via Sesto Fiorentino 11, MONTELUPO FIORENTINO 55056 FI
Tel: 331-21-31-611
Rhizoarthrosis
(thumb arthrosis)
Rhizoarthrosis is a form of osteoarthritis of the hand that affects the joint at the base of the thumb (trapeziometacarpal joint). It is very common and is more frequent in women, and being a degenerative form, it is more common after the age of 40, with a tendency to worsen with the passage of age.
The main symptom is the pain that appears when the patient performs simple gripping movements with the thumb such as opening a bottle or turning the key in a lock or pressing on the base of the thumb. Over time, the reduction in force expressed during grasping becomes more and more marked and pain appears in the performance of increasingly light manual activities.
Once it is established, the rhizoarthrosis does not regress but this does not mean that we can not do anything about it as we often hear mistakenly!
We can relieve symptoms, improve stability and increase muscle strength, try to slow the process down as much as possible, or avoid surgery if possible.
Conservative physiotherapy treatment (non-surgical)
It begins with occupational therapy by studying activities, postures and tools of daily life, work and hobbies, helping the patient to understand how to move the hand to relieve pain and what are the movements and postures that create instability and pain. Often, braces made directly on the patient's hand are needed, which stabilize the joint, rest the structures and try to prevent further deformity. Classic is the phenomenon of compensation in which the intermediate joint of the thumb, the metacarpophalangeal, hyperextends and the thumb assumes a characteristic deformity called "zeta thumb" so the problem is not limited to the bone side but also involves ligaments and muscles. therefore important are the exercises aimed at strengthening the stabilizing muscles of the metacarpal trapezius joint and proprioception to modify the altered motor pattern and improve symptoms, coordination, any compensations.
The hot paraffin therapy baths are excellent to relieve pain, relax the muscles, as well as the proprioceptive bandages with kinesio tape , especially useful for relearning how to use the hand well or during weaning from the brace. A great ally is the use of TENS currents for analgesic and proprioceptive purposes and EMS currents (electrostimulation) during muscle recruitment for the selective strengthening of certain muscles. Generic reinforcement is never done as it could make the situation worse! We must take into consideration that often even the compensation caused by the modifications can create as many dysfunctions, therefore a global taking in charge of the patient and an in-depth evaluation are a more complete approach that allows the return to activities in the shortest possible time and gives relief for this pathology. that yes it affects "only one finger" but is still disabling.
Post surgical physiotherapy treatment
In case of failure of the conservative treatment, the surgeon will choose the type of surgery to be implemented. Subsequently, a physiotherapy course will be necessary for the resumption of mobility, the resolution of the edema, the treatment of the scar and the restoration of strength in order to return to activities without pain.
Some examples of guardians:
