Carpal bones (mnemonic).

Mnemonics of the carpal bones are numerous and useful for memorizing the order and location of the bones.

Some mnemonics name the carpal bones in a circle, starting with the proximal row from the scaphoid towards the pinky (small finger) and then the distal row starting from the hamate towards the thumb: 

• So Long To Pinky, Here Comes The Thumb
• Straight Line To Pinky, Here Comes The Thumb

Other mnemonics describe the position of the carpal bones from lateral to medial both for the proximal row, as the above mnemonics do, and for the distal row:

• Sam Likes To Push The Toy Car Hard
• Sally Left The Party To Take Cathy Home
• Some Lovers Try Positions That They Cannot Handle
• She Likes To Play Try To Catch Her
• She Looks Too Pretty Try To Catch Her

Mnemonic

Mnemonic

• S: scaphoid
• L: lunate
• T: triquetrum
• P: pisiform
• H: hamate
• C: capitate
• T: trapezoid
• T: trapezium

Bone names related to their shape can be additionally useful for identification on imaging:

• scaphoid: boat-shaped on frontal view
• lunate: moon/crescent-shaped on lateral view
• triquetrum: triangular
• pisiform: pea-shaped
• hamate: with a hook
• capitate: head-shaped, large and central
• trapezoid and trapezium: table-shaped (four-sided)

Additional mnemonics help distinguish the carpal bones that start with T:

• trapezium is by the thumb (articulating with the first metacarpal)
• trapezoid is inside (surrounded by four other bones)