In human anatomy the wrist is known as the radiocarpal joint, which is a condyloid synovial joint. But the wrist is also made up functionally with midcarpal and intercarpal joints. It has the role of bridging the hand to the forearm.
Attatchments of the radiocarpal joint
Proximally - with the radius and articular disk.
Distally - the proximal row of carpal bones distally.
Basic bone anatomy of the wrist.
The wrist is made up of 8 carpal bones, the reason for so many is to allow greater movement of the hand. Each therefore, has a unique function within the hand. Primarily they facilitate the flexors and extensors of the forearm. The easiest way to remember the carpal bones is to make a story using the first letter of each one in order.
1) Trapezium - T - Tell
2) Trapezoid - T - Tim....that
3) Capitate - C - Clarke
4) Hamate - H - Hammonds
5) Pisiform - P - Pee
6) Triquetrum - T - Tastes
7) Lunate - L - Like
8) Scaphoid - S - S***
Or anything along these lines!
The metacarpus is located between the carpals and the phalanges. The metacarpus consist of metatarsals, of which there are five. Each metacarpal bones consist of a body and two extremities, known as the head and base.
The fingers are referred to in human anatomy as the phalanx bone or phalanges. There are 14 overall phalanges in each hand, of which there are three per finger and two within the thumb.
Ligaments
There are many small ligaments within the wrist however, all are significant as they provide a level of stability to the wrist. Going through every single one would take hours, but to gently sum them up ligaments of the wrist are mostly developed on the palmar side. The ligaments originate laterally from the radial styloid and are directed distally towards ulnar,
Quick Tip: When viewing the wrist it is not uncommon to read palmar and dorsal. In anatomy you will mostly see anterior and posterior from a viewing perspective, meaning back and front. Palmar or, volar, means anterior whilst, dorsal means posterior.
Movement of the wrist.
There are four main movements at the wrist and this is not waving and shaking hands, although that would just be referred to as a gliding movement (back and fourth).
The obvious movements are flexion and extension, however, the wrist also allows for radial deviation or movement radially. This movement occurs when wrist is flexed in the direction of the thumb or the radius. Ulnar deviation or movement ulnarly is flexion of the wrist towards the pinky.
The forearm allows for whats known as pronation and supination. These are basic rotations of the forearm to allow the palm to face up or down. A good way of remembering both is linking the word supination and 'soup' together. In order to hold a bowl of soup you have to 'sup' you arm into a full supinated position. The obvious opposite would therefore be pronation.