Anatomical neck of humerus

The anatomical neck of the humerus is obliquely directed, forming an obtuse angle with the body of the humerus. It represents the fused epiphyseal plate.

Anatomical neck of humerus
Left humerus seen from the front (anatomical neck labeled at upper left).
Details
Identifiers
Latin	collum anatomicum humeri
TA98	A02.4.04.003
TA2	1182
FMA	23356
Anatomical terms of bone

Structure

The anatomical neck divides the head of the humerus from the greater and lesser tubercles of the humerus. It gives attachment to the capsular ligament of the shoulder joint except at the upper inferior-medial aspects. It is best marked in the lower half of its circumference; in the upper half it is represented by a narrow groove separating the head of the humerus from the two tubercles, the greater tubercle and the lesser tubercle. It affords attachment to the articular capsule of the shoulder-joint, and is perforated by numerous vascular foramina.

Additional images

• 
  The left shoulder and acromioclavicular joints, and the proper ligaments of the scapula.
• 
  The difference between anatomical neck and surgical neck of the humerus

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 209 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

External links

• Anatomy image: skel/humerusup2 at Human Anatomy Lecture (Biology 129), Pennsylvania State University
• radiographsul at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (xrayleftshoulder)