Lateral Border Of The Humerus, Posterior View

Description

Humeral lateral border is highlighted along the posterolateral aspect of the shaft, extending from the region inferior to the greater tubercle proximally toward the lateral supracondylar ridge distally. From this posterior perspective, the ridge reads as a linear cortical crest that separates the posterior surface from the lateral surface, with the shaft tapering distally toward the lateral epicondyle. The posterior shaft contours invite correlation with the radial (spiral) groove on the posterior humerus, which lies medial to this border and trends inferolaterally as it approaches the distal third. Bone landmarks are crisp. Anatomically, the lateral border is more than an outline, it anchors compartmental architecture via the lateral intermuscular septum and helps orient you to the distal humerus where the lateral supracondylar ridge provides attachment for brachioradialis and extensor carpi radialis longus. In trauma teaching, this fixed posterior view supports discussion of humeral shaft fractures and why displacement patterns matter when the radial nerve courses in the posterior groove before piercing the lateral intermuscular septum, a relationship implicated in distal third injuries such as Holstein-Lewis fractures. Surface relief and shadowing help separate ridge, shaft, and distal flare without crowding the field with adjacent bones. Use this illustration in upper limb osteology labs, orthopedic lecture slides on humeral shaft fracture classification and radial nerve risk, and medical publishing figures that need a clean posterior orientation cue for the lateral column of the humerus. It also fits exam-prep materials that test identification of the lateral supracondylar ridge versus the lateral epicondyle in posterior views. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.