Anatomy 101: Wrist Joints

The wrist joints lie between the many different bones in the wrist and forearm. Many wrist injuries (such as fractures, also known as a broken bone) involve the joint surface. There are three joints in the wrist:

1. Radiocarpal joint: This joint is where the radius, one of the forearm bones, joins with the first row of wrist bones (scaphoid, lunate, and triquetrum).
2. Ulnocarpal joint: This joint is where the ulna, one of the forearm bones, joins with the lunate and triquetrum wrist bones. This joint is commonly injured when you sprain your wrist. Some people are born with (or develop) an ulna that is longer than the radius, which can cause stress and pain on the joint, known as ulnocarpal abutment (impaction) syndrome.
3. Distal radioulnar joint: This joint is where the two forearm bones connect. Pain with this joint can sometimes be a challenging problem to treat.

Learn more about the joints of the wrist and also the bones of the wrist in our Anatomy section. You can also visit www.HandCare.org for information on conditions and injuries of the hand, wrist, arm and shoulder.