Basal Joint Arthritis

Where the thumb and the wrist meet we find the basal joint or carpometacarpal joint. This is also referred to as the CMC joint. The thumb has a wide range of movements because of that joint. We can put our thumb opposite any of our fingers or put it in the palm of our hand. This is called opposition. The joint is held together by ligaments. These ligaments can be injured by a sprain. The ends of our joint bones are covered by cartilage. It keeps the bone separated. Cartilage is smooth and spongy. It allows one side of the joint to slide smoothly over the other side. Any damage to ligament or cartilage can change the way the joint works. If the ligament gets damaged it won't hold together the joint properly. If cartilage is damaged or worn down there will be too much friction when one side of the joint slides over the other side. If you break your thumb, especially the CMC joint, small fragments of bone might not line up quite exactly during the healing. And just like any precision ...