Post-operative therapy for metacarpophalangeal arthroplasty.

Metacarpophalangeal (MCP) arthroplasty with implants, which is the replacement of painful knuckle joints with artificial knuckle joints, has been performed for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) since the 1960s. The surgery is done because RA can cause damage of the knuckle joints making them unable to straighten out (flexion deformity) and causing them to lean over toward the small finger (flexion or ulnar deviation deformity). For eight to 12 weeks following surgery, patients wear hand splints and perform exercises to maintain and increase motion in the healing hand. Post-operative therapy regimes share common aims of encouraging MCP flexion and extension without the recurrence of flexion or ulnar deviation deformity.