Humerus

The humerus is the long bone of the upper arm, running from the shoulder joint at the top down to the elbow joint at the bottom, forming the structural core of the arm.

What your humerus connects and why it matters for shoulder and elbow pain

Your humerus sits between two complex joints — the shoulder above and the elbow below — and its position and movement influence both. At the top, the rounded head of the humerus fits into the shallow socket of the shoulder blade, forming a highly mobile ball-and-socket joint that depends on the rotator cuff and surrounding muscles for stability. At the bottom, the humerus meets the radius and ulna to form the elbow joint, which allows bending, straightening, and forearm rotation. Fractures of the humerus, most often from a fall onto an outstretched hand or direct impact, can affect either end or the shaft of the bone, and they require careful rehabilitation to restore motion and strength without compromising healing. Conditions like tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis) involve the bony prominences at the lower end of the humerus where forearm tendons attach.

How Sword Health can help

Whether you're recovering from a humerus fracture, working through shoulder instability, or managing elbow pain related to the tendons that attach here, a physical therapist can guide your rehabilitation from home. Sword connects you with that expertise and the clinical oversight to support a full recovery.