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Posted on Feb 08, 2005, 5 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
Arthritis can affect any joint in the body, but is most visible when it strikes the hands and fingers. Each hand has 27 bones (plus two bones of the forearm) that help define the wrist. Joints are created whenever two or more bones come together, so there is plenty of potential for arthritic problems in the hand.
Arthritis can affect any joint in the body, but is most visible when it strikes the hands and fingers. Each hand has 27 bones (plus two bones of the forearm) that help define the wrist. Joints are created whenever two or more bones come together, so there is plenty of potential for arthritic problems in the hand. Arthritis of the hand can be painful and disabling. There are two common forms of hand arthritis. These include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease in which the cushioning cartilage that covers the bone surfaces at joints begins to wear out. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the cells that line and normally lubricate the joints.
