If you have pain at the base of your thumb, you may have a condition called rhizarthrosis. This is a type of arthritis that affects the thumb joint. A new study from Samarkand looked at women with hand and thumb arthritis. It gives us clues about what causes thumb pain and who is most at risk.
Here are three important things this research shows:
- Thumb arthritis (rhizarthrosis) was found in more than 38% of women in the study.
- Women who had gone through menopause more than 10 years ago had more severe thumb problems.
- Women who worked in physically demanding jobs had more pain and worse arthritis.
Key Findings at a Glance
- 38.2% of women in the study had thumb arthritis (rhizarthrosis)
- Women who had been in menopause for more than 10 years had worse thumb joint damage
- Garment workers and farm workers were 2.4 times more likely to have hand arthritis than office workers
- Higher body weight was connected to more severe joint damage
- 89% of women had pain when they moved their hands
In this article:
- What Is Rhizarthrosis and Why Does It Matter?
- Who Was Studied in This Research?
- What Symptoms Did Women Experience?
- Who Is Most at Risk for Thumb Arthritis?
- How Severe Can Thumb Arthritis Get?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
- Disclaimer
- Article Source
What Is Rhizarthrosis and Why Does It Matter?
Rhizarthrosis is the medical name for arthritis at the base of the thumb. This joint is called the CMC joint. CMC stands for carpometacarpal. It is the joint where your thumb connects to your wrist.
This joint helps you grip, pinch, and twist. When it wears out, simple tasks become hard. Turning a key or opening a jar can hurt.
You may be wondering why this matters. Thumb arthritis is one of the most common types of hand arthritis. It affects many people, especially women. Understanding who gets it and why can help you take steps to protect your hands.
Who Was Studied in This Research?
According to this study, researchers looked at 327 women in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. These women were between 35 and 82 years old. The average age was about 59 years. All of them had hand pain, stiffness, or changes in the shape of their fingers or thumbs.
Research shows that most of the women (72.3%) had already gone through menopause. Menopause is when a woman stops having monthly periods. This usually happens around age 50. Hormones change during menopause. These changes can affect joints.
Let us look closer. More than 43% of the women had been in menopause for more than 10 years. This detail turned out to be important. The longer a woman had been in menopause, the worse her thumb arthritis was.
What Symptoms Did Women Experience?
The women in the study had several common symptoms. Here is what they reported:
- 89% had pain when they moved their hands
- 67% had visible changes in the shape of their fingers or thumbs
- 54% had morning stiffness (their hands felt tight and hard to move when they woke up)
- 48% had limited motion (they could not move their fingers or thumbs as much as before)
Here is where it gets interesting. The most common type of hand arthritis in the study was nodal osteoarthritis. This means arthritis that causes bumps or nodes on the finger joints. It was found in 64.5% of the women.
Thumb arthritis (rhizarthrosis) was found in 38.2% of the women. That means more than one in three women in the study had arthritis at the base of the thumb.
Who Is Most at Risk for Thumb Arthritis?
Studies indicate that certain factors make thumb arthritis more likely. The researchers looked at several risk factors.
Does Your Job Matter?
Yes. According to this study, women who worked in physically demanding jobs had much more hand arthritis. About 63% of the women worked in jobs that required repetitive hand movements or heavy use of their hands. These included garment workers and farm workers.
Research shows that women in these jobs were about 2.4 times more likely to have hand arthritis than women who worked as teachers or office staff. The physical demand of the job was strongly connected to how much pain they felt.
Does Weight Matter?
Yes. The study found that women with higher body weight (measured as BMI or body mass index) had more severe joint damage. The connection was strong. The medical term for this connection is correlation, and it was measured at r=0.47. This means that as weight went up, joint damage tended to go up too.
Does Menopause Matter?
Yes. The study found that women who had been in menopause for a longer time had worse thumb arthritis. The connection was measured at r=0.39. This suggests that hormonal changes after menopause may play a role in joint health.
How Severe Can Thumb Arthritis Get?
Doctors use X-rays to see how much damage arthritis has caused. They use a scale called the Kellgren Lawrence scale. It goes from stage I (very mild) to stage IV (very severe).
Here is what the study found when they took X-rays of the women’s hands:
| Arthritis Stage | Percentage of Women |
|---|---|
| Stage II (Mild) | 41.9% |
| Stage III (Moderate) | 33.3% |
| Stage IV (Severe) | 8.2% |
You may be wondering about the other women. In 16.6% of the women, the X-rays showed only minimal changes. But when doctors used ultrasound (a special imaging tool that uses sound waves), they could see that the cartilage was thinning and the bone underneath was hardening. This shows that ultrasound can sometimes find arthritis that X-rays miss.
The average cartilage thickness in these women was only 0.6 mm. That is very thin. Healthy cartilage is thicker. Thin cartilage means less cushion and more pain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes thumb arthritis?
According to this study, several factors increase the risk of thumb arthritis. These include being a woman, going through menopause, doing physically demanding work with your hands, and having a higher body weight. Age also plays a role. The cartilage in the joint wears away over time.
Can thumb arthritis be prevented?
The study does not talk about prevention directly. However, the findings suggest that protecting your hands at work and maintaining a healthy weight may help. If your job requires repetitive hand movements, taking breaks and using tools that reduce strain may be helpful.
How is thumb arthritis diagnosed?
Research shows that doctors use X-rays to see joint damage. They may also use ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound can show cartilage thinning and other changes that X-rays may miss. Your doctor will also ask about your symptoms and examine your hands.
Who is most likely to get thumb arthritis?
Studies indicate that women are more likely to get thumb arthritis than men. The risk goes up after menopause. Women who work in jobs that require heavy hand use, such as sewing or farming, are at higher risk. Being overweight also increases the risk.
Conclusion
This study gives us important clues about thumb arthritis in women. More than one in three women in the study had arthritis at the base of the thumb. The risk was higher for women who had been in menopause for many years, who had physically demanding jobs, and who had higher body weight.
If you have thumb pain, you are not alone. Many women experience this. The pain and stiffness can make daily tasks difficult. Knowing the risk factors can help you talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Early diagnosis and care can make a difference.
If your thumb hurts when you grip, pinch, or turn things, it is a good idea to see a doctor. They can examine your hand, take X-rays or ultrasound images, and help you find ways to manage the pain.
About This Site
This site simplifies medical science for people with thumb pain and rhizarthrosis. We read published scientific articles so you do not have to. We explain the research in plain language. Every article we share is based on real science. We invite you to explore more content on this site to learn about your thumb health.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. It does not replace the care or advice of a doctor. If you have thumb pain or any health concern, please see a qualified healthcare provider.
Article Source
Obloberdieva, P. O. (2025). Epidemiological Features of Degenerative Diseases of the Arms of the Hand in Women of Samarkand. Healthway.
https://doi.org/10.64411/pv66eq11