In radiocarpal dorsal glide joint mobilization, what is the direction of the force applied by the force hand?

• A. Dorsal
• B. Lateral
• C. Volar
• D. Medial

Answer: (C)

The key idea is how the force is directed to produce the dorsal movement of the radiocarpal joint. In radiocarpal dorsal glide, you want the proximal row of carpal bones to glide toward the back of the hand (dorsally) while the distal radius is stabilized. To accomplish this, the force hand applies a volar (palm-directed) push on the hand. That volar force, with the radius held steady by the other hand, causes the carpal bones to glide dorsally against the radius. Lateral or medial directions aren’t used for this specific glide, and the glide itself is dorsal, but the force direction applied is volar.