Spring is in the air and we’ll soon be out in the gardens and flower beds pulling up the weeds. This work may help the landscaping look beautiful, but for those with osteoarthritis at the base of the thumb, the force from pinching and pulling at the weeds can leave thumbs hurting. While textbooks and older research studies discuss using an orthosis, paraffin, gentle AROM, and joint protection techniques to address the pain and limited function associated with trapeziometacarpal arthritis (TMC), more recent research studies are shedding light on the potential benefit of stabilization and proprioceptive exercises for this diagnosis.
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