Wrist

The wrist is where the two bones of the forearm, the radius and ulna meet the small bones of hand. The wrist is actually two joints, the radiocarpal joint between the end of the radius and the small bones of the wrist. The up, and down motion takes place through the radiocarpal joint. The other joint is the radioulnar joint where the rotational motion takes place. The most frequent injury is a fall on an outstretched hand. This mechanism of injury can cause fractures of the wrist, or sprains involving the wrist and intercarpal ligaments. A frequently missed injury is a fracture of the scaphoid bone on the thumb side of the wrist. Nerve entrapment syndromes can occur around the wrist, and give rise to numbness in your fingers. Overuse injuries can also give rise to numbness in the fingers, or inflammation of the tendons, as they travel past the wrist. Chronic inflammation can lead to triggering or catching of the fingers. If any of these sound like you, call Mapleton Hill Orthopaedics for a referral or appointment.