The scaphoid (wrist bone)
Scaphoid bone · os scaphoideum
A boat-shaped wrist bone at the base of your thumb, the one most often broken.
What it does
The scaphoid is one of eight small carpal bones in the wrist. It spans both rows of wrist bones on the thumb side, linking them like a bridge, so it carries a lot of force when you lean on your hand.
Surprising fact
The scaphoid is the most commonly broken wrist bone, and because its blood supply enters from the far end, the near half can be starved of blood after a break.
Why it matters
A fall onto an outstretched hand that leaves pain in the hollow at the base of the thumb should be checked, even if the first X-ray looks normal. A missed scaphoid break can fail to heal.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.