Intermetacarpal articulations

The intermetacarpal articulations are joints in the hand formed between the metacarpal bones. The bases of the second, third, fourth and fifth metacarpal bones articulate with one another by small surfaces covered with cartilage. The metacarpal bones are connected together by dorsal, palmar, and interosseous ligaments.

• The dorsal metacarpal ligaments (ligamenta metacarpalia dorsalia) and palmar metacarpal ligaments (ligamenta metacarpalia palmaria) pass transversely from one bone to another on the dorsal and palmar surfaces.
• The interosseous metacarpal ligaments (ligamenta metacarpalia interossea) connect their contiguous surfaces, just distal to their collateral articular facets.

The synovial membrane for these joints is continuous with that of the carpometacarpal joints.

Additional images

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  The bones in the hand

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  The carpal and metacarpal bones in the hand

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  X-ray of the bones in the hand

See also

• Transverse metacarpal ligament

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)