Cures for Hook of Hamate

The hamate bone is located in the human hand, situated in the wrist above the fourth and fifth fingers. It is also known as the "hook of hamate" because of its hook-like shape; the bone gets its name from the Latin word "hamatus," which means "hooked." Fractures in the hook of hamate are not uncommon, especially when playing a sport with swinging equipment, such as racquetball, tennis or baseball.

Immobilization

• The easiest and most straightforward way to deal with a sprain or injury to the hook of hamate is to immobilize the wrist in a cast in order to prevent re-aggravation of the injury. An individual with a sprain to the hook of hamate, and a doctor catches the injury early, can normally regain strength in the wrist within four to six weeks, according to a November 1979 article in the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Surgery

• If an injury to the hook of hamate goes unnoticed for a long period of time, surgery may become necessary because various nerve endings in the hand become at risk of being damaged. One surgical option is to remove the hook of hamate altogether; another option is to open up the hand and fix the bone. According to Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, removal of the hook of hamate has been a viable option since the 1930s because of fear that an injury to it could damage the flexor tendons, or muscles in the forearm. As of 2010, removal is still a common option because the hook of hamate is a small bone that is not necessary for most activities.

Ultrasound

• An article in the January 2000 edition of the "Journal of Hand Surgery" shows encouraging results in using ultrasound to treat hook of hamate sprains. The patient in the case received ultrasound on the bone for 20 minutes a day for four and a half months, and they did not immobilize the wrist in a cast. After this treatment, the patient regained full use of the wrist without any residual side effects.