Do you suffer from pain in and around your thumb joint? Do you find that things you previously performed automatically, such as turning a key or holding something in your hand, have turned into obstacles that are strenuous to overcome?

Then you might be suffering from thumb base osteoarthritis.
In thumb base osteoarthritis (OA) the cartilage in the joint wears out causing bone-to-bone contact. The most common symptoms include pain, reduced mobility, decreased strength and instability.

How common is it?

Thumb base osteoarthritis normally affects people aged 55 to 80. It is especially common among women over the age of 50. It is estimated that about 20% of all women suffer from this condition. For men the corresponding figure is about 7%.