| Greater tubercle | |
|---|---|
 Left humerus. Anterior view. (Greater tubercle visible at right.) | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | tuberculum majus humeri |
| TA98 | A02.4.04.005 |
| TA2 | 1184 |
| FMA | 23390 |
| Anatomical terms of bone | |
Thegreater tubercle of thehumerus is the outward part the upper end of that bone, adjacent to the large rounded prominence of the humerus head. It provides attachment points for thesupraspinatus,infraspinatus, andteres minor muscles, three of the four muscles of therotator cuff, a muscle group that stabilizes theshoulder joint. In doing so the tubercle acts as a location for the transfer offorces from the rotator cuff muscles to the humerus.
The upper surface of the greater tubercle isrounded, and marked by three flat impressions:
The lateral surface of the greater tubercle is convex,rough, and continuous with the lateral surface of the body of thehumerus. It can be described as having a cranial and a caudal part.[1]
Between the greater tubercle and thelesser tubercle is thebicipital groove (intertubercular sulcus).
All three of the muscles that attach to the greater tubercle are part of therotator cuff, a muscle group that stabilizes theshoulder joint. The greater tubercle therefore acts as a location for the transfer offorces from the rotator cuff muscles to the humerus.
The fourth muscle of the rotator cuff (subscapularis muscle) does not attach to the greater tubercle, but instead attaches to thelesser tubercle.
The greater tubercle is usually the easiest part of the humerus topalpate.[2] It can be a usefulsurface landmark duringsurgery.[2]
This article incorporates text in thepublic domain frompage 209 of the 20th edition ofGray's Anatomy(1918)
