What Is Ankylosis of Radial Deviation?

The wrist joint and various muscles normally move the hand in four different directions: backward, forward and to either side. But injury or arthritis can result in a pathological condition that hinders this normal movement.

Pathological Radial Deviation

• The radial bone or radius is the arm bone that connects to the wrist on the same side of the hand as the thumb. Radial deviation is a displacement toward the radial bone. It can refer to a pathological condition in which the carpals (wrist bones) become abnormally positioned so that the wrist and hand are permanently bent toward the side of the radius.

Normal Radial Deviation

• Radial deviation also refers to a normal movement of the hand sideways toward the radial bone. Its measurement is the angle between the position of the hand when held straight forward and the position of the hand when it has bent sideways as far as possible in the direction of the radius.

Effect of Ankylosis

• In ankylosis, a joint is bent out of shape so that it cannot move properly. Ankylosis of radial deviation is a fusion or damage to arm and wrist bones that restricts normal radial deviation or makes it completely impossible, so that the hand cannot bend sidewise toward the radius.

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