Fracture of the hook of the hamate

Fracture of the hook of the hamate most often occurs in athletes in the hand that holds a club, racket, bat or hockey stick, when the end abuts against the palm of the hand. The authors report six patients with this rare fracture, including the only known case of spontaneous healing. Because this fracture is associated with nonunion, surgical excision of the hook through the fracture site is recommended in most cases.