Arthritis can affect any joint in your body, and is more likely to develop in joints that have been used more over your life. Thumb arthritis is more common in people who play video games a lot, knit or sew, or use their thumbs in particular as part of their work. It's not at all unusual for the fingers and hand to also develop arthritis in these cases, and if you find stiffness starting in the thumb, it's worth having the rest of your hand checked.