Arthritis frequently involves the joints of the hand and the wrist, affecting the distal and proximal interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints.
            For pain in the joints of the fingers: in the forearm, treat muscles that extend (extensor digitorum, extensor indicis, and extensor digiti minimi) and flex (flexor digitorum superficialis and profundus) the fingers.
            In the initial stages, when the disease affects soft tissues and before structural disintegration occurs, relief of pain and swelling can be provided by releasing the shortened muscles that act on these joints. Release relieves stress on tendons and the friction of their sheaths. Treatment repeated at weekly intervals during an acute episode can alleviate the condition and minimize any structural disintegration until the episode has passed.