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Medicine (MD/DO)
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Anatomy & Embryology
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Upper Extremity Bones
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Carpal Bones

Master Carpal Bones with Picmonic for Medicine

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Carpal Bones

Carpal Bones

Carpool Bones
Picmonic
There are 8 carpal bones, which can easily be remembered with the mnemonic, "Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can't Handle," representing the scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform, trapezium, trapezoid, capitate and hamate bones.
9 KEY FACTS
"Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can't Handle"
Lovers Trying Positions until They Can't Handle it anymore

"Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can't Handle," is a mnemonic helping to recall the scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform, trapezium, trapezoid, capitate and hamate bones.

Scaphoid
Scaffold

The scaphoid bone is the most commonly fractured carpal bone, from falling on the wrist with hand outstretched. It is prone to avascular necrosis, due to retrograde blood supply.

Lunate
Lunar-moon

The lunate bone is also in the proximal row and can lead to acute carpal tunnel syndrome if fractured or dislocated.

Triquetrum
Triangle-queen

The etymology for this bone is derived from latin, meaning "3-cornered." It is also the second most commonly fractured carpal bone.

Pisiform
Pizza-farm

This bone is not involved in the movement of the wrist, and its name arises from the Latin word, Pisum, translating to pea.

Trapezium
Trapeze

The trapezium is the most radially located carpal bone, and is important in thumb movement.

Trapezoid
Trapezoid-trap

The trapezoid bone is a 4-sided carpal bone, whose name is derived from the Greek word, trapezion, translating into "irregular quadrilateral."

Capitate
Captain

The capitate bone is the largest of all carpal bones.

Hamate
Ham-mate

The hamate bone is commonly fractured when an amateur golfer hits the ground on a downswing. It is also a commonly fractured in baseball players, who can electively have the bone removed.

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