The dorsal ligaments of the wrist: Anatomy, mechanical properties, and function

The purpose of this study waste examine the anatomy and mechanical properti es of the dorsal radiocarpal (DRC) and dorsal intercarpal (DIC) ligaments o f the wrist and to better understand the functional design of the dorsal li gaments. The DRC ligament was consistently found to originate from the dors al margin of the distal radius and extended ulnar obliquely and distally. I ts radial fibers attached to the lunate and lunotriquetral interosseous lig ament. The DRC ligament then inserted onto the dorsal tubercle of the triqu etrum. The DIC ligament originated from the triquetrum and extended radiall y and attached onto the lunate, inserted into the dorsal groove of the scap hoid, and then extended to the trapezium. The DRC and DIC ligaments togethe r, in their lateral V configuration, act effectively as a dorsal radioscaph oid ligament that has the ability to vary its length by changing the angle between the 2 arms of the V. The DRC-DIC ligaments' lateral V configuration allows normal carpal kinematics while maintaining its indirect dorsal stab ilizing effect on the scaphoid throughout the range of motion of the wrist. Copyright (C) 1999 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.