I built this site because no patient should face thumb arthritis alone
It started with a sharp pain at the base of my thumb. Opening jars, turning keys, gripping anything: suddenly everyday tasks became a struggle. My doctor said “rhizarthrosis” and told me to come back when it gets worse. That wasn’t good enough for me.
I needed to understand what was happening inside my joint, what my options were, and what the science actually said about each treatment. So I started reading. Not blog posts, not forums, but peer-reviewed medical journals, systematic reviews, and clinical trial data.
After months of research, hundreds of papers, and conversations with hand surgeons, I realised something: this information exists, but it is scattered across medical journals that patients cannot reach or understand. I decided to change that.
Why this site exists
Thumb base arthritis is one of the most common kinds of hand arthritis, and it affects far more women than men, especially after menopause. Most patients get a diagnosis and very little else.
The problem
Information about thumb arthritis is locked behind paywalls, written in clinical language, and scattered across hundreds of journals. Patients are left Googling and getting conflicting advice.
What I do
I read the research so you do not have to. Every article here is based on peer-reviewed evidence, put into plain words, with the sources named so you can check everything yourself.
The result
A completely free resource covering every part of rhizarthrosis: understanding your diagnosis, comparing treatments, choosing between implants, and planning your recovery.
How we handle the evidence
This is the promise that makes the site trustworthy:
- Every claim has a source. Clinical facts link to the published study they come from, so you can read the original.
- We do not invent numbers. On the implant pages, if our sources do not report a figure, the page says “not reported in our evidence base” instead of guessing.
- Plain language, kept accurate. We simplify the words, never the facts.
- Kept current. We add new research as it is published.
What you will find here
Everything I wish I had when I was first diagnosed:
Start here
The whole thing, step by step, in simple words.
Begin
Treatments without surgery
Braces, therapy, and injections, and how well each works.
Read
Surgery options
The operations compared, with real outcomes and recovery times.
Read
Implant directory
Every thumb implant, with survival and revision data from studies.
Browse
Recovery
What to expect, week by week, after treatment.
Read
Latest research
New studies, explained in plain language.
Read
Rhizarthrosis.com is an educational resource built from published, peer-reviewed research. It does not provide medical advice. Always talk to a qualified hand surgeon or hand therapist about your own situation.