Thumb Pain at the Base?
I've Been There.
I was diagnosed with thumb arthritis and spent months reading every scientific paper I could find. Now I share it all here, for free, so you don't have to navigate this alone.
Why This Site Exists
No Patient Should Navigate Thumb Arthritis Alone
Rhizarthrosis affects 1 in 4 women and 1 in 12 men. Most patients get a diagnosis and very little else. Medical information is locked behind paywalls, written in clinical language, scattered across hundreds of journals. I read the research so you don't have to — every article is based on peer-reviewed evidence, translated into plain language, with sources cited so you can verify everything yourself.
Everything I Wish I Had at Diagnosis
From anatomy to surgery to recovery — structured by the stages of your patient journey.
Understand Your Condition
Anatomy, biomechanics, risk factors, and Eaton staging — what's happening inside your thumb joint.
Read the anatomy guide →Non-Surgical Treatments
Splinting, hand therapy, cortisone, PRP — what the evidence actually says about each option.
Compare treatments →Surgical Options
Trapeziectomy, joint replacement, arthrodesis — procedures compared with real outcome data.
Compare surgical options →Implant Comparisons
Every major CMC joint prosthesis profiled — survival rates, complications, FDA/CE status.
Browse implant data →Recovery & Rehabilitation
Week-by-week recovery timelines, evidence-based exercise protocols and realistic expectations.
See recovery timeline →Latest Research
New studies and clinical advances summarised in plain language as published in orthopaedic literature.
Read latest articles →Latest Articles
View all articles →
Can Shock Wave Therapy Really Help My Thumb Arthritis Pain?
If you have pain at the base of your thumb, you are not alone. Many people struggle with…
Read · 7 min →
Could a Thumb Joint Replacement Help Your Arthritis Pain?
If you have pain at the base of your thumb that will not go away, you may have…
Read · 9 min →
Can a Thumb Joint Replacement Really Help My Arthritis Pain?
If you have thumb pain from arthritis at the base of your thumb, you may have heard about…
Read · 8 min →Free. Evidence-Based. Patient-Authored.
Ready to Understand Your Thumb Arthritis?
Start with the anatomy guide, then follow the patient journey at your own pace. Every article cites its sources so you can verify the evidence yourself.