Osteoarthritis of the thum

Osteoarthritis of the thumb is often referred to as thumb osteoarthritis. The concept of osteoarthritis means that the articular cartilage, which normally acts as a sliding and shock-absorbing surface in a joint - in this case the thumb joint - is thinned out and therefore does not fulfil its function. In a thumb base osteoarthritis, this can cause the bones to react by growing and displacing the thumb joint, causing the thumb joint to become inflamed.

Risk factors for osteoarthritis include advanced age, genetics, previous damage to the bones or ligaments, an inflammatory joint disease or a misalignment of the thumb joint.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE THUMB?
The symptoms of osteoarthritis of the thumb are swelling of the joint, pain on weight-bearing and movement, and a noticeable difference in weakness from before when making the thumb and index finger grip. The base of the thumb may also become stiff if the osteoarthritis has been going on for a long time.

HOW IS OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE THUMB TREATED?
One of the first things to do when suffering from osteoarthritis of the thumb is to wear a support bandage (Ortos) around the base of the thumb to relieve the painful joint. Many people with osteoarthritis are also treated with cortisone injections, which over time can lead to complete relief. Some anti-inflammatory medications can also be helpful in relieving pain and swelling.

Whether you're working on prevention or already have thumb osteoarthritis, it's important to think about how you can work and move more ergonomically to save your joints. If the osteoarthritis is severe, joint replacement surgery or removal of the joint may ultimately be the best solution to get rid of the pain.

As mentioned earlier, wearing some type of bandage around the thumb base joint can be helpful both as a preventative measure and once the osteoarthritis has set in. It can be nice to wear a wrist guard that fits around the entire hand for warmth and support. Keeping inflamed areas warm will speed up the healing of the inflamed area. To relieve the thumb base joint specifically, it is a good idea to tape the joint with kinesio tape. The tape is water-resistant and elastic, and is commonly used both as a preventive measure and to help stabilise injured areas. The tape, which you can find here at Soprtsmart.se, comes in many different varieties and colours, so that you can choose the one that suits you and your healing process best.