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Arthritis of the Middle Finger Joints
PIP (proximal interphalangeal) joint arthritis is wear-and-tear arthritis affecting the middle knuckle joints of the fingers - it causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and bony lumps (Bouchard's nodes) making it difficult to bend fingers or grip objects - most common in people over 50 years old, especially women - conservative treatment (splinting, anti-inflammatory medication, corticosteroid injections) manages symptoms in 60-70% of patients, while severe arthritis limiting hand function can be treated with surgery (joint replacement preserving motion or fusion eliminating motion but providing pain relief and stability).
📖What is Arthritis of the Middle Finger Joints?
PIP (proximal interphalangeal) joint arthritis is wear-and-tear arthritis affecting the middle knuckle joints of the fingers - it causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and bony lumps (Bouchard's nodes) making it difficult to bend fingers or grip objects - most common in people over 50 years old, especially women - conservative treatment (splinting, anti-inflammatory medication, corticosteroid injections) manages symptoms in 60-70% of patients, while severe arthritis limiting hand function can be treated with surgery (joint replacement preserving motion or fusion eliminating motion but providing pain relief and stability).
🔬What Causes It?
- Primary osteoarthritis (wear and tear from aging, cartilage breakdown over decades)
- Post-traumatic arthritis (previous finger fractures, dislocations, or ligament injuries)
- Inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis affecting PIP joints)
- Overuse from repetitive gripping activities (manual labor, musicians, craftspeople)
- Genetic predisposition (family history of hand arthritis, especially in women)
⚠️Risk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- Age over 50 years (wear-and-tear arthritis accumulates with age)
- Female gender (2-3 times more common than males, especially post-menopausal women)
- Previous finger injuries (fractures or dislocations increase arthritis risk)
- Occupations with repetitive gripping (mechanics, musicians, assembly line workers)
- Family history of hand arthritis (genetic predisposition)
- Inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis)
🛡️Prevention
- ✓Protect fingers from injuries (wear protective gloves during high-risk activities)
- ✓Promptly treat finger fractures or dislocations (reduces post-traumatic arthritis risk)
- ✓Ergonomic modifications at work (reduce repetitive gripping stress)
- ✓Maintain healthy weight (reduces overall arthritis risk)
- ✓Early treatment of inflammatory arthritis (disease-modifying drugs slow joint damage)