Menu Close

Upper Limb Bone Markings and Muscles

Posterior view
Anterior view

Humerus

Greater tubercle – projection found on the lateral surface of the proximal end of the humerus

Lesser tubercle – projection found on the anterior surface of the proximal end of the humerus

The groove between the greater and lesser tubercle is called the intertubercular sulcus or intertubercular groove

The radial groove is found on the posterior view of the humerus and is a depression through which the radial nerve travels through

The deltoid tuberosity is a rough elevation found on the lateral surface of the humerus, midway through the humerus

The Condyle

The condyle is found at the distal end of the humerus. It is the location at which the humerus can articulate with the radius and ulna, the two bones of the forearm.

The condyle is split into 2 articular regions: the capitulum and the trochlea

  • The capitulum is the rounded lateral surface of the condyle and articulates with the radius
  • The trochlea, a spool-shaped surface found in the medial portion of the condyle, articulates with the ulna
    • The trochlea has 2 depressions or fossa, one on the anterior surface and one on the posterior surface
    • The trochlea extends anteriorly from the coronoid fossa to the olecranon fossa posteriorly

Projecting laterally and medially from the condyle are the lateral and medial epicondyle

Ulna and Radius

The olecranon is the proximal end of the ulna which serves as the “point” of the elbow

  • On the anterior view of the olecranon you can see a notch known as the trochlea notch which is the point of the ulna that articulates with the trochlea of the humerus

The proximal radioulnar joint is a joint between the ulna and radius which connects the ulna to the radius proximally

The radius has a notch called the ulnar notch at its distal end – this notch marks the point at which the ulna connects to the radius distally

The interosseus membrane (not visualized above) is a fibrous sheet that fills the space between the radius and ulna, connecting the 2 shafts together

The radial tuberosity is a protrusion from the radius towards the ulna that serves as the attachment site for the biceps brachii muscle, located closer to the proximal end of the radius