Osteoarthritis of the thumb: clinical aspects and management.

The wide range of motion of the thumb derives from the unusual nature of its carpometacarpal joint. Osteoarthritis is common in this joint. Patients may present with variable degrees of pain, reduction of thumb mobility, and joint deformity. Management is based on clinical assessment. Early disease is treated with rest, anti-inflammatory agents or analgesics, intraarticular steroid injections and splints. Since the course of osteoarthritis is often benign, avoiding early invasive treatment is important, except in the presence of proven anatomic deformity.