Mobile finger

[13Lab]

Can you get a very mobile(lax) finger with RA.I have sero neg RA and OA and although very aware of differences it is often diff to differentiate with long term damage!

[KittyJ]

I’m not sure what you are meaning 13 Lab, do you mean it’s dislocating?

[13Lab in reply to KittyJ]

No not dislocating but if I move this finger it has much much more movement than the others.So I feel is from the metacarpophalangeal joint…..so is this ra or oa?.

[KittyJ in reply to 13Lab]

That’s a question for your doctors really, could be one or the other or something unrelated 😞

[Kaitlinjack2021 in reply to KittyJ]

Yes you can mine freezes also pins and needles also locks sometimes all depends on time climate and stress of my day

[nomoreheels in reply to Kaitlinjack2021]

That sounds like it may be more like trigger finger Kaitlin, not hypermobility which is what 13Lab has & where the joint moves to a greater angle than it should. Have you had your Rheumy look at it?

[nomoreheels]

No reason why not. Some with hypermobility are also diagnosed with RD, there is an association with OA too. If it's only the one finger joint you have it in though you'd have to mention it to your Rheumy, have him check you're not hypermobile elsewhere & you've not associated it. I think though you've to have 2 or more joints affected to have a diagnosis, if that makes a difference to you.

The most extensive long term damage I have in my fingers is due to OA, in my distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints, those nearest the nail. I have no cartilage any more so it's bone on bone. I don't have hypermobility though. I'm seropositive & was diagnosed with OA as secondary condition when diagnosed with RD.

I think it's definitely a question for your Rheumy, see if he can predict what the prognosis would be with it being limited to the one finger.

[Hidden]

Could be hyper-mobility. I have wandering fingers, and am very bendy; ask to see a physio, as they can properly diagnose.

[13Lab]

Thanks to all!

[Hidden]

Yes you can - see your RA specialists asap.

[Kags1068]

Hi there

Don't know if this is helpful, but I've had a number of joints over the years that have worn to the point of becoming loose/subluxating. I hadto have the top part of my neck fused, and prior to having knee replacements, my knees were so worn and loose they used wobble from side to side when the surgeon did exams on them. It made them very unstable.

I've got several fingers with this type of issue. My left middle thumb joint almost bends completely backwards now, the top joint on my left little finger moves all over the place and my left ring finger now moves side to side a lot, as well as bending and mostly flexing. Finally, the joint at the base of my right thumb moves all over the place too. Can get it into some very strange positions!!

They're not generally particularly painful, just unstable and very unreliable. They also affect my dexterity. I've been offered various ops on my hands, (I've had some already), but haven't been able to face them yet! With my bendy backwards thumb they were going to fuse it into a slightly bent position so I would at least be able to try and reliably hold things again. I cancelled it a couple of weeks before the op was due (few years ago), as I'd only had neck fusion surgery a few weeks prior and it was too much too soon! Might get around to it one day .....😳

As for whether it would be considered OA or RA, I'm afraid I don't know. My R A started in childhood and has been pretty aggressive, so I've always assumed it was due to that as I've been told that sometimes joints wear to such a point that they become loose and wobble.

I don't know if it's worth you asking for a referral to hand surgeon for their opinion, or at the very least an x-ray to see if/how much it might be damaged?

Good luck!😊

X

[Blodynhaul in reply to Kags1068]

That's so interesting! but really feel for you X

[Kags1068 in reply to Blodynhaul]

Aaw, thanks that's very kind. I'm ok though - just keep blundering on .....!😳xx