ABSTRACT
Pain and loss of function of the small joints in the hand may result from primary osteoarthritis (OA), post-traumatic osteoarthritis or inflammatory arthritis. The common types of inflammatory arthritides of the hand are rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriatic arthritis, scleroderma, gout and post-infective arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of hand arthritis; the next common is rheumatoid arthritis.
