The transverse humeral ligament bridges the bicipital groove between the greater and lesser tubercles, retaining the long head of biceps tendon in the intertubercular sulcus. Its disruption from shoulder dislocation or rotator cuff tear allows the biceps tendon to medialise over the lesser tubercle. The transverse humeral ligament is a component of the biceps pulley system and is assessed as part of the biceps-subscapularis complex evaluation.
| Origin | Greater tubercle |
|---|---|
| Insertion | Lesser tubercle |
| Actions | Retains the long head of biceps in the bicipital groove |
|---|
Transverse humeral ligament insufficiency allows medial biceps tendon instability (subluxation from the groove) producing anterior shoulder pain and a palpable biceps tendon snap. Ultrasound dynamically assesses biceps tendon position during shoulder rotation. Biceps tenodesis or tenotomy combined with transverse ligament repair addresses symptomatic biceps instability.
Transverse humeral ligament failure allowing long head biceps medial subluxation producing anterior shoulder pain managed with biceps tenodesis.
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