Movements at the carpometacarpal and metacarpophalangeal joints of the hand and their effect on the dimensions of the articular ends of the metacarpal bones.

A detailed study was undertaken to quantify the range of various movements at the carpometacarpal and metacarpophalangeal joints of the hand in cadavers and compare the values so obtained with those in the living, measured with the help of skiagrams. Longitudinal sections of hand were also prepared to bring out the nature of articulations at the carpometacarpal joints. Based on the data available, metacarpal mobility formulae of 1 greater than 5 greater than 4 greater than 2 greater than 3 for the carpometacarpal, and 5 greater than 4 greater than 3 greater than 2 greater than 1 and 5 greater than 2 greater than 4 greater than 3 greater than 1 for metacarpophalangeal joints are being proposed with the hope that these formulae will find their application in the clinical practice to assess the extent of functional damage to these joints as well as to evaluate the rate of progress or deterioration, in course of time. As an extension of our earlier study (Batmanabane, 1982), osteometric analysis of the metacarpus was also carried out and it is confirmed that it is the mobility which determines the osteometric features of the articular ends of these miniature long bones.