From research by Jonothan Tsehaie, aaffiliated to the Xpert Clinic and Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, shows that treating patients with osteoarthritis of the thumb through hand therapy and splints reduces pain and improves hand function.
Nowadays, (too) many different treatment techniques are used for osteoarthritis of the thumb (thumb osteoarthritis). Due to too little research with too many different outcomes, interventions that did not involve a surgeon, such as splints and hand therapy, were considered ineffective. We are therefore very pleased that more and more scientific research is now being conducted into forms of treatment that do not involve surgery.
What is thumb osteoarthritis?
Thumb osteoarthritis is a chronic joint disease, mostly affecting women. In thumb osteoarthritis, cartilage wears down, causing bones to come into direct contact with each other. This makes movements like pinching, for example, painful, as do opening jars or writing. The origin of this condition is still unknown, but is common complaint with ageing.
Research into the treatment of thumb osteoarthritis
For the treatment of thumb osteoarthritis, many options are offered from different specialist medical viewpoints. At our practice, we successfully use hand therapy. Drs Tsehaie's research brings clear insights into its effect.
Conclusion from the study: On average, patients who participated in the 34% study reported feeling less pain after treatment than before. This includes patients with advanced stages of thumb osteoarthritis. Only 15% of all patients decide to undergo surgery after treatment. Follow-up studies are yet to be done for this.
You can read the entire study HERE read:
What is hand therapy?
Hand therapy is a therapy done by a specialised hand therapist. Hand therapists specialise in the functioning and treatment of muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves and skin of the hand, wrist and arm. Therapy is often intensive, especially in the beginning, and can sometimes take a long time. The advantage is that no surgery is involved. Treatment revolves around exercises to keep the thumb mobile. If surgery is required, our hand therapist will provide aftercare and/or rehabilitation. The work also includes fitting aids such as splints.
Do you have thumb osteoarthritis or another hand condition? Our hand therapist will be happy to help you! For more information, please visit Osteoarthritis or hand and wrist complaints.