You’ve probably heard that some types of arthritis can lead to joint deformities. Hand deformities with rheumatoid arthritis are especially common, as there are 25 joints that can be susceptible to damage from the disease.
1:43An Overview of Rheumatoid Arthritis
1:43
An Overview of Rheumatoid Arthritis
What Does Arthritis in the Hand Look Like?
This gallery of pictures ofarthritis in the handscan help you understand what arthritis in the hand looks like; however, you shouldn’t wait until you have visible hand deformities before seeing your healthcare provider.
Note that many of these deformities are also related to disease which was present before the newer treatments for arthritis were approved. These deformities are becoming much less common with early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other forms of inflammatory arthritis.
As you look at these pictures, you can see evidence of common arthritis issues, such asrheumatoid nodules, swelling,ulnar drift, contractures, and other problems.
Keep in mind that everyone is different. The ages and deformities present in these photos are not necessarily an indication of what the average person can expect. The degree of arthritis symptoms in the hands will vary widely from person to person.
48-Year-Old Female With RA (Left Hand)
48-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis for 23 years (left hand).
In addition to disease-modifying drugs, surgery may be used to correct damage that is interfering with function. The person in this image hadcarpal tunnel release surgery.
59-Year-Old Male With Osteoarthritis59-year-old man with osteoarthritis of his hands for 35 years.Osteoarthritis, like other forms of arthritis, can sometimes result in significant deformities.This picture shows osteoarthritis in the hands and the contractures that can occur with long-standing arthritis. Though this man’s hand looks like he has had hand surgery, he has not, and contractures can appear as if surgery was performed.
59-Year-Old Male With Osteoarthritis
59-year-old man with osteoarthritis of his hands for 35 years.
Osteoarthritis, like other forms of arthritis, can sometimes result in significant deformities.
This picture shows osteoarthritis in the hands and the contractures that can occur with long-standing arthritis. Though this man’s hand looks like he has had hand surgery, he has not, and contractures can appear as if surgery was performed.
18-Year-Old Female With Juvenile RA18-year-old woman with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) for 16 years.This image is of the hand of an 18-year-old woman who was diagnosed withjuvenile idiopathic arthritisat the age of 2. It’s important to note that there are severaldifferent forms of JIAwhich can have different symptoms.In general, the prognosis for JIA is more favorable than that of arthritis in adults.Many people live fulfilling and enjoyable lives even with thesymptoms of juvenile arthritis.The image here demonstrates significant swelling along with some mild joint deformity. This person has not had hand surgery.
18-Year-Old Female With Juvenile RA
18-year-old woman with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) for 16 years.
This image is of the hand of an 18-year-old woman who was diagnosed withjuvenile idiopathic arthritisat the age of 2. It’s important to note that there are severaldifferent forms of JIAwhich can have different symptoms.
In general, the prognosis for JIA is more favorable than that of arthritis in adults.Many people live fulfilling and enjoyable lives even with thesymptoms of juvenile arthritis.
The image here demonstrates significant swelling along with some mild joint deformity. This person has not had hand surgery.
60-Year-Old Male With RA60-year-old man with joint damage from rheumatoid arthritis.The image here shows joint damage related to rheumatoid arthritis as well as scars from hand surgery. Inflammation of the tendons in the hands can result in a number of problems, such astrigger finger.
60-Year-Old Male With RA
60-year-old man with joint damage from rheumatoid arthritis.
The image here shows joint damage related to rheumatoid arthritis as well as scars from hand surgery. Inflammation of the tendons in the hands can result in a number of problems, such astrigger finger.
35-Year-Old Female With RA (Left Hand)35-year-old woman with early rheumatoid arthritis.This image shows common findings in early rheumatoid arthritis affecting the hands. Significant swelling is present but without significant deformity. (This person has not had hand surgery.)
35-Year-Old Female With RA (Left Hand)
35-year-old woman with early rheumatoid arthritis.
This image shows common findings in early rheumatoid arthritis affecting the hands. Significant swelling is present but without significant deformity. (This person has not had hand surgery.)
