The Anatomical Characteristics Of The Greater Tubercle Of The Humerus

Description

Rotating around the proximal humerus, the animation isolates the greater tubercle (tuberculum majus) as the lateral prominence adjacent to the humeral head and separated from the lesser tubercle by the intertubercular sulcus (bicipital groove). From an anterior to posterior sweep, the superior facet comes into view near the apex, followed by the middle and inferior facets on the lateral surface, and the viewer can track how each facet faces slightly superiorly and posteriorly relative to the surgical neck. Surface transitions are emphasized as the shaft narrows distally into the deltoid tuberosity while the tubercles remain proximal landmarks. Orientation stays grounded in anatomical position. Those facet planes matter in the clinic because they define the rotator cuff footprint: supraspinatus inserts on the superior facet, infraspinatus on the middle facet, and teres minor on the inferior facet, with the tendons wrapping posterolaterally around the humeral head during abduction and external rotation. That wrap and the close relationship of the bicipital groove to the long head of biceps tendon help explain pain patterns in subacromial impingement, partial thickness cuff tears, and biceps tendinopathy. Seeing the proximal humerus rotate clarifies why greater tuberosity fractures can displace superiorly and posteriorly under cuff pull, and why malreduction alters cuff tensioning and shoulder mechanics. A small landmark with large consequences. Use it in upper limb gross anatomy labs to teach proximal humerus landmarks, in orthopedics and sports medicine lectures on rotator cuff disease, or as a figure sequence in a surgical atlas describing greater tuberosity fracture fixation and cuff repair orientation. It also fits radiology teaching when correlating surface anatomy with AP shoulder, scapular Y, and axillary views, where tuberosity profile changes with rotation. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.