Wrist-joint ligament length changes in flexion and deviation of the hand. An experimental study

A method to study ligament-length patterns in situ with roentgen-stereophotogrammetry, using strings of glued tantalum markers, was developed. The method was tested against a bone-to-bone marking method in five carpal ligaments in three specimens, whereby the hand was moved through dorsopalmar flexion and radioulnar deviation. The 'glued-string' marking method was found to be superior to the bone-to-bone marking method. The length patterns obtained were found to be reproducible in the specimens and different from earlier expectations presented in the literature. [Edited author abstract; 21 Refs; In English