Carpometacarpal(CMC)Joints

There are five carpometacarpal(CMC) joints between the metacarpals and the related distal row of carpal bones.

Type

Structurally, they are synovial plane joint except the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb which is synovial saddle joint.

Articular surfaces

1.CMC joint 2 : Distal surfaces of trapezium, trapezoid and capitate with metacarpal 2.
2. CMC joint 3: Distal surface of capitate with metacarpal 3.
3.CMC joint 4: Distal surfaces of capitate and hamate with metacarpal 4.
4.CMC joint 5 : Distal surface of hamate with metacarpal 5.
Note: counting starts with the thumb

The Ligaments

1.Dorsal carpometacarpal ligaments
2.Palmar carpometacarpal ligaments
3.Interosseous ligament

Innervation

1.Anterior interosseous nerves
2.posterior interosseous nerves
3.Deep branch of ulnar nerve (C7,8)
4.Dorsal branch of ulnar nerve (C7,8)

Blood Supply

1.Palmar carpal anastomotic arch
2.dorsal carpal anastomotic arch
These arches are formed by the union of the palmar and dorsal carpal branches of radial artery.

Movements

1.CMC joint 1: Movements at this carpometacarpal joint are flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, rotation, and circumduction.
2.CMC joints2-3: : Movements at these carpometacarpal joints is limited anteroposterior gliding (translation)
3.CMC joint 4: Movements at this carpometacarpal joint are flexion and extension
4.CMC joint 5: Movements at this carpometacarpal joint are flexion, extension and internal-external rotation.

References of image

cover picture: carpometacarpal joint
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kenhub.com%2Fen%2Flibrary%2Fanatomy%2Fcarpometacarpal-cmc-joints&psig=AOvVaw2W3bjQYy3Bk_TLQcxKa6Fl&ust=1664375057622000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAwQjRxqFwoTCPivmeyWtfoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
fig1:ligament
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kenhub.com%2Fen%2Flibrary%2Fanatomy%2Fcarpometacarpal-cmc-joints&psig=AOvVaw2W3bjQYy3Bk_TLQcxKa6Fl&ust=1664375057622000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAwQjRxqFwoTCPivmeyWtfoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAI
fig2: innervation of cmc joint
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kenhub.com%2Fen%2Flibrary%2Fanatomy%2Fcarpometacarpal-cmc-joints&psig=AOvVaw3JyKAogt8dXaw1y-xlqdXj&ust=1664490507532000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAwQjRxqFwoTCIjz88PEuPoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAM
fig3: innervation of cmc joint
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kenhub.com%2Fen%2Flibrary%2Fanatomy%2Fcarpometacarpal-cmc-joints&psig=AOvVaw3JyKAogt8dXaw1y-xlqdXj&ust=1664490507532000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAwQjRxqFwoTCIjz88PEuPoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAQ
fig4: blood supply of cmc joint
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kenhub.com%2Fen%2Flibrary%2Fanatomy%2Fcarpometacarpal-cmc-joints&psig=AOvVaw1XGiJoKsMQNcyPQE8aehUy&ust=1664491284373000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAwQjRxqFwoTCNC5tLfHuPoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
fig5: bllod supply of cmc joint
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kenhub.com%2Fen%2Flibrary%2Fanatomy%2Fcarpometacarpal-cmc-joints&psig=AOvVaw1XGiJoKsMQNcyPQE8aehUy&ust=1664491284373000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAwQjRxqFwoTCNC5tLfHuPoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAH

References

1-Keith L. Moore , Arthur F. Dalley A. M. R. Agur; Moore clinically oriented anatomy 7thedition;pp.774,786,810,811-813,819
2-Dr. Lawrence E. Wineski,PhD;SNELLIS CLINICAL ANATOMY BY REGIONS 10th edition;pp.51,325-326,421-423
3-Carpometacarpal (CMC) joints; Adrian Rad,BSc;Kenhub; https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/carpometacarpal-cmc-joints
4-First Carpometacarpal Joint Anatomy and Osteoarthritis: MR Imaging Overview; Kanagasabai Kamalasekar,Reddy Ravikanth; National Library of Medicine ; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8817812/
5-The Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint: Anatomy, Hormones, and Biomechanics; Amy L. Ladd, MD, Arnold-Peter C. Weiss, MD, Joseph J. Crisco, PhD, Elisabet Hagert, MD, PhD, Jennifer Moriatis Wolf, MD, Steven Z. Glickel, MD, and Jeffrey Yao, MD; National Library of Medicine ;https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3935621/
6-Carpometacarpal Joints, Chapter 13 - Kinesiology of the wrist and the hand; ÇiğdemAyhan,EgemenAyhan; 2020;Sciencedirect; www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128121627000138