What is the best treatment option for arthritis in the hands?

Answering this question can be very important of people living with hand osteoarthritis. After all, this condition can make life much more difficult. For instance, it can make opening jars a painful exercise. Hand osteoarthritis can also make work tasks like typing a nightmare. 

Additionally, you might be surprised to learn that hand osteoarthritis is common. One study reveals that about 44% of women and 38% of men in the U.S. have this type of arthritis. Physical therapists can help you find treatment options for your hand osteoarthritis, and many therapists would argue that the best treatment option for arthritis in the hands is hand exercises. 

Why are hand exercises the best treatment option for hand arthritis?

Hand exercises are one of the best treatment options for hand arthritis, and the reason is that they can offer you many benefits. For instance, moving your hands and fingers every day can help lubricate your joints. 

One study of exercise programs for hand arthritis also found that it improved grip strength by 25%. Additionally, this same study reported that 65% of patients in the exercise group also had improvements in hand function. 

What exercises might be included in your hand arthritis therapy plan?

Your physical therapists can build you a hand exercise plan designed to target hand arthritis symptoms, and they can personalize this plan to your specific needs. A few of the exercises that your therapist might include in your plan are: 

• Making a fist
• Finger bends
• Tabletop finger stretch
• Claw stretch
• Stress ball squeezes
• Finger lifts
• Thumb extensions
• Thumb touches

Searching for the best treatment options for hand arthritis? Back in Motion can help

Finding the best treatment options for arthritis in the hand can be tough to do on your own. Luckily, Back in Motion has a whole team of physical therapy experts who are ready to help you. We’ll start by doing a free screening for you, and this is intended to reveal which parts of the hand your arthritis is affecting. Next, our team will create a personalized therapy plan for you that can include therapeutic hand exercises. 

We can even help you get physical therapy at home through at-home therapy and virtual care services. Even better, you can use any of our therapy services without a referral from your doctor. 

Are you ready to start getting our help with your hand arthritis? Contact us today for more information about how we can help you or to schedule your free screening.