The following symptoms and complaints may indicate rhizarthrosis (thumb saddle joint arthritis):
Leading symptoms
- The thumb feels unstable or wobbly.
- Shooting pain
- Lack of strength in opposition movements (“key grip”; the thumb touches the fingertips of the other fingers) or weakness of grip.
- Painful restriction of movement
- Loss of sensitivity
- Adduction contracture (limb is splayed away from the center of the body) of the first metacarpal ray (later in the course)
Associated symptoms
- Pressure pain
- Effusion formation*
- Increased sensitivity of the joints to cold
- Joint swelling*
- Crepitation in the joint (joint noises).
- Muscle tension due to gentle posture
- Pain at rest
- Feeling of tension in the joints (in the later stages).
- Adduction contracture (patient is no longer able to bring the affected body part to his body) of the first metacarpal ray (in the later stages)
* In case of inflammatory activation.