The Anatomical Structure And Location Of The Crest Of The Lesser Tubercle

Description

Rotating around the proximal humerus, the animation isolates the lesser tubercle and then tracks inferiorly onto the crest of the lesser tubercle (crista tuberculi minoris) on the anterior, medial aspect of the bone. As the humerus turns, the intertubercular sulcus (bicipital groove) comes into profile, with the crest forming its medial lip while the greater tubercle and crest of the greater tubercle define the lateral boundary. The sequence clarifies how this crest sits lateral to the surgical neck and anterior to the head, continuing distally toward the proximal shaft. Orientation here matters in both imaging and the operating room. On axial CT or MRI of the shoulder, the lesser tubercle and its crest help you locate the intertubercular groove and interpret the course of the long head of the biceps tendon, a region implicated in biceps tendinopathy and instability when the transverse humeral ligament or adjacent rotator cuff is compromised. Animation adds what static diagrams often miss: the changing silhouette of the crest with humeral rotation, and how small shifts in projection can make the medial lip of the groove appear to disappear. Use this asset in gross anatomy teaching on the upper limb, in radiology education focused on shoulder landmarks, or in surgical training modules for biceps tenodesis/tenotomy and rotator cuff approaches that reference the bicipital groove as a palpable guide. It also reads well in orthopedic and sports medicine publishing where precise proximal humerus nomenclature matters. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.