When your thumb becomes stiff and painful, certain day-to-day hand movements, tasks and activities can become a real challenge.

For instance, opening jars, writing, carrying bags or doing up the buttons on a shirt can all become difficult due to loss of strength, joint stiffness or pain.

You can adapt your home and workplace with grip tools, so that you can continue an active life despite the condition

This page follows on from the advice offered under ‘Living with rhizarthrosis’ and offers complementary recommendations for the overall treatment approach detailed in the ‘Rhizarthrosis’ page.

Why do I need to adapt my hand movements and tools?

Rhizarthrosis affects the trapeziometacarpal joint at the base of the thumb, required for pinching or gripping things between the thumb and index finger, an indispensable movement for many day-to-day hand movements, tasks and activities

When the cartilage in this joint becomes worn, it can cause pain, instability and loss of mobility, which makes gripping more difficult.

By using specially adapted tools, you can:

  • Reduce mechanical strain on your thumb

  • Alleviate the pain you feel when you use your thumb

  • Make it easier to perform hand movements, tasks and activities without forcing

  • Maintain joint mobility

  • Delay deterioration of the symptoms

  • Maintain your independence in your day-to-day tasks and activities

Specially adapted tools are useful at various stages of the condition, in conjunction with medical treatments or a specially designed brace or splint.

What types of grip aids are available?

There are a wide range of accessories available, designed to help with grip-related difficulties.

They can be used at home, at work or for leisure-time activities.

In the kitchen

Tasks in the kitchen often put a lot of strain on the thumb joint. There are certain utensils available that allow you to cook with less pain:

  • Ergonomic angled kitchen knives or wide handle kitchen knives, to limit wrist movement

  • Long-handle jar openers or suction grip jar openers, to avoid twisting movements

  • Nonslip or wide handle cutlery, to make it easier to grip

  • Cutting boards with spikes or suction cups, to keep food steady without you needing to hold it

  • Non-slip mats, useful under plates or bowls

For washing and dressing

It can become difficult to dress or wash yourself, especially if you suffer from morning pain:

  • Zips and ergonomic button hooks, to avoid having to perform fine pinching movements

  • Long-handle shoe horns, to limit wrist flexion

  • Sponges with handles, to make it easier to wash yourself without exerting excessive pressure

For writing and in the office

Grip aids are often useful for work-related or creative activities:

  • Ergonomic pens or slide-on pen grips, often triangular or enlarged

  • Spring-action scissors or office tools with special handles, to reduce the force required

  • Angled document holders, so that you do not have to hold documents at arm’s length

Some accessories are designed specifically for the office or workplace, whilst others can be adapted for home use, according to your specific situation.

Where can I get hold of these technical aids?

Equipment like this can be obtained without a prescription:

  • from a pharmacy or orthopaedic shop

  • online from websites specialising in medical devices

  • in some large supermarkets, in the section for home healthcare products or products for the elderly

You can ask a professional (e.g. an occupational therapist) for advice – they will often have good tips for choosing the tools best suited to your needs.

They will also be able to help you arrange your home or workplace, based on the recommendations of your GP, physiotherapist or hand surgeon.

How do I know which aids to choose?

Every situation is different.

What may be a useful tool for one person may not be a suitable tool for someone else.

We therefore recommend that you do the following:

  • Try to identify the hand movements, tasks or activities that cause you the most discomfort in your day-to-day life

  • Try out a number of different solutions before adopting them

  • Adapt your home or workplace gradually

  • Adapt the aids you use as your condition develops

The aim is to limit unnecessary effort, whilst continuing to perform your normal day-to-day activities.

Is there a more overall approach?

Grip aids are part of a broader strategy for improving life with rhizarthrosis.

They can be used in conjunction with:

  • A gentle exercise regime, often supervised by a physiotherapist

  • Wearing a brace or splint, for occasional support or to be worn at night

  • Self-massaging, for pain relief

  • Complementary and alternative solutions such as occupational ergonomics or self-hypnosis

If pain persists despite adaptive measures to prevent it, it may be worth thinking about an operation. You can consult a hand surgeon to find out about the possibility of a surgical procedure.

Further reading: