- See: Ligaments of the Wrist
- Exam of TFCC Injury:
- tenderness is usually centered about dorsal depression distal to ulnar head, or it may be localized around the ulnar styloid;
- patients may also note tenderness between the triquetrum and the ulnar styloid;
- passive manipulation of the carpus against the head of the ulna w/ wrist in ulnar deviation usually causes pain;
- tenderness against resisted radial deviation will also cause tenderness;
- this should be differentiated from the click of midcarpal instability;
- patients will TFCC tears, often show pain w/ forced forearm pronation and supination or pain with gripping and ulnar deviation;
- pts w/ TFCC tears that are symptomatic often note a painful click during wrist motions;
- have the patient clench and ulnary deviate the wrist, and then repeatedlly pronate and supinate the wrist;
- in contrast, patients w/ SLD will have pain and a click when the clenched fist is moved from ulnar to radial deviation;
- ulnar impaction test: pain w/ wrist hyperextension and ulnar deviation with axial compression;
- piano key sign: (for instability);
- laxity or instability of the R-U joint w/ controled dorsal palmar shucking;
- DRUJ is tested w/ forearm in neutral position
- examiner tries to force the radius manually in dorsal and palmar directions versus the ulna;
- instability and pain are judged relative to the contralateral side;
- when this test is positive (as compared to opposite wrist), then RU intability is present;
- this test can be helpful in diagnosing a complete peripheral tear of the TFCC;
- sensitivity (0.59), the specificity (0.96), the positive predictive value (0.91), and the negative predictive value;
- ref: Peripheral tears of the triangular fibrocartilage complex cause distal radioulnar joint instability after distal radial fractures.
The "ulnar fovea sign" for defining ulnar wrist pain: an analysis of sensitivity and specificity.