Anatomical Snuff Box - The Boundaries

The Boundaries

• The posterior border of the snuffbox is the tendon of the extensor pollicis longus.
• The anterior border (closest to the edge of the hand) is a pair of parallel and intimate tendons, of the extensor pollicis brevis and the abductor pollicis longus. (Accordingly, the anatomical snuffbox is most visible, having a more pronounced concavity, during thumb extension.)
• The proximal border is formed by the styloid process of the radius
• The distal border is formed by the approximate apex of the schematic snuffbox isosceles triangle.
• The floor of the snuffbox varies depending on the position of the wrist, but both the trapezium and primarily the scaphoid can be palpated.