Humerus bone fractures

Fracture
type

Location

Associated

nerve injury

Clinical
presentation

Surgical neck

fracture (X)

Just below the

humerus head

Axillary Nerve

• Deltoid muscle weakness

• Loss of sensation over deltoid area

Humerus shaft

fracture (Y)

Middle of the

humerus

Radial Nerve

• Wrist drop

• Inability to extend wrist & fingers

Medial epicondyle

fracture (Z)

Distal humerus,

medial side

Ulnar Nerve

• Claw hand

• Loss of sensation in the

4th & 5th fingers

Supracondylar

humerus fractures

Distal humerus,

above condyles

AIN (deep branch

of median nerve)

• Weakness of thumb flexion

& opposition

• Loss of flexion at index

finger DIP joint (can’t

make "OK" sign)