Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Hand
Definition:
A systemic disease, which affects connective tissue of the hand; arthritis is the dominant clinical manifestation, accompanied by thickening of articular soft tissue, with extension of synovial tissue over articular cartilages, which become eroded; the course is variable but often is chronic and progressive, leading to deformities and disability.
Symptoms- Pain usually occurs in bilateral hands
- Swelling usually occurs in bilateral hands
- Stiffness usually occurs in bilateral hands
- Hand joints get hot and appear red
- Firm nodules along fingers or the elbow
- Angulation or collapse of fingers
- Sudden inability to straighten or bend a finger because of a tendon rupture
- Deformity in which the middle finger joint becomes bent
Causes- Unknown
- Autoimmune disease
- Possible family heredity
- Usually it takes a chemical or environmental "trigger" to activate the disease in people who genetically inherit RA
Treatment- ROM and stretching to hand
- Hand intrinsic muscle strengthening
- Upper extremity strengthening
Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Hand Phase I
- Soft Tissue Mobilization To Hand Palm
- Wrist Flexor Stretch At Wall
- Wall Clocks
- Hand Circuit
- Finger Extensor Stretch
- Sitting Posture
- Walkfit
- WalkFit Program
- Foam Wedge In Abduction
Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Hand Phase II
- Wrist Curls
- Web Gripping
- Finger Extensor Strengthening Yoga
- Rice Hand Opening Closing
Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Hand Phase III
- Ulnar Radial Deviation
- Rice Wrist Flexion And Extension
- Wrist Curls
- Rice Wrist Pronation Supination
- Rice Hand Opening Closing
- Eccentric Wrist Flexion
- Eccentric Wrist Extension
