Broken Wrist (Wrist Fracture)

The wrist is one of the most complicated joints in the body. A wrist fracture, or broken wrist, is a common injury, usually associated with a fall or sports activity.

• Anatomy of the wrist
• Broken wrist overview articles

Anatomy of the wrist

The wrist contains eight bones called carpals, which are arranged in two rows. The scaphoid, lunate, triquetral and pisiform bones move with the arm bones, and the trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, and hamate bones are connected to the bones of the palm. The carpal bones are connected by ligaments.

Many tendons connecting the forearm muscles to the fingers and thumb run through the wrist. Extensor tendons on the back of the wrist straighten your fingers, while flexor tendons on the front of the wrist bend them. Nerves and blood vessels also pass through the wrist. These structures provide your wrist with exceptional range of motion.

Below, explore HSS physician-authored articles and other content on wrist fractures, including patient stories.