Osteonecrosis of the Humeral Head: A Literature Review and Two Case Studies

Osteonecrosis of the humeral head may be idiopathic, but it is also associated with a number of known medical conditions. In these patient groups, it is a differential diagnostic possibility that the physical therapist needs to consider. This article discusses histopathology, classification, etiology, history and examination findings, and treatment of humeral head osteonecrosis. It also presents two case studies of patients with undiagnosed osteonecrosis who were referred to physical therapy to illustrate the difficulties and possibilities for correct identification of such patients.