Pathways to Equality: The Role of Men and Women in Gender Equity
Wrist and hand examination
1. Examination, evaluation & Assessment
of Hand and Wrist
Dr. Abid Ullah PT
Lecturer FIMS
Abbottabad
Email:
dr.abidullahpt@yahoo.com
2. OBJECTIVES
Review the clinical anatomy and physical exam of the
wrist and hand
Formulate a pathoanatomic diagnosis in the clinical
setting
Discuss common clinical conditions that can be
elicited from the physical exam
3. INTRODUCTION: Hand and Wrist
Series of complex, delicately balanced joints
Function is integral to every act of daily living
Most active portion of the upper extremity
4. INTRODUCTION
The least protected joints
Extremely vulnerable to injury
Difficult and complex examination
Diagnosis often vague
If no fracture = “wrist strain or sprain”
Bilateral comparison useful
5. wrist consist of the distal radius,
scaphoid (S)
lunate (L)
triquetrum (Tri)
pisiform (P)
trapezium (Tm)
trapezoid (Tz)
capitate (C) and
hamate (H).
she
Looks
Too
Pretty
Try
To
Catch
her
8. Radiocarpal Joint
(RC) joint is enclosed in a loose but strong capsule.
The biconcave articulating surface is the distal end of
the radius and radioulnar disk; it is angled slightly
volarward and ulnarward.
The biconvex articulating surface is the combined
proximal surface of the scaphoid, lunate, and
triquetrum.
the convex proximal row of carpals slides in the
direction opposite the physiological motion of the
hand.
10. Midcarpal Joint
a compound joint between the two rows of carpals.
The combined distal surfaces of the scaphoid, lunate,
and triquetrum articulate with the combined proximal
surfaces of the trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, and
hamate.
21. HISTORY
Age
Handedness
Chief complaint
Occupation
Previous injury
Previous surgery
Sx related to specific
activities
What exacerbates
What improves
Frequency
Duration
22. Range of motion
The wrist complex is biaxial motions of
extension/flexion around coronal axis
ulnar deviation/radial deviation around an
anteroposterior axis.
Pronation / supination may found especially at the
radiocarpal joint
Normal ranges are
65 to 85 of flexion (average max 70)
60 to 85 of extension (ave… 70)
15 to 21 of radial deviation (ave… 20)
20 to 45 of ulnar deviation (ave…40)
24. Surface Features of Forearm and Wrist
Ulna
Radius
Brachioradialis muscle
Flexor carpi radialis muscle
Palmaris longus muscle
Flexor digitorum superficialis muscle
Flexor carpi ulnaris muscle
Radial artery
Pisiform bone
Wrist creases
Copyright 2011, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
25. Ulnar styloid/distal ulna.
Medial aspect of the distal ulna
Site of attachment of ulnar collateral ligament of the wrist
Fractures of the ulnar styloid can lead to instability of the
distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ).
Palpation, supination, pronation
Radial styloid.
Lateral aspect of distal radius
Site of attachment for the brachioradialis tendon and
radial collateral ligament of the wrist.
26. Surface Features of the Forearm and Wrist
Copyright 2011, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
27. Copyright 2011, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Surface Features of the Forearm and Wrist
28. Copyright 2011, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Surface Features of the Forearm and Wrist
29. Surface Features of the Hand
Knuckles
Dorsal venous network of the hand (dorsal venous arch).
Tendon of extensor digiti minimi muscle
Tendons of extensor digitorum muscle
36. Volar Wrist Musculature
Six muscles have
tendons crossing
the volar aspect of
the wrist and,
therefore, are
capable of creating
a
wrist flexion
movement
37. These are
Palmaris longus (PL),
flexor carpi radialis (FCR),
Flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU),
the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS),
flexor digitorum profundus (FDP),
the flexor pollicis longus (FPL) muscles.
first three of these muscles are primary wrist muscles.