35-Year-Old Female With RA (Right Hand)35-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.This image also shows findings consistent with early rheumatoid arthritis. Swelling is present along with early joint damage. (This person has not had hand surgery.)
35-Year-Old Female With RA (Right Hand)
35-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.
This image also shows findings consistent with early rheumatoid arthritis. Swelling is present along with early joint damage. (This person has not had hand surgery.)
47-Year-Old Female With RA (Left Hand)47-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.This image shows less swelling than in the above pictures of a woman with early rheumatoid arthritis. Rather, there is evidence of joint damage as well as contractures from a long-term disease. (This person has not had hand surgery.)
47-Year-Old Female With RA (Left Hand)
47-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.
This image shows less swelling than in the above pictures of a woman with early rheumatoid arthritis. Rather, there is evidence of joint damage as well as contractures from a long-term disease. (This person has not had hand surgery.)
55-Year-Old Female With RA (Left Hand)
55-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.
22-Year-Old Female With RA22-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.The image here shows a 22-year-old woman who has been living with rheumatoid arthritis for six years. Swelling is noted as well as the beginning of joint deformity in both of her hands. (This person has not had hand surgery.)
22-Year-Old Female With RA
22-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.
The image here shows a 22-year-old woman who has been living with rheumatoid arthritis for six years. Swelling is noted as well as the beginning of joint deformity in both of her hands. (This person has not had hand surgery.)
22-Year-Old Female With RA22-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.This image gives a better view of early hand and wrist joint deformity related to rheumatoid arthritis. (This person has not had hand surgery.)
This image gives a better view of early hand and wrist joint deformity related to rheumatoid arthritis. (This person has not had hand surgery.)
22-Year-Old Female With RA (Right Hand)22-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.This image allows a closer view of the joint damage and subsequent hand deformity in a young woman with rheumatoid arthritis. The damage involves both her proximal interphalangeal joints (PCP joints)—the middle joints of the fingers, and her distal interphalangeal joints (DIP) joints—the most distal joints of the fingers. (This person has not had hand surgery.)
22-Year-Old Female With RA (Right Hand)
This image allows a closer view of the joint damage and subsequent hand deformity in a young woman with rheumatoid arthritis. The damage involves both her proximal interphalangeal joints (PCP joints)—the middle joints of the fingers, and her distal interphalangeal joints (DIP) joints—the most distal joints of the fingers. (This person has not had hand surgery.)
50-Year-Old Female With RA50-year-old woman with contractures from rheumatoid arthritis.This image depicts what many people find surprising with rheumatoid arthritis. Although patients often cite improved appearance as a motivator for seeking surgery, rheumatologists and surgeons focus primarily on jointfunctionrather than cosmeticappearance.Sometimes good function is present with even severe deformities (and vice versa).Three hand surgeons declined to perform hand surgery because this person had no pain and has good grip strength and hand function.
50-Year-Old Female With RA
50-year-old woman with contractures from rheumatoid arthritis.
This image depicts what many people find surprising with rheumatoid arthritis. Although patients often cite improved appearance as a motivator for seeking surgery, rheumatologists and surgeons focus primarily on jointfunctionrather than cosmeticappearance.Sometimes good function is present with even severe deformities (and vice versa).
Three hand surgeons declined to perform hand surgery because this person had no pain and has good grip strength and hand function.
44-Year-Old Male With RA44-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis.The small peripheral joints of the hands and wrists become involved with rheumatoid arthritis, leading to contractures and deformities. This image shows the number of different joints which may be affected.This person has rheumatoid arthritis and had surgery—a wrist synovectomy (removal of inflamedsynovialtissue) and tendon transfers involving both hands.
44-Year-Old Male With RA
44-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis.
The small peripheral joints of the hands and wrists become involved with rheumatoid arthritis, leading to contractures and deformities. This image shows the number of different joints which may be affected.
This person has rheumatoid arthritis and had surgery—a wrist synovectomy (removal of inflamedsynovialtissue) and tendon transfers involving both hands.
