Osteoarthritis of the Hand

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease in which the cushioning cartilage that covers the bone surfaces at joints begins to wear out. It may be caused by simple "wear and tear" on joints, or it may develop after an injury. Arthritis of the hand can be both painful and disabling.

Arthritis in Hand and Wrist Treatment

Arthritis can affect your quality of life, causing deformities, loss of function and debilitating pain. There are various kinds of arthritis, and to receive the proper treatment, you need the right diagnosis. At the Penn Integrated Hand Program, you'll have access to various specialists who understand the development of arthritis and how painful it can be. These specialists are highly experienced in diagnosing and treating all types of arthritis of the hands.

Understanding Arthritis in the Hands and Wrist

We often take for granted how important our hands are in our daily lives and how they are critical to almost every action we perform. When the pain of arthritis takes over, it can make performing day-to-day tasks unbearable.

Arthritis causes joint pain, swelling, stiffness, limited movement and loss of function. As it progresses, the joints begin to worsen as the cartilage wears down. Arthritis in the joints can also affect the surrounding soft tissue, tendons, ligaments and muscles.

Our specialists at the Penn Integrated Hand Program are dedicated to providing the best possible treatments for arthritis so you no longer have to suffer.

Our surgeons treat the most common types of arthritis of the hand and wrist, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as interphalangeal joint arthritis, thumb arthritis and wrist arthritis. If you are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, you will need to be seen by a rheumatologist in addition to our hand and wrist team.

While there is no cure for arthritis, receiving proper early diagnosis is important in creating a treatment plan that can prevent permanent joint damage, reduce pain and improve function.

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Treating Arthritis in the Hands

Arthritis is not something you have to live with. Our orthopaedic and plastic surgery hand specialists are highly experienced in treating the full spectrum of arthritic conditions, from mild to the most severe cases. Our goal is to reduce your pain and bring you relief.

Our multispecialty team approach offers you optimal care by orthopaedic experts, plastic surgeons and hand therapists at the Penn Integrated Hand Program. We provide non-surgical treatment options such as bracing, splinting, injections or anti-inflammatory medications to try and subside the pain and swelling.

If surgery is required, we are a leader in arthroscopic surgery, a minimally-invasive technique that uses smaller incisions and offers quicker recovery, as well as fusions and joint replacement.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Arthritis in the hand occurs when the multiple small joints that work together to produce motion get inflamed and swell. Arthritis in the hand can occur in many areas within the hand.

Arthritis in the hand is typically caused by rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.

  • Rheumatoid arthritis in the hand — rheumatoid arthritis (a chronic, autoimmune disease) most commonly starts in the small joints in the hands.
  • Osteoarthrosis in the hand — osteoarthritis in the hand occurs from everyday wear and tear in the hand. It typically occurs gradually from activities or careers that require repetitive motions.

Risk factors for osteoarthritis in the hand include:

  • Age — although people of all ages can get arthritis, before age 45 more men develop arthritis than women and more women are impacted than men after the age of 45.
  • Trauma — people who have broken a bone in their hand, wrist or elbow are at a higher risk for developing osteoarthritis.
  • Repetitive movements — people who do jobs or activities that require repetitive movement in the hands are more likely to develop hand, wrist or elbow osteoarthritis.
  • Joint misalignment — excess joint friction from misaligned bones in the hands, wrists or elbows can wear the cartilage in the hand, wrist or elbow down.

The most common symptoms or signs of arthritis in the hand are joint pain and stiffness; numbness; and weakness in the hand.

Other symptoms of arthritis in the hand include:

  • Inability to bend a finger
  • Snapping or locking feeling in the hands or fingers
  • Boutonniere deformity — a deformity where the middle finger joint becomes bent
  • Mucus-filled cysts that form near the ends of the finger
  • Warmth — a joint that is arthritic may feel warm to the touch
  • Sensation of grinding or grating within the hand
  • Sensation of the joints in the hand being unstable or loose