We investigated osteophytes in the greater and lesser humeral tubercle. 331 shoulders of 192 patients were used for the study. The ages of the patients ranged from twenty to ninty-two years and averaged 61.9 years. 193 shoulders were men and 138 shoulders were women. We observed the osteophytes in the greater and lesser tubercle, and measured the humeral angle.
Osteophytes in the greater and lesser tubercle were found around the bicipital groove. The incidence for osteophytes was 29.6% (98 shoulders) in the greater tubercle, 36.3% (120 shoulders) in the lesser tubercle, and 45.6% (151 shoulders) in the acromion. There was a relationship between osteophytes of the greater tubercle and osteophytes of the acromion in shoulders where the bicipital groove was in a position of external rotation.
We considered that osteophytes were mainly caused by collision.
