A high school football player injured his wrist in a game. He is tender between the two tendons at the base of the thumb. Which of the following should be considered?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The "anatomic snuffbox" is found between the extensor and abductor tendons at the base of the thumb. Tenderness should make one think of a scaphoid fracture. Not only is this the most common carpal bone injury, but the poor blood supply puts the bone at risk for avascular necrosis when injured. This fracture is commonly missed on x-ray, so this is an important physical finding to support further or repeated studies.

A High School Football Player Injured His Wrist in a Game