62-Year-Old Female With RA62-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.This image shows the degree of joint damage and deformity which can result from the cartilage loss and bone erosion common to rheumatoid arthritis. This type of damage is much more common with inflammatory arthritis (such as rheumatoid arthritis) than with osteoarthritis.This photo also shows an example of the rheumatoid nodules that can occur in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. (This person did not have hand surgery.)
62-Year-Old Female With RA
62-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.
This image shows the degree of joint damage and deformity which can result from the cartilage loss and bone erosion common to rheumatoid arthritis. This type of damage is much more common with inflammatory arthritis (such as rheumatoid arthritis) than with osteoarthritis.
This photo also shows an example of the rheumatoid nodules that can occur in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. (This person did not have hand surgery.)
52-Year-Old Female With RA (Left Hand)
52-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.
This image shows the left hand of a 52-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis who required surgery.
In addition, she had nodules removed from both the right and left thumbs and had bilateral carpal tunnel surgery.
52-Year-Old Female With RA (Right Hand)52-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.This image shows the other hand of the person in the preceding photo. In addition to the surgeries the woman had on her left hand, she had rheumatoid nodules removed from the right thumb and carpal tunnel surgery on both sides.
52-Year-Old Female With RA (Right Hand)
This image shows the other hand of the person in the preceding photo. In addition to the surgeries the woman had on her left hand, she had rheumatoid nodules removed from the right thumb and carpal tunnel surgery on both sides.
38-Year-Old Female With RA (Right Hand)38-year-old Japanese woman with rheumatoid arthritis.This image of the Japanese woman’s right hand and wrist shows joint deformities and contractures, but she has not had surgery on this hand. Many people believe arthritis is a disease that affects older people only. However, there are more than 700,000 people with rheumatoid arthritis in Japan.
38-Year-Old Female With RA (Right Hand)
38-year-old Japanese woman with rheumatoid arthritis.
This image of the Japanese woman’s right hand and wrist shows joint deformities and contractures, but she has not had surgery on this hand. Many people believe arthritis is a disease that affects older people only. However, there are more than 700,000 people with rheumatoid arthritis in Japan.
38-Year-Old Female With RA (Left Hand)38-year-old Japanese woman with rheumatoid arthritis.This image shows the left hand of the same woman above. While her deformities and contractures are more severe (from a visual standpoint) in her right hand, it was only her left wrist which required surgery to maximize function.
38-Year-Old Female With RA (Left Hand)
This image shows the left hand of the same woman above. While her deformities and contractures are more severe (from a visual standpoint) in her right hand, it was only her left wrist which required surgery to maximize function.
50-Year-Old Female With RA50-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.This image shows the small hand joint damage present in a woman diagnosed at the age of 45 with rheumatoid arthritis who is now 50. She has not had hand surgery.
50-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.
This image shows the small hand joint damage present in a woman diagnosed at the age of 45 with rheumatoid arthritis who is now 50. She has not had hand surgery.
44-Year-Old Male With RA (Right Hand)44-year-old male with rheumatoid arthritis.This image reveals some of the damage to thumb and finger joints that are common with rheumatoid arthritis.
44-Year-Old Male With RA (Right Hand)
44-year-old male with rheumatoid arthritis.
This image reveals some of the damage to thumb and finger joints that are common with rheumatoid arthritis.
44-Year-Old Male With RA (Left Hand)44-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis.This image shows the other hand of a man with rheumatoid arthritis. His left hand here is an example of ulnar drift, a common deformity associated with rheumatoid arthritis.Inflammation of the fourth and fifthmetatarsals(hand bones) increases the risk of developingulnardrift due to the increased mobility of these joints.
44-Year-Old Male With RA (Left Hand)
This image shows the other hand of a man with rheumatoid arthritis. His left hand here is an example of ulnar drift, a common deformity associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
Inflammation of the fourth and fifthmetatarsals(hand bones) increases the risk of developingulnardrift due to the increased mobility of these joints.
7-Year-Old Female With Polyarticular JRA
7-year-old girl with polyarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
This child had two separate surgeries to release scar tissue which was causing the contracture.
61-Year-Old Female With RA61-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.People with rheumatoid arthritis have varying degrees of joint swelling related to their disease. It can be quite dramatic as in this example. This person has had carpal tunnel surgery on the left hand.
