Let’s look at the following task.
You need to memorise the names of the bones in the human hand. What to do to achieve it quickly?
The best technique depends on your learning style, but the most effective ones are usually:
Mnemonic Acronyms or Phrases (Acronyms/Reverse Acronyms)
These are widely used in anatomy because they’re quick, memorable, and easy to recall under exam pressure.
Carpal Bones (wrist, proximal and distal rows):
There are 8 carpal bones:
- Proximal row (lateral to medial): Scaphoid, Lunate, Triquetrum, Pisiform
- Distal row (lateral to medial): Trapezium, Trapezoid, Capitate, Hamate
Mnemonic Example:
“Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can’t Handle”
Each first letter corresponds to a carpal bone:
- Scaphoid
- Lunate
- Triquetrum
- Pisiform
- Trapezium
- Trapezoid
- Capitate
- Hamate
Make it personally vivid or funny to improve recall.
Memory Palace (Method of Loci)
Use this if you’re more visual-spatial and need to learn locations and relationships between bones.
Example:
- Visualize a hallway with 8 rooms (or stops).
- Associate each room with an exaggerated image:
- Room 1: A scarf (for Scaphoid) wrapped around a wrist
- Room 2: A glowing moon (Lunate) on the floor
- Room 3: A triangle shaped sculpture (Triquetrum)
- Room 4: A cat purring loudly (Pisiform)
- Room 5: A gymnast on a trapeze (Trapezium)
- Room 6: A puzzle (pieces fitting perfectly like Trapezoid)
- Room 7: A cap worn on a statue (Capitate)
- Room 8: A hammer smashing something (Hamate)
Then mentally walk through this “palace” when recalling.
Peg Method (Rhyme-Based Association)
This can be adapted if you want to learn both names and order, especially useful for numbered bones like metacarpals or phalanges.
Example pegs:
- 1 is a bun: imagine a bun with a scaphoid inside.
- 2 is a shoe: shoe made of lunate, etc.
Less common for anatomy, but good if you’re already familiar with peg systems.
Best Pick for Most Students:
Acronym + Spatial Diagram Sketching
Start with mnemonic phrases like “Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can’t Handle”, then reinforce it by drawing hand diagrams repeatedly, labelling each bone. This builds both verbal and spatial memory.
| Region | Elements | Mnemonic |
|---|
| Carpals | 8 named bones | “Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can’t Handle” |
| Metacarpals | Thumb to Little (I–V) | “Tall Individuals Make Real Leaders” |
| Phalanges Order | Proximal → Middle → Distal | “Please Make Dinner” |
| Thumb Phalanges | Proximal → Distal only | “Thumbs Prefer Dessert” |
Rerefences:
Iftikhar, N. (2019). Important Joints: Hand and Wrist Bones. [online] Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/wrist-bones.
National Library of Medicine (2018). How do hands work? [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279362/.
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