Thumb Saddle Joint Arthrosis (Rhizarthrosis): Therapy

General measures

Avoidance of:
- Overloading of the joints, e.g., by competitive and high-performance sports or long-lasting heavy physical loads, e.g., in the profession (construction workers, especially floor layers).

Therapy with chondroprotectants (cartilage protection preparations) – supplements (vital substances) containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are considered suitable chondroprotectants.
Taping the thumb saddle joint
Percutaneous radiotherapy (radiotherapy from outside the body): over two weeks, six irradiations of 0.5 Gy each after 6 weeks, this cycle is repeated again

Recommended for immobilization or stabilization of the thumb saddle joint:
- Thumb bandage
- Orthosis (splint) – Here, the range of motion of the other thumb as well as finger joints is preserved. The splint, however, should only be worn under load or at night, as this weakens the muscles.

Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
Nutritional recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means, among other things:
- A total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruit daily (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit).
- Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
- High-fiber diet (whole grains, vegetables).
Selection of appropriate food based on the nutritional analysis
See also under “Therapy with micronutrients (vital substances)” – Taking a suitable dietary supplement.
Detailed information on nutritional medicine you will receive from us.

Physical therapy can help relieve symptoms. It offers a wide range of treatment methods that support therapy for rhizarthrosis:

Physical therapy
Exercise therapy – mobilization of the thumb saddle joint, strengthening and active exercise of the thenar muscles (muscles that originate in the carpal region and find their attachments in the region of the metacarpal bone of the thumb).
Occupational therapy – learning movements that are easy on the joints.
Thermotherapy, this consists of heat and cold therapy (cryotherapy):
- Heat therapy in the form of balneotherapy (warm water baths with mineral salts dissolved in it) or electrothermotherapy has analgesic (pain-relieving) effects and improves health-related quality of life.
- Cryotherapy is used only in active, inflammatory osteoarthritis.

Leech therapy
High-Intensity Ultrasound (HIU) – The procedure is used for localized, noninvasive delivery of therapeutic compounds (pharmaceuticals) by ultrasound to articular cartilage and subchondral bone. [The procedure is still in testing.]
Pulsed Magnetic Field Therapy (PMT) – physical procedure that usually uses pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) to improve microcirculation and stimulate and regulate cellular and energy balance.