Wrist Arthritis

Arthritis is inflammation in a joint. Several forms of arthritis affect the joints in the wrist. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition in which cartilage wears down over time from use. In such cases, there has usually been a prior wrist injury that caused or exacerbated that degeneration.

Unlike in lower extremities such as the hip or knee, wrist arthrits less often takes the form of osteoarthrits. Rather it is more often caused by an inflammatory disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, sarcoidosis or even lupus. In fact, the wrist is one of the most commonly affected joints in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Wrist anatomy

The wrist is one of the most complicated joints in the body. It contains eight bones called carpals, which are arranged in two rows. The scaphoid, lunate, triquetral and pisiform bones move with the arm bones, and the trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, and hamate bones are connected to the bones of the palm.

The carpal bones are connected by ligaments. Many tendons connecting the forearm muscles to the fingers and thumb run through the wrist. Extensor tendons on the back of the wrist straighten your fingers, while flexor tendons on the front of the wrist bend them. Nerves and blood vessels also pass through the wrist. These structures provide your wrist with exceptional range of motion.