ABSTRACT
The proximal humerus has an anatomical and surgical neck. The anatomical neck encircles the base of the articular surface. The surgical neck is the more distal and closely related to the axillary nerve. The axillary nerve runs through the quadrangular space (border humeral shaft, teres minor, long head of triceps and teres major), supplying the teres minor and deltoid muscles and the ‘badge’ area of skin over the deltoid. The surgical neck is the most frequently fractured.
