgical repair planning, or in radiology teaching to correlate the anterior bony anatomy with AP shoulder and Grashey projections where tuberosity position affects interpretation. It also fits procedure education around arthroscopic cuff repair, where recognizing tuberosity contours guides anchor placement and restoration of the tendon footprint. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.