Upper limb & breast · Interactive 3D

Hand & wrist skeleton

The bones of the hand and wrist: distal radius and ulna, the eight carpal bones in their proximal and distal rows, the five metacarpals and the phalanges.

Interactive — drag to rotate

AI-assisted model. Labels checked against standard anatomy references; specialist review pending.

What to look at

1The proximal row, radial to ulnar, is scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum and pisiform; the distal row is trapezium, trapezoid, capitate and hamate. The pisiform is a sesamoid in flexor carpi ulnaris, sitting on the palmar triquetrum.
2The scaphoid bridges the two rows, which is why it is the carpal bone that fractures most often.
3The capitate is the largest carpal bone and the keystone of the distal row; the lunate sits proximal to it in the lunate fossa of the radius — the axis that perilunate injuries disrupt.
4The thumb has two phalanges and each finger three; the thumb's mobility comes from the saddle-shaped trapeziometacarpal joint.

Hotspots

1Scaphoid — Spans both carpal rows; waist fractures are the commonest carpal fracture and the proximal pole is at risk of avascular necrosis.
2Lunate — Sits in the lunate fossa of the radius; volar dislocation in a perilunate injury can compress the median nerve. Avascular necrosis is Kienböck's disease.
3Triquetrum — Ulnar side of the proximal row; a dorsal chip fracture is the second commonest carpal fracture.
4Pisiform — A sesamoid in flexor carpi ulnaris on the palmar surface of the triquetrum; forms the ulnar wall of Guyon's canal with the hook of hamate.
5Hamate — Its hook is palpable in the palm and fractures in racquet and club sports; ulnar nerve and artery pass beside it.
6Capitate — The largest carpal bone, articulating with the third metacarpal.
7Trapezium — Saddle joint with the thumb metacarpal — the joint affected in base-of-thumb osteoarthritis.
8Radius — Carries about 80% of the axial load across the wrist through the scaphoid and lunate fossae.
9Ulna — Separated from the carpus by the triangular fibrocartilage complex.
10First metacarpal — Bennett's and Rolando fractures involve its base.

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