Finger Arthritis
Recognising the Symptoms and Signs
Ali Phillips | Hand & Wrist Specialist
Stiff, painful finger joints?
I'm Ali Phillips. Dealing with finger arthritis can be incredibly frustrating, making simple tasks like buttoning a shirt or holding a pen feel like a challenge. For this reason, my goal is to provide clear, compassionate information to help you understand what's happening and how we can work together to find relief.
Book a ConsultationWhat is Finger Arthritis?
Finger arthritis is a "wear-and-tear" condition where the smooth, protective cartilage inside your finger joints wears down over time. This causes the bones to rub against each other, leading to pain, stiffness, and swelling. It most commonly affects the middle joint (PIPJ) and the joint closest to your fingertip (DIPJ).
While this is often a gradual process, it can, for instance, also develop after an injury. Fortunately, while there is no cure, there are many excellent treatments available to manage the symptoms and improve your quality of life.
What are the symptoms of Finger Arthritis?
Pain and Stiffness
An aching pain, especially when gripping or pinching. In addition, your fingers may feel very stiff, particularly in the morning.
Bony Bumps
Hard lumps (called Heberden's or Bouchard's nodes) can form around the affected joints as the body creates extra bone.
Loss of Function
Consequently, you may experience difficulty with fine motor tasks like buttoning a shirt, writing, or picking up small objects.
Are Your Fingers Aching?
If these symptoms are interfering with your daily life, a clear diagnosis is the first step towards feeling better. Let's find out exactly what's going on and create a plan to help.
Get a Clear DiagnosisHow will I diagnose your finger pain?
Typically, a diagnosis is made from our conversation, a gentle examination of your fingers, and an X-ray. In the meantime, you can try a simple self-test at home; however, please stop if it causes sharp pain.
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Rest your hand on a table.
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Gently try to make a full, tight fist.
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Note if this causes pain, stiffness, or if you are unable to close your hand completely.
Difficulty making a fist is a common sign of finger arthritis. For this reason, an accurate diagnosis from me, confirmed with an X-ray, is the most important step towards finding the right treatment.
How can I help you get better?
We'll create a personalised treatment plan together, always starting with the simplest options first.
Activity Modification We'll find ways to perform tasks differently to reduce strain on your finger joints, sometimes using helpful assistive devices.
Splinting Wearing a supportive splint can help stabilise the finger joints, reduce pain during activities, and provide rest.
Hand Therapy A therapist can teach you gentle exercises to improve flexibility and strength, helping to support the joints.
Steroid Injections For persistent pain, an injection of corticosteroid directly into the joint can reduce inflammation and provide temporary relief.
Ultimately, surgery is considered when other treatments have failed and your quality of life is significantly impacted. Therefore, the goal is to reduce pain while preserving as much movement and function as possible.
Common Surgical Procedures
What it is: Specifically, this procedure fuses the bones of the fingertip joint together, eliminating painful movement. As a result, it is an excellent and reliable way to get rid of pain while maintaining good function.
Benefits
- Significant and lasting pain relief
- Provides a stable fingertip for pinching and gripping
Risks
- Bones may not fuse properly (non-union), which is rare (less than 1 in 20 cases)
- Infection (about 1 in 25 cases)
- The screw may need to be removed (about 1 in 100 cases)
What it is: Similar to a DIPJ fusion, this procedure fuses the bones of the middle finger joint. I use a modern intramedullary device (the Apex implant) which avoids the need for prominent metalwork.
Benefits
- Eliminates pain and improves finger alignment
- Provides a stable post for gripping, especially in the index finger
Risks
- Bones may not fuse properly (non-union), though this is rare (less than 1 in 100 cases with the Apex device)
- Infection or nerve injury (less than 1 in 100 cases)
- Fracture during or after surgery (less than 1 in 20 cases)
What it is: This procedure replaces the damaged joint with a flexible silicone implant, preserving bending motion. Furthermore, it is most commonly used for the middle, ring, and little fingers.
Benefits
- Reduces pain while maintaining movement in the joint
- Improves ability to make a full fist
Risks
- The implant can break over time, though this often doesn't cause problems
- Infection (less than 1 in 50 cases)
- Some pain or stiffness may persist
- Need for further surgery (about 1 in 100 cases)
Frequently Asked Questions
These are called Heberden's nodes (on the fingertip joint) or Bouchard's nodes (on the middle joint). In short, they are bony spurs that the body creates in response to the cartilage wearing down. They are a classic sign of osteoarthritis.
While we cannot reverse the cartilage damage, thankfully, we have excellent treatments to manage the pain and improve your function. For example, surgery like joint fusion or replacement can provide a long-lasting solution for severe symptoms.
This is a very personal decision that we will make together. On one hand, a fusion provides excellent pain relief and stability but sacrifices movement at that one joint. On the other hand, a replacement preserves movement but may be less durable over a lifetime. Consequently, we will discuss your lifestyle, activities, and goals to decide which is best for you.
Yes, absolutely. A fusion only stops movement at the single, painful joint. All the other joints in your finger and hand will continue to work as normal, and as a result, many patients are amazed at how functional their hand remains.
Recovery involves wearing a splint for a period of time, followed by dedicated hand therapy. It takes time for the bones to heal (in a fusion) or for the implant to settle (in a replacement). Therefore, full recovery and return to all activities can take several months.
Further Questions Answered
The surgery itself is usually quite quick, typically taking around 30 to 45 minutes. In addition, it is performed as a day case procedure, meaning you can go home the same day.
Yes, most people will need some time off. However, the amount of time depends on your job. For instance, if you have a desk job, you might be back in a week or two. In contrast, for manual jobs that require heavy use of your hands, you may need up to six weeks off to allow for proper healing.
While there's no specific diet proven to cure osteoarthritis, nevertheless, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods (like fatty fish, leafy greens, and berries) can support overall joint health and may help manage symptoms.
Although you can't completely prevent osteoarthritis, you can certainly take steps to protect your joints. This includes avoiding excessive strain, using ergonomic tools, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and doing gentle hand exercises to maintain flexibility and strength.
This is a common myth! The sound of a cracking knuckle is just gas bubbles popping in the joint fluid. In fact, decades of research have shown no link between the habit of knuckle-cracking and the development of arthritis.
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