The coracoid impingement of the subscapularis tendon: a cadaver study.

To study the anatomic relationships and varieties of anterior impingement of the rotator cuff, an examination of 124 shoulder joints from 62 embalmed cadavers was performed. The distance between the lesser tuberosity and the coracoid was measured at different degrees of humeral rotation in the shoulder joint. Neither lateral differences nor differences with respect to donor gender were found in the distance measurements between the coracoid process and the lesser tuberosity for any rotational angle. In addition, no significant differences were found between shoulders with and without rupture of the subscapularis tendon. No lateral dominance was found for the subscapularis tunnel area.