Fundamentals of Assessing Wrist Pain

Wrist pain is a common presenting symptom in the office of the plastic and hand surgeon, which can affect any age group. Due to the complex anatomy and multiple anatomical structures involved in the distal third of the forearm, wrist, and hand, the assessment of wrist pain can be very challenging, both in acute and chronic conditions. It is of utmost importance that the examiner has a broad knowledge of the anatomy and clinical features of the most common conditions that can present with wrist pain. This chapter aims to present a practical guide to the clinical assessment of wrist pathology, approach, and differential diagnosis.