61-Year-Old Female With RA
61-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.
People with rheumatoid arthritis have varying degrees of joint swelling related to their disease. It can be quite dramatic as in this example. This person has had carpal tunnel surgery on the left hand.
61-Year-Old Female With RA61-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.This image again shows the joint swelling in this woman with rheumatoid arthritis.
This image again shows the joint swelling in this woman with rheumatoid arthritis.
27-Year-Old Female With RA (Right Hand)27-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.The image here again reveals the common joint swelling and damage related to rheumatoid arthritis. This person has had no hand surgery.
27-Year-Old Female With RA (Right Hand)
27-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.
The image here again reveals the common joint swelling and damage related to rheumatoid arthritis. This person has had no hand surgery.
47-Year-Old Female With RA47-year-old female with rheumatoid arthritis.As with many of the images here, this image shows the swelling and joint deformity which is far too common in people with rheumatoid arthritis.Early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is the bestway to control the disease and preventRA-related hand deformities. Pain and stiffness are also associated with rheumatoid arthritis of the hands and must be managed.
47-Year-Old Female With RA
47-year-old female with rheumatoid arthritis.
As with many of the images here, this image shows the swelling and joint deformity which is far too common in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is the bestway to control the disease and preventRA-related hand deformities. Pain and stiffness are also associated with rheumatoid arthritis of the hands and must be managed.
SummaryArthritis can cause visible deformities in the hands. Early and aggressive treatment of arthritis can make a difference not only in pain and stiffness but in your ability to function from day to day.Although these pictures can help you understand what arthritis in the hand looks like, you should see your healthcare provider before your condition reaches this stage.
Summary
Arthritis can cause visible deformities in the hands. Early and aggressive treatment of arthritis can make a difference not only in pain and stiffness but in your ability to function from day to day.
Although these pictures can help you understand what arthritis in the hand looks like, you should see your healthcare provider before your condition reaches this stage.
8 Sources
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Abbasi M, Mousavi MJ, Jamalzehi S, et al.Strategies toward rheumatoid arthritis therapy; the old and the new.J Cell Physiol. 2019;234(7):10018-10031. doi:10.1002/jcp.27860
Scott IC, Ibrahim F, Panayi G, et al; TITRATE Programme Investigators.The frequency of remission and low disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and their ability to identify people with low disability and normal quality of life.Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2019;49(1):20-26. doi:10.1016/j.semarthrit.2018.12.006
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Rheumatoid arthritis signs and symptoms.
Oliveira Ramos F, Rodrigues A, Magalhaes Martins F, et al.Health-related quality of life and disability in adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Comparison with adult-onset rheumatic diseases.RMD Open. 2021;7(3):e001766. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2021-001766
Donati D, Ricci V, Boccolari P, et al.From diagnosis to rehabilitation of trigger finger: A narrative review.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2024;25(1):1061. doi:10.1186/s12891-024-08192-5
Johnson SP, Sebastin SJ, Rehim SA, Chung KC.The importance of hand appearance as a patient-reported outcome in hand surgery.Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2015;3(11):e552. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000000550
McAlindon TE, Driban JB, Roberts MB, et al.Erosive hand osteoarthritis: Incidence and predictive characteristics among participants in the osteoarthritis initiative.Arthritis Rheumatol.2021;73(11):2015-2024. doi:10.1002/art.41757
Ishigami T, Nanki T, Sugawara T, et al, on Behalf of Oracle Arthritis Investigators.Rationale and design of the Orencia Atherosclerosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Study (ORACKE Arthritis Study): Implications of biologics against rheumatoid arthritis and the vascular complications, subclinical atherosclerosis.Methods Protoc. 2021;4(4):83. doi:10.3390/mps4040083
Chung K, Kotsis S.A 16-year journey in the study of rheumatoid hand disease.Plast Reconstruct Surg. 2017;140(1):109-115. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000003420
Ishikawa H.The latest treatment for rheumatoid hand deformity.J Orthoped Sci. 2017;22(4):583-592. doi:10.1016/j.jos.2017.02.007
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