As we age there are many factors that impact on the health of our joints. Having osteoarthritis in the hand impacts greatly on strength, movement and most importantly function. One of the most common sites for osteoarthritis in the hand is at the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint of the thumb. The CMC joint is the thumb joint closest to the wrist and is prone to degenerative changes due to the fact that it has a loose joint capsule and it relies on ligamentous and muscular support to maintain the joint in position.
At Sunshine Coast Hand Therapy we can assist you if you have degenerative changes in the thumb CMC joint. Treatment techniques include joint protection advice, strengthening exercises of the soft tissue that provides stabilisation to the joint, pain relief techniques and functional splinting such as the PUSH brace (see picture below).
