If you have arthritis in your thumb or wrist and you recently broke your wrist, you might be worried. You may wonder if the arthritis will make it harder for your wrist to heal. You may feel concerned that your hand will not work as well as it did before.
Good news. A recent study looked at this exact worry.
Here are three things this research tells us:
- People with wrist or thumb arthritis who broke their wrist healed just as well as people without arthritis.
- The arthritis did not make pain worse or limit how well the wrist worked after healing.
- This was true whether the person had surgery or not.
Key Findings at a Glance
- Research shows that 61 patients with wrist fractures were studied, half with arthritis and half without.
- Average age was 63 years, with follow-up lasting about 26 months.
- There was no significant difference in pain, function, or quality of life between patients with and without preexisting arthritis.
- Treatment type (surgery or not) did not change the results.
- None of the patients without arthritis developed new arthritis during the study period.
In this article:
- What Did This Study Look At?
- Who Was Studied?
- What Did The Researchers Find?
- Why Does This Matter To You?
- Common Questions
- What This Means For You
- Important Note
- Study Source
What Did This Study Look At?
According to this study published in the Journal of Wrist Surgery in 2017, researchers wanted to find out if having arthritis in your wrist or thumb joint would make things worse if you broke your wrist.
The doctors used something called a case control study. This means they looked at two groups of patients. One group had arthritis. The other group did not. They matched the groups so they were very similar in other ways.
You may be wondering why this matters. Well, many people with thumb arthritis also have some arthritis in their wrist joints. If they fall and break their wrist, they worry that the arthritis will make recovery harder.
Who Was Studied?
Research shows that 61 people were included in this study. The average age was 63 years old. The youngest person was 20. The oldest was 85. Doctors followed them for an average of 26 months. That is a little more than two years.
There were 31 patients in the group with arthritis. There were 30 patients in the group without arthritis. The groups were matched for several important things. They had the same number of men and women. They were followed for the same amount of time. They got the same types of treatment.
Some patients had surgery. Some did not. In total, 41 people had surgery. Twenty people were treated without surgery. That means their wrist was put in a cast or splint to heal on its own.
What Did The Researchers Find?
Here is where it gets interesting. The doctors measured several things to see how well people were doing. They asked about pain. They checked how well the wrist moved. They asked patients to rate how much their wrist problems affected their daily life.
Studies indicate that there was no significant difference between the two groups. People with arthritis did just as well as people without arthritis.
Let us look closer at what they measured:
- Pain levels were the same in both groups.
- Overall health and quality of life scores were similar.
- How much trouble people had using their arm, shoulder, and hand was the same.
- How well the wrist worked for daily tasks was equal.
- X-ray pictures of the healed wrist looked the same in both groups.
According to this study, even the type of treatment did not matter. Whether a person had surgery or not, having arthritis beforehand did not make the outcome worse.
Something else important happened. None of the patients in the group without arthritis developed new arthritis during the follow up time. This tells us that breaking your wrist does not seem to cause new arthritis to start.
Why Does This Matter To You?
If you have thumb arthritis, you might also have some wear and tear in other joints of your hand and wrist. This is called carpometacarpal arthritis or carpal arthritis.
Research shows that if you fall and break your wrist, your existing arthritis should not stop your wrist from healing well. You should not expect worse pain or less function just because you have arthritis.
This can help you feel less worried. It can also help your doctor talk with you about what to expect. You and your doctor can make decisions about treatment without extra concern about the arthritis making things worse.
The researchers say that more work is needed. They want to find out what other things might cause poor outcomes after a wrist fracture. But for now, arthritis does not seem to be one of those things.
About This Site
We know that medical information can feel overwhelming. That is why this site exists. We take published scientific studies about thumb pain and rhizarthrosis and explain them in simple language. Every article is based on real research from medical journals. Nothing is made up. We invite you to explore more content and learn about your condition in a way that makes sense.
Common Questions
Does arthritis in my thumb make a wrist fracture heal slower?
According to this study, no. People with arthritis in their wrist or thumb joints healed just as well as people without arthritis. The time it took to heal was the same. The final function of the wrist was also the same.
Will breaking my wrist cause new arthritis to start?
Research shows that none of the patients without arthritis developed new arthritis during the two year follow up period. This suggests that a wrist fracture does not directly cause arthritis to begin.
Should I have surgery if I have arthritis and break my wrist?
Studies indicate that the presence of arthritis does not change how well surgery or non-surgery treatment works. Your doctor will help you decide based on other factors like the type of break, your age, your activity level, and your overall health. The arthritis itself should not be the deciding factor.
Will my hand work as well after my wrist heals if I have arthritis?
According to this study, yes. Patients with preexisting arthritis had the same functional outcomes as patients without arthritis. They could use their hand for daily tasks just as well.
What This Means For You
If you have thumb or wrist arthritis and you break your wrist, try not to worry too much about the arthritis making things worse. Research shows that it should not affect how well your wrist heals or how well it works afterward.
Focus on following your doctor’s advice. Go to your follow up appointments. Do the exercises your therapist recommends. Give your body time to heal.
Remember, every person is different. Your doctor knows your specific situation best. Use this information to have a helpful conversation with your medical team. Ask questions. Share your concerns. Together, you can make the best plan for your recovery.
Important Note
This article is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. It does not replace the guidance of your doctor or healthcare provider. Always talk with a qualified medical professional about your specific condition and treatment options.
Study Source
Davies, J. H., Centomo, H., Leduc, S., Beaumont, P., Laflamme, G. Y., & Rouleau, D. M. (2017). Preexisting Carpal and Carpometacarpal Osteoarthritis Has No Impact on Function after Distal Radius Fractures. Journal of Wrist Surgery.
