The influence of age and exercise on the mobility of hand joints: 3. thumb joints.

Following our previous study about mobility of the three-phalangeal fingers we have measured flexion in the interphalangeal (IPP) and metacarpophalangeal (MPP) thumb joints as well as thumb opposition (hyperadduction) in university students (52 males and 49 females), seniors (30 males and 30 females) and pianists (21 males and 31 females). In the student control group we did not find difference between males and females or right and left hand, unlike in the previous study of three-phalangeal fingers. The MPP has greater flexion variability than the IPP joint. We have recorded greater limitation in all measured movements in seniors, in the thumb opposition significantly greater in males than in females. Pianists, on the other hand, always show greater thumb opposition, while greater flexion was significant only in the MPP joint in males. We did not record a difference between right and left hand in seniors or pianists.