Treat Your Own Hand and Thumb Osteoarthritis

I had a lot of pain in my right thumb - I snagged it while carrying something and was in pain for nine months. I saw a thumb surgeon twice who basically told me I had arthritis and the surgery was complicated with a recovery time of six months. I saw this book and thought, what the heck, it’s worth a try. In two weeks I was pain free. The exercises can be done in a couple of minutes while watching tv. My question is this: why didn’t the doctor recommend this book instead of selling me a thumb brace that didn’t help all that much.....? If you’re in pain, buy this book.

Any information on the subject of CMC joint arthritis is valuable for those of us struggling with it. As a professional musician, this condition could have ended my career. However, through management and care, I am still working as a performing, recording and teaching musician. This book gave me a better insight into the ligaments holding the thumb together and helped me to realize that my case is one of having damaged the ligaments and is not a case of inflammation and the noticable wearing down of cartilage (although that probably has happened and will continue). In that regard, the book was well worth the money. The range of motion, coordination and strengthening exercises can and do make a noticable difference (if you do them regularly), and with the amount of time that I have a guitar in my hands (3-11 hours/day), they have been very helpful. I do them regularly before I warm up for playing whenever possible. This is a great little book and worth every penny.

This book saved my musical life!!! I'm an aging mandolin player, who spends 3-4 hours a day on my instrument, until the most god awful pain in my thumb joints began last year, scared me to death, as I literally could not play. I tried injections, ice, and time, it wouldn't get better. I bought this book, did them faithfully 3 times per day for a month, and though I still have joint soreness, it's no longer debilitating, and I'm playing better and more than ever.If you've spent thousands on doctors, try this book and do it!!!

I was a bit skeptical, but needed to do something to relieve the pain in my thumbs and hands. I have worked on computers for 34 years as a secretary/bookkeeper and am an avid cross stitcher and crocheter. Unfortunately my hands have not appreciated the over use. I have also broken a couple of fingers, my wrist and dislocated a thumb through the years. The first few days of following the outlined exercises were a little hard and I kept forgetting to do them throughout the day. But after a week I started noticing I was able to move without as much stiffness and I wasn't noticing the achiness in my thumbs during the evenings. So I started doing the exercises more and now, about three weeks later, I notice a huge difference in much lower pain levels and easier movement. I have more flexibility and can actually grasp a piece of paper between my thumb and finger without dropping it. I can't say enough good about this book. Yes, there is still a little pain - but it nothing compared to what I was living with before. I have even restarted cross stitching since I can hold the needle again!

Remember learning about opposable thumbs and that is what makes us human? Not to be able to use it is a disaster. My thumb was so bad that I could not cook, garden, or sew. I researched the problem extensively, concluding it was either arthritis or tendonitis. I went to the hand doctor, who gave me a splint and recommended cortisone. I read all sorts of things on the internet. This simple book is the best. I love the large type. I love the way the author has simplified, yet included, all the facts that were in the other researches I had done. This is a book that really gives you hope that you will be able to use your hands again. I am better.

My doctor recommended this book and the exercises are very easy to follow. This year my hands have been hurting more than in previous years from arthritis and I think these exercises are helping. I recommend the book if you have arthritic hands.

Having just had a full CMC thumb joint replacement surgery, I can highly recommend this book to help you prevent having to have this painful surgical procedure. I'm doing all the exercises faithfully so I won't have to have surgery on my right thumb base. Excellent book. I can't think of anyone who doesn't have some Osteoarthritis in the base of their thumbs, but by strengthening the ligaments and muscles you CAN keep it from wearing off all the cartilage.

I looked at the price, blanched and thought--yea, but how much more would I pay to see a PT for the same advice. And bought the book. And have loaned it out to friends...who found it helpful.I keep it on hand (no pun) but my new regime includes a supplement that seems to be helping based on Turmeric. That of course, I also bought from Amazon.

Feeling very frustrated because trying to hold such a large size book (not heavy just big pages) with one hand in a splint is near impossible!! Not been produced with the user in mind.........

Quick delivery, interesting read, hopefully will help

Useful & informative. But not just large print, hideously enormous print!

Expectations high - book in good condition.

yes it is useful