Andrew Benintendi’s hamate bone injury: All that Yankee fans scramble to know

Monday September 5, 2022

Outfielder Andrew Benintendi of the New York Yankees has a broken hamate bone and undergo surgery to repair it. Manager Aaron Boone was optimistic about the player’s return to the active roster this season. However, he admitted that he did not know if the injury was serious enough to finish Benintendi’s season.

After the Yankees, the AL East leaders, defeated Tampa Bay by a score of 2-1 on Sunday, Boone informed the media of Benintendi’s diagnosis of a broken hook on his hamate.

Benintendi is scheduled to undergo additional testing by medical professionals on Monday when he returns to New York. He may have surgery the next day.

What is the hamate bone?

The human wrist joint comprises eight carpal bones. The one that looks like a wedge to the medial side is called the hamate bone of the wrist. Benintendi had a fracture of the hamate on his right wrist.

The word hamate is a derivative of “Humulus” indicating “a hook” in Latin. Since the bone resembles a small hook on the wrist, bone has got the name hamate. Thus, it is a bone in the wrist that looks like a wedge and has a hook-like protrusion.

There are also occasions when it is referred to as unciform bone in medical annals.

How do you fix a hamate bone fracture?

Benintendi needs surgery to fix the hamate bone fracture. However, the treatment protocol largely depends on the type of injury to the wrist.

For conservative treatment, you have to wear a cast for six weeks and then do physical therapy for another four to six weeks. This is the best option for strains and hair-line fractures. However, sports fractures in the hamate bone require surgical treatment. Once hook excision surgery is completed, a patient undergoes physical therapy right away without restrictions. This continues for six to eight weeks before he can resume the full level of activity without any issues.

Benintendi sustained a hamate bone injury when swinging a bat on Friday night and was placed on the 10-day injured list the following day after suffering the injury.

Benintendi, who is 28 years old, was an All-Star this season with the Kansas City. In late July, he was traded to the Yankees. The outfielders had a slow start with New York, but he has been doing better at the plate lately.

Benintendi is batting .304 in total with 51 runs batted in. He is at the plate .254 with 12 runs batted in for the Yankees over the course of 33 games.

Can Benintendi return this season following hamate bone surgery?