Wrists & hands

How are wrists and hands affected by arthritis?

Any joint in your fingers, thumbs, knuckles and wrists can be affected by arthritis. Many different types of arthritis can affect your hands and cause joint pain, swelling and stiffness. People with hand arthritis often find their grip weakens and it becomes harder to do fine movements, such as turning a key or tying shoelaces.

Find out about products and equipment that can make everyday tasks easier. Learn ways to protect your hands and manage your symptoms.

How can I protect (rest) my sore hands?

Here are some ways to protect the joints in your hands:

Are splints useful?

Splints may be helpful in some cases. They are often used to support the joint at the base of the thumb and for hands affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Splints are usually worn only when the joint is painful or to protect the joint during certain activities. Splints should not stop you from moving or using your hands as this can cause the muscles to weaken and waste. An occupational therapist can advise whether hand splints will be useful for you.

Should I exercise my hands?

Don’t be afraid to use your hands. Regular exercise is important in reducing stiffness and keeping your joints and muscles working. Try to make sure you move any affected joints in your fingers, thumbs, knuckles and wrists as far as is comfortable several times a day. You could also see an occupational therapist or physiotherapist or a specialist Hand therapist for specific hand exercises.

What else can I do?

There are other treatments that may help you deal with pain and stiffness:

• Medicines: Many different types of medicines can help the symptoms of hand arthritis. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you understand which medicines are right for you and how best to use them.
• Heat and cold: Applying heat, such as a hot pack (microwaveable wheat pack), heating pad or hot water bottle to stiff, painful joints may help relieve these symptoms. If your joints are hot and swollen you may find it useful to apply an ice pack. Try applying heat or cold to the painful area for 15 minutes. Always have a layer (such as a tea towel) between your skin and the heat or ice pack. You can repeat this whenever you need to throughout the day. Make sure the temperature of the skin returns to normal in between applying heat or ice packs to prevent damage to the tissues.
• Creams: Applying creams or ointments containing anti-inflammatory medicines, capsaicin (an ingredient in cayenne and chilli peppers) or Arnica gel (a herbal medicine) may help control pain. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about these types of creams.
• Low level laser therapy: There is some scientific proof that low level laser therapy (by a physiotherapist) can help reduce pain and swelling, particularly in the hands of people with rheumatoid arthritis. See your physiotherapist for more information.
• Glucosamine and chondroitin: It is unclear if glucosamine or chondroitin are useful for hand arthritis.
• Fish oils: Fish oils may be useful for some forms of arthritis that affect the hands.
• Herbal therapies: Creams containing Arnica gel may help control pain. There is no conclusive proof that other herbal medicines are effective in treating arthritis of the hands.

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ARTHRITIS OFFICE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES.