Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by wearing down of cartilage elements of joints; it is commonly found in which joints?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by wearing down of cartilage elements of joints; it is commonly found in which joints?

• A. Knee and hip joints
• B. Wrist and elbow joints
• C. Shoulder joints only
• D. Interphalangeal joints and thumb CMC joint (Boutonnières and mallet)

Answer: (D)

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative process that tends to affect joints subject to repeated use and load, with the hands being a common site. The interphalangeal joints (the finger joints) and the base of the thumb (the first carpometacarpal joint) are classic targets because they undergo significant gripping, pinching, and repetitive motion. In OA of the hands, cartilage wear leads to pain with use, joint stiffness that improves with activity, and characteristic bony changes such as Heberden’s nodes at the distal interphalangeal joints and Bouchard’s nodes at the proximal interphalangeal joints. The thumb CMC joint is particularly prone due to its range of motion and the loads it bears during pinch and grip, making this combination a common OA pattern.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative process that tends to affect joints subject to repeated use and load, with the hands being a common site. The interphalangeal joints (the finger joints) and the base of the thumb (the first carpometacarpal joint) are classic targets because they undergo significant gripping, pinching, and repetitive motion. In OA of the hands, cartilage wear leads to pain with use, joint stiffness that improves with activity, and characteristic bony changes such as Heberden’s nodes at the distal interphalangeal joints and Bouchard’s nodes at the proximal interphalangeal joints. The thumb CMC joint is particularly prone due to its range of motion and the loads it bears during pinch and grip, making this combination a common OA pattern.