* pain:
o pain from the hand may be felt in the fingers or palm
o a diffuse ache may be referred from the neck, shoulder or mediastinum
* deformity:
o as well as providing function the hand is also of great cosmetic importance
o deformity may occur acutely e.g. due to tendon rupture, or slowly due to bone or joint pathology
* swelling:
o symmetry and pattern of joint involvement may be diagnostic
* function:
o the patient may be unable to grasp doorknobs, turn keys or do buttons up
The history of the wrist joint should cover the following areas:
-Pain:
* often well localised in the wrist indicating particular disorders
-Stiffness:
* may be noticed only when severe
-Swelling:
* either of the joint or tendon sheaths
-Deformity:
* except in trauma, this is usually a late symptom
Easy carpal bones mnemonic: