Recent laboratory research has disclosed that carpal ligaments exhibit different kinetic behaviors depending on the direction and point of application of the forces being applied to the wrist. The so-called helical antipronation ligaments are mostly active when the wrist is axially loaded, whereas the helical antisupination ligaments constrain supination torques to the distal row. This novel way of interpreting the function of the carpal ligaments may help in developing better strategies to treat carpal instabilities.