How Physical Therapy Can Help Relieve Arthritic Hand Pain
Do you struggle with stiff, aching fingers? Is it difficult for you to pick up small objects, such as a pen or a toothbrush? Arthritis of the hands is relatively common, but that doesn’t make it any easier to live with. Fortunately, physical therapy at Darien Physical Therapy can help you find relief.
Arthritis is an umbrella term for over 100 conditions, all of which cause inflammation, pain, and restricted joint mobility. The two most common types of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, can both affect the hands.
While pain is never fun, hand pain can feel particularly debilitating. We use our hands constantly throughout the day. Think about the day-to-day hand-related activities you take for granted: picking up a fork, jotting down a note to yourself, scrolling through your phone. With hand arthritis, these tasks and more start to feel impossible.
Fortunately, physical therapy does offer several solutions for relieving arthritis-related hand pain. We’ll work with you to develop a customized treatment program that alleviates your pain, improves your mobility, and helps you do those small daily tasks throughout the day.
Call (203) 655-6464 today to schedule your initial consultation!
OA vs RA: Symptoms and Causes
The most common type of arthritis in the United States is osteoarthritis (OA), which occurs when a joint’s cartilage and bone tissue degenerate due to aging, injury, or other factors. While we frequently hear about hip and knee osteoarthritis, hand OA is also common, especially as people get older.
Osteoarthritis symptoms typically onset gradually and include the following:
- Hand pain that worsens with use. At first, the pain will come and go; eventually, it will become constant and more intense.
- Stiffness and restricted range of motion that, again, will worsen over time
- Grinding, clicking, or cracking noises in the hand joints
- Swelling and tenderness
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the second most common form of arthritis in the United States. It’s an autoimmune disorder that causes your body’s immune system to attack your joints and is most likely to affect your hands, wrists, or knees.
Symptoms will follow a pattern in which they get worse (flares) or better (remission). Some symptoms are similar to OA, such as the following:
- Pain, usually in more than one joint
- Stiffness, tenderness, and swelling, usually in more than one joint
- Weakened grip
- Symptoms occur on both sides of the body (i.e., both hands)
However, RA often has additional symptoms unrelated to your joints, such as the following:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
How Physical Therapy Can Help You Find Hand Pain Relief
Neither osteoarthritis nor rheumatoid arthritis has a cure. In both cases, you’ll need to focus on managing your symptoms: reducing pain, improving mobility, and restoring joint function. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, it’s also important to work with a physician to put the disease into remission, as, if left untreated, it can have effects throughout your body.
Our team of physical therapists will work with you to create a customized treatment plan focused on providing hand pain relief. While we tailor every program to the patient, here’s what you can expect:
- Manual therapy refers to a set of hands-on, drug-free techniques for managing pain and inflammation while working to improve mobility. We might mobilize the small joints in your hand to improve the range of motion or gently manipulate soft tissue to reduce pain.
- Hand exercises are crucial in managing arthritis. While manual therapy helps with initial pain management, regularly moving the joint can impact your pain levels long-term. We’ll show you tailored exercises you can do in our clinic and at home.
- Braces and splints work to mobilize your hand and/or wrist, relieving pressure on your joints. They provide stability to your hands and help minimize further joint damage.
- Finally, we’ll help you develop lifestyle strategies and modifications that can help reduce your symptoms by adjusting the specific movements that worsen your pain or restriction.
Wave Goodbye to Arthritic Hand Pain!
At Darien Physical Therapy, we know how difficult it can be to live with hand arthritis. Fortunately, our team of dedicated physical therapists can provide you with the tools you need to successfully manage your condition.
Ready to get started? Call our clinic to set up your first appointment!
Which Type of Arthritis Might You Have?
Select the symptoms you’re experiencing to see which type may apply. This is for informational purposes only — always consult your physical therapist or physician for a diagnosis.
Exercise of the Month
Modified Push Up
(Chest, Arms, Core)
Start in a kneeling position with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the floor. Walk your hands forward and shift your weight so your body forms a straight line from your knees to your head. Lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows, keeping your core engaged. Push back up to the starting position. 3 Sets, 10 Reps. (Materials needed: floor mat)
Nutrition Strategies to Support Joint Comfort and Reduce Inflammation
By Christine Updegraff, MS, Bellwether Wellness
When addressing arthritic hand pain, physical therapy is essential for maintaining strength, mobility, and function. Nutrition can play a powerful complementary role by helping regulate the underlying inflammatory processes that contribute to joint discomfort.
Chronic, low-grade inflammation is influenced by everyday dietary patterns. Emphasizing anti-inflammatory foods—such as fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, colorful fruits and vegetables, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and herbs like turmeric and ginger—can help shift the body toward a more balanced inflammatory response. At the same time, minimizing highly refined carbohydrates, excess added sugars, and industrial seed oils may further support joint comfort.
For individuals seeking additional nutritional support, targeted supplementation can also be helpful. One option is Cartigenix HP® (Designs for Health), a formula designed to support cartilage structure, joint mobility, and connective tissue integrity. It combines collagen peptides with key nutrients that help maintain the structural components of joints, making it a useful complement to therapeutic exercise and mobility work when appropriate for the individual.
As with any nutrition or supplement strategy, personalization matters. Factors such as metabolic health, body weight, dietary habits, and overall inflammatory load all influence outcomes. Working with qualified healthcare professionals—including your physical therapist and a nutrition professional—can help ensure that lifestyle, movement, and nutritional strategies are aligned to support long-term joint function.
Small, consistent steps—improving dietary quality, supporting connective tissue nutrition, and maintaining regular therapeutic exercise—can collectively make a meaningful difference in how your joints feel and function over time.
Stop by the front desk, call 203-309-0045, or visit www.bellwetherwellness.com to book an appointment.
Healthy Recipe: Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup frozen mango chunks
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of black pepper (helps turmeric absorption)
- 1 tbsp honey (optional)
Instructions
Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass and add your favorite toppings. The turmeric and ginger in this recipe help reduce inflammation naturally, which may help manage arthritis alongside your physical therapy treatment.
Take Responsibility for Your Pain & Get the Help You Need Today!
Stop letting pain get in the way. At Darien Physical Therapy, our team of dedicated physical therapists is here to help you reclaim your mobility and quality of life. Whether you’re dealing with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan built around your goals.
Sources
https://acrjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/art.41142
https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/more-about/osteoarthritis-of-the-hands
https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/rheumatoid-arthritis.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3241372/
By Christine Updegraff, MS, Bellwether Wellness
