Anatomical Structure And Location Of The Capitulum Of The Humerus

Description

Capitulum humeri occupies the lateral portion of the distal humerus, forming the rounded articular eminence that meets the fovea of the radial head at the humeroradial joint. From the fixed perspective, the capitulum sits distal and lateral to the humeral shaft, immediately lateral to the trochlea and separated from it by a shallow groove on the inferior articular surface. Superiorly, its contours blend into the lateral epicondylar region, where the common extensor tendon and the radial collateral ligament complex take origin and reinforce the lateral elbow. Orientation is unambiguous. Capitellar anatomy matters whenever elbow pain localizes laterally or mechanical symptoms suggest a chondral or osteochondral lesion, because the radiocapitellar articulation concentrates load during valgus stress and axial transmission through the forearm. Osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum and Panner disease both target this surface, and subtle flattening or focal defects are easier to teach when the capitulum is isolated from surrounding soft tissue. The roundness of the articular surface, contrasted against adjacent nonarticular bone, supports discussions of elbow kinematics without implying movement. Orthopedic and sports medicine texts use this illustration to label distal humerus landmarks, to orient readers for radiocapitellar assessment on radiographs, CT, and MRI, and to anchor explanations of lateral column fractures and radial head injury patterns that impact elbow stability. Anatomy teaching teams also pair it with models of the trochlea and radial head to cover the three-bone elbow joint in upper limb and musculoskeletal courses. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.