BONES OF THE HAND
The wrist is made up of eight small bones of irregular size called carpals. These fit closely together and are held in place by ligaments. The upper row of carpals articulate with the ulna and the radius (long bones of the forearm) and consist of the scaphoid, lunate, triquetral and pisiform.
The lower row of carpals articulates with the metacarpals and is made up of trapezium, trapezoid, capitate and hamate.
The metacarpals are the five long bones in the palm of the hand. Each end articulates with the wrist bones and the finger bones.
The finger bones are called phalanges. There are a total of 14 phalanges per hand; two in the thumb, and three in each finger.
MUSCLES OF THE HAND
| Muscle Name | Location | Action |
| Brachioradialis | Connects the humerous to the radius. | Flexes the forearm |
| Flexor carpi radialis | Extends along the radial side of the anterior of the forearm, from the medial end of the humerus to the radial side of the forearm and the base of the second and third metacarpals. | Flexion of the wrist |
| Flexor carpi ulnaris | Extends along the ulnar side of the anterior of theforearm, from the medial end of the humerus to the pisiform and hamate carpal bones and the base of the fifth metacarpal. | Flexion of the wrist. |
| Extensor carpi radialis | Extends along the radial side of the posterior of the forearm, from above the lateral end of the humerus to the posterior of the base of the second metacarpal. | Action Extension of the wrist |
| Extensor carpi ulnaris | Extends along the ulnar side of the posterior of the forearm, from above the lateral end of the humerus to the ulna and the posterior side of the base of the fifth metacarpal. | Extension of the wrist |
| Extensor digitorum | Extends along the lateral side of the posterior of the forearm, from the lateral end of the humerus to the second and fifth phalanges. | Extension of the fingers |
| Thenar eminence (abductor pollicis brevis,flexor pollicis brevis, opponens pollicis) | Soft tissue on the radial side of the palm. | Moves the thumb. |
| Hypothernar eminence (abductor digiti minimi manus, flexor digiti minimi manus, opponens digiti minimi) | Soft tissue on the ulnar side of the palm. | Moves the little finger |