Base of Thumb Osteoarthritis

The thumb makes up 40% of our hand function because of its unique positioning called opposition.

We use it to pinch, grip, and manipulate objects. It enables everything from fine detail to heavy grasping.

The downside of having such a useful and movable thumb is that the joints can wear out – particularly the base of the thumb.

Because it is a common condition, we know what can help reduce the pain in the thumb.

Firstly, we recommend you purchase a brace that will both support and restrict the base of the thumb. Choose one that you are most likely to wear during the day while you are using your hands. Consider the activities that you need to wear the brace for and the climate you live in.

Wear your brace as much as you need to in order to reduce your pain.

When your pain has settled down, follow the therapy program in this app. This will train the thumb back into a good posture. By lengthening and strengthening the correct muscles, your thumb will be more useful in everyday tasks.

We recommend looking at the activities that cause your thumb to hurt. By changing the way you complete the activity it will avoid future discomfort. You can read about this in the Healthy Advice section of the app under ‘Joint Protection.