The hand - bones, tendons & ligaments

Question 1

What are the bones in the hand?

Answer 1

Carpal bones, metacarpals (1-5), phalanges (5 distal, 4 middle, 5 proximal)

Question 2

Name the carpal bones

Answer 2

Scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform. trapezium, trazezoid, capitate, hamate

Question 3

What are the joint names in the hand?

Answer 3

Carpo-metacarpal joints
Metaphalangeal joints
Interphalangeal joints

Question 4

What ligaments prevent the metacarpals from spreading apart?

Answer 4

Palmar metacarpal ligaments - however there isn’t one on the first metacarpal therefore the thumb can move apart

Question 5

Outline the main ligaments of the metacarpal phalangeal joints

Answer 5

Palmar ligament (or palmar plate), collateral ligaments - within joint capsule, deep transverse metacarpal ligaments

Question 6

When the fingers are flexed, which ligament prevents side to side movement?

Answer 6

Collateral ligaments of the MP joint

Question 7

What does the thumb have on its flexor aspect of metacarpal phalangeal joint?

Answer 7

Two sesamoid bones (embedded in the joint capsule)

Question 8

Opposition of the thumb is a combination of what movements?

Answer 8

Abduction, flexion & medial rotation

Question 9

What are the two pulley-like structures of the wrist?

Answer 9

Flexor retinaculum & extensor retinaculum

Question 10

What does the flexor retinaculum contain

Answer 10

three compartments

1) carpal tunnel
2) tendon of flexor carpi radialis
3) ulnar artery & ulnar nerve

Question 11

What provides the tunnel for the flexor tendons to run in and where does it start?

Answer 11

flexor tendon sheath - proximal to the MP joint

Question 12

What dense fibrous triangular sheath covers the palm of the hand? What does it do?

Answer 12

Palmar fascia (or aponeurosis) - continuous with the flexor retinaculum and the tendon of palmaris longus

Has a protective function of muscles, vessels and nerves which run beneath it