the joy of hands

Sally Poole is the kinesiology instructor this semester. It's a fun, hands-on class that puts anatomy into action. Because I'm very much interested in hands, I'll go through a run-down as to what we've done so far. We started off with the wrist, it's bones, ligaments, and significance. The ligaments look complicated, but if you have a good atlas and common sense, following the patterns isn't difficult.

There are 5 extrinsic ligaments:

1. Dorsal radio-carpal ligament
2. Volar radio-carpal ligament (the strongest) - radiocapitate, radiotriquetral, and radioscaphoid
3. Volar ulnar-carpal ligament - ulnolunate, ulnotriquetral, and capitotriquetral
4. Radio collateral ligament
5. Ulnar collateral ligament

The intrinsic (intercarpal) ligaments have not been named, however I found a hand kinesiology site that really helps with the visuals. Hand Kinesiology

Muscles that act on the wrist: FCU, FCR, PL, ECRL, ECRB, and ECU.

Professor Poole challenged the entire class to search for the Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC) in anatomy. I was amazed at the amount of lubrication at the joints, especially between the carpal joints. Then I cracked the wrist open, scraped away tissue and located the TFCC just distal to the ulna.

We briefly touched on the arthokinematics at the distal radius, radio-carpal joint and mid-carpal joint. And ended with wrist positions:

Position of rest:

1. 10-15 degrees extension
2. 5-10 degrees ulnar deviation

Position of function:

1. 40-45 degrees extension
2. 15 dgrees ulnar deviation

NEXT TIME: THE HAND!