Posterior Region of the Female Wrist, Lateral View

Description

Seen from the lateral aspect of the distal forearm, the posterior (dorsal) wrist is dominated by the distal radius and ulna articulating with the proximal carpal row. The scaphoid and lunate sit proximal and slightly radial, while the triquetrum and pisiform occupy a more ulnar position; distally, the trapezium and trapezoid align toward the thumb side and the capitate and hamate lie more central and ulnar. Dorsally, the extensor tendons course in longitudinal lines beneath the extensor retinaculum, with the ulnar styloid and the dorsal tubercle of the radius (Lister tubercle) acting as palpable bony landmarks. Joint spaces at the radiocarpal and midcarpal levels define where the carpal bones articulate. A lateral posterior view matters when you need to teach surface anatomy and tendon routing, because subtle changes in carpal alignment become easier to appreciate when the radius, scaphoid, and lunate are read as a single proximal arc. Lister tubercle is a fixed reference for extensor pollicis longus as it turns around the dorsal radius, and that relationship underpins clinical discussions of EPL tendinopathy or rupture after distal radius fracture. The dorsal wrist is also where occult scaphoid injury and scapholunate dissociation are first suspected on exam, then correlated with radiographs, CT, or MRI. Use this artwork in upper limb anatomy teaching (gross anatomy, kinesiology, and hand therapy curricula), and in orthopedic or radiology publications discussing carpal biomechanics, distal radius fractures, and dorsal wrist pain patterns in women. It also fits patient education materials for postoperative tendon and ligament repairs where a lateral reference helps explain motion limits at the radiocarpal and midcarpal joints. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.