Broken Hand

• Broken Hand Overview
• Broken Hand Causes
• Broken Hand Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Broken Hand Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

Broken Hand Overview

The hand is a marvelously complex part of the human anatomy. Every year, however, millions of people experience broken bones within their hands. Because we are so dependent on our hands, even a small loss of function can result in a lifelong disability. A broken hand will often require a visit to a doctor, and it may require months of rehabilitation care.

• The hand is composed of 27 bones, including those in the wrist. Broken bones most commonly result from a direct blow to the hand or a fall onto the hand. Common injuries include fractures of the fingertip, or of the pinkie side of the palm, or of the thumb.
  
  
• When doctors describe the bones in the hand, they use several terms.
  
  
  • Carpals are the 8 bones in the wrist. They are not actually part of the hand but are vital for its function.
    
    
  • Metacarpals are the 5 bones that form the palm of the hand.
    
    
  • Phalanges are the 14 small bones that, when strung together, form the thumb and fingers. The thumb has 2 phalanges. The other 4 fingers are made of 3 phalanges each.
    
    
  • The knuckles of the hand are referred to as the MCP joint, which stands for metacarpal-phalangeal joint (because the fingers, composed of phalanges, join the palm, made of metacarpals).
    
    
  • The joints in the fingers are called the PIP and DIP joints. The PIP joint is the proximal interphalangeal joint and is the joint closest to the palm. The DIP joint is the distal interphalangeal joint and is the joint closest to the fingertip.
    
    
  • The fingers are called the thumb, index finger, middle (or long) finger, ring finger, and pinky (or small) finger.
    
    
  • The handedness (right or left) of the person is called the dominance of the hand. If you are left-handed, then you are left-hand dominant.