A boy weighing 5,450 g was born in a cephalic presentation after 40 weeks’ gestation. It was a difficult delivery in which the left arm was forcibly manipulated resulting in shoulder dystocia. On the first day of life the left shoulder was thickened and painful.

A radiograph showed craniolateral displacement of the left humeral metaphysis in relation to the normally positioned ossification centre of the humeral head (Fig. 1). The diagnosis of proximal humeral epiphysiolysis was made. The left arm was bandaged to the chest in the neutral position.

Fig. 1
figure 1

Radiograph on day 11

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Proximal humeral epiphysiolysis in the newborn can be difficult to identify on plain radiographs, especially with a small and partly ossified epiphysis. US can assist in making the diagnosis [1, 2]. This case shows the enormous remodelling capacity after epiphysiolysis, which is due to the fact that the proximal physis contributes to 80% of the growth of the humerus (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2
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Radiograph at 6 months

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