last three are flexors of digits with secondary actions
at wrist
38. Figure 9-13 ■ The dorsally
located extensor tendons pass
beneath the extensor
retinaculum, where the tendons
are compartmentalizd. From the
radial to the ulnar side, APL, EPB
muscles share a compartment;
ECRB ,ECRL muscles share a
compartment (EPL) muscle has a
compartment of its own; the four
tendons of (EDC)
share a compartment with the
extensor (EIP) (EDM) and the
extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) has
its own compartment
39. INSPECTION of Dorsal Hand and
Wrist
Hills and Valleys
Height of metacarpal heads
Finger nails
Pale or white=anemia or circulatory
Spoon shaped=fungal infection
Clubbed=respiratory or congenital heart
Deformities
40. Ganglion
Cystic structure that
arises from synovial
sheath
Discrete mass
Dull ache
Dorsal or Volar aspect
41. Boutonniere Deformity
Tear or stretch of the
central extensor
tendon at PIP
Note: unopposed
flexion at PIP
Extension at DIP
Trauma or
inflammatory
arthritis
50. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a compression neuropathy
of the median nerve.
Compression occurs under the flexor retinaculum at
the wrist.
52. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Clinical Signs and Symptoms
Loss of sensation of the tips of the first three fingers
Hand and wrist pain
Weakness of grip
53. Tinel’s Wrist Sign
Procedure: Patient’s hand supinated. Stabilize the
wrist with one hand. With your opposite hand, tap the
palmar surface of the wrist with a neurological reflex
hammer.
Rationale: Tingling along the distribution of the
medial nerve indicates carpal tunnel syndrome. The
cause could be any of the following: inflammation of
the flexor retinaculum, anterior dislocation of the
lunate bone, arthritic changes, or tenosynovitis of the
flexor digitorum tendons.
55. Phalen’s Test
Procedure: Flex both wrist and approximate them
towards each other. Hold for 60 seconds.
Rationale: When both wrists are flexed, the flexor
retinaculum provides increased compression of the
medial nerve in the carpal tunnel. Tingling in the
distribution of the median nerve (thumb, index finger,
middle finger, and medial half of ring finger) indicates
carpal tunnel syndrome.
57. Reverse Phalen’s Test
Procedure: Instruct the patient to extend the affected
wrist and have him grip your hand. With your
opposite thumb, press on the carpal tunnel.
Rationale: Extending the hand and providing pressure
over the carpal tunnel further constricts the tunnel.
Tingling may indicate compression of the medial
nerve.
59. Ulnar Tunnel Syndrome
The ulnar nerve travels through the tunnel of Guyon
and innervates the muscles of the little and ring
fingers.
Ulnar nerve syndrome is a compression neuropathy of
the ulnar nerve.
61. Ulnar Tunnel Syndrome
Clinical Signs and Symptoms
Pain over the little and ring finger
Weakness of grip
Difficulty with finger spreading
Claw hand
62. Ulnar Tunnel Triad
Procedure: Inspect and palpate the patient’s wrist,
looking for tenderness over the ulnar tunnel, clawing
of the ring finger, and hypothenar wasting.
Rationale: All of these signs are indicative of ulnar
nerve compression possibly in the tunnel of Guyon.
64. Stenosing Tenosynovitis
Stenosing tenosynovitis in the wrist affects the tendon
and sheath of the abductor pollicis longus and
extensor pollicis brevis.
It is also termed de Quervain’s or Hoffman’s disease.
Swelling of the tendons and thickening of the sheaths
that they pass through is due to an overuse condition
of the wrist and thumb.
65. Stenosing Tenosynovitis
Clinical Signs and Symptoms
Painful wrist and thumb during movement
Swelling over the radial styloid
Tendons and sheath tender to palpation
67. Finkelstein’s Test
Procedure: Instruct the patient to make a fist with the
thumb across the palmar surface of the hand and to
stress the wrist medially.
Rationale: Making a fist and stressing it medially will
stress the abductor pollicis longus and extensor
pollicis brevis tendons. Pain in the distal styloid
process of the radius indicates stenosing tenosynovitis
of the tendons (de Quervain’s disease).