The scapholunate ligament sounds intimidating, but it is an essential ligament in hand. The name gives away what the scapholunate ligament does. It holds the scaphoid bone and the lunate bone of the hand together. Both of these bones are carpal bones that are close to the radius bone. The ligament ensures that the bones move in unison and when it tears, they move independently of each other and therefore, the ligament is commonly injured in athletes of numerous sports.
Scapholunate Ligament Anatomy
Keys to Scapholunate Ligament Anatomy
- Close to the radius
- Ligaments connect bone to bone
- A scapholunate ligament connects the scaphoid bone and the lunate bone
- Ligament helps the bones move in unison with each other
- One of many carpal ligements
Symptoms of Scapholunate Ligament Injury
- Pain in the wrist on thumb sie
- Bruising in the wrist area
- Swelling in the wrist area
- Weakened grip
- Constant snapping or popping in the wrist
Causes of Scapholunate Ligament Injury
Injury often are caused by sudden falls or by weight-bearing activities on the wrist. The ligament tear results in separation of the scaphoid and lunar bones of the wrist. It is a common injury among athletes, and you often see fractures when the ligament tears. It is essential that you seek medical attention if you suspect you have this injury. Having a broken bone and a torn ligament can cause a lot of pain and lead to future problems.
How The Scapholunate Ligament Tear is Diagnosed
The wrist must be examined by a healthcare provider that knows the wrist well and or be put through diagnostic imaging like an X-Ray or MRI to know what is going on. Some healthcare providers can do mobility tests and evaluate the wrist that way. To be 100% sure the best thing to do is get imaging done on the wrist.
Treatment of Scapholunate Ligament Tear
Non-Surgical Treatment Scapholunate Ligament Injury
- Splint or cast wrist for 6-8 weeks or until healed
- Anti-inflammatory medication
- Followed by extensive rehab once bone and ligament is healed
Surgical Treatment of Scapholunate Ligament Tear
Surgery for Scapholunate Ligament tears is usually done arthroscopically by making a bunch of small incisions to repair the ligament. In some cases, the ligament needs to be debrided which is cleaning off old fibers so new ones can grow. In the case of severe injury, sutures may need to be used as well as the realignment of bones with pins so that the bones stay in place. The key after this surgery is a proper rehab with a physical therapist to ensure the wrist can move properly.
Prevention of Scapholunate Ligament Tear
As with all injuries, the best way to come back from an injury is not to get hurt at all. If you play sports susceptible to falling or wrist injury you want to stay on top of it by doing exercises and stretches early to help the wrist stay healthy.
You want to make sure you are stretching the wrist and forearms so movement can happen through a full range of motion without any pain or pull. The second thing you want to do is focus on strengthening the wrists and forearms. There are tones of things you can do to accomplish this. A favorite among athletes is opening an closing your hands in a bucket of rice.
Finding The Best Local Sports Medicine Providers for Scapholunate Ligament Tear
9INE POINT Health is the best place to start your search for a health care provider to help you stay healthy. The key to success as an athlete is staying healthy and making sure the injuries are dealt with appropriately. Any athlete that runs is at risk of this front of ankle pain.
9INE POINT Health lets you search for providers by type and skill. For example, you can look for a Physical Therapist that knows the Active Release Technique. It does not matter what kind of provider you need, 9INE POINT Health can help you find them and help you to sort through their skills.
If you are unsure where to start your journey, 9INE POINT Health will ask you questions and help you figure out the best starting place. All you have to do is answer a few questions. From there, 9INE POINT Health will connect you with the type of provider best suited for your needs. It does not matter if you are injured or doing everything you can to prevent a Scapholunate Ligament Tear.
The platform makes it easy to compare health providers as they are all given a 9INE POINT Number. Once you are shown the best local options, how do you know which is the best? Reading bios and reviews is just not enough because you need more than that.
Skill Sets to Look for In Sports Medicine Providers
Skill sets are the things healthcare providers learn after they graduate. A healthcare provider can take courses and get certifications for different skill sets. These skill sets are valuable and help them approach injuries from different perspectives so that you can get the best help at the right time for any Scapholunate Ligament Tear Problems.
- Dry needling
- Acupuncture
- Joint Manipulation
- Active Release Technique
- Graston Technique
- Functional Movement Screen
- Fascial Stretching
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Athletic Trainer
- Sports Background
- And many more
KHO Health was acquired by was acquire by 9INE POINT in the summer of 2019 and is now referred to as 9INE POINT Health.
