CMC Joint Arthoplasty Rehab
February 7, 2023
Did you know that one of the most common joints to get arthritis in your body is at the base of your thumb? Many of us as we age see a “squaring” of the base of our thumb joint. This is often due to arthritis and if painful and restrictive could mean that joint needs replaced. Replacing it often decreases your pain and improves your function with things like grip, pinch, and grasp. While the surgery helps to improve these things, it often requires some rehab afterwards to improve your function and maximize your potential.
After surgery you are typically in a splint for 4-6 weeks consistently. After that time your surgeon will speak with you about weaning off of your splint and starting for physical therapy. Physical therapy typically starts with ensuring proper motion of your neck, shoulder, elbow, and wrist. These joints are often not used as you are recovering and could have become weak and stiff. Therapy also will discuss your sleep pattern, diet, and activity modification at home. Therapy will also spend the first few visits working on improving your range of motion passively and within the restrictions of your replacement.
About 6 weeks after surgery you can begin to work on range of motion actively. Your therapist will help you with the progression and restrictions of this new phase. As your motion improves you will be instructed to begin working on very light functional activities, such as writing. As these things improve over the next month you will be able to move into a strengthening phase.
About 10 weeks after surgery, you can begin to strengthen your thumb and hand. Working on gripping, pinching, and grasping on introduced. By this point you are nearly out of your splint with most activities and trying to start to return to normal activities without compensation. Most patients are back to using their hand with normal daily activities at about 12 weeks and will regain fully restored functional use of their thumb by about 6 months.
If you are have had a CMC replacement or are considering it please reach out to Witte Physical Therapy with any questions you may have!
https://www.paragonorthopedic.com/client_files/File/ThumbCMCPostOp-jan2019.pdf
https://www.ofc-clinic.com/sites/ofc-clinic.com/files/mcnamara_protocols/McNamara-CMC-arthroplasty-Protocol-McNamara.pdf