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.
Purchase 3 Phases

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

Purchase Phase

  • 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

Purchase Phase

  • Wrist Curls
  • Web Gripping
  • Finger Extensor Strengthening Yoga
  • Rice Hand Opening Closing

Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Hand Phase III

Purchase Phase

  • Ulnar Radial Deviation
  • Rice Wrist Flexion And Extension
  • Wrist Curls
  • Rice Wrist Pronation Supination
  • Rice Hand Opening Closing
  • Eccentric Wrist Flexion
  • Eccentric Wrist Extension