Role of Chopstick Use in Developing OA of the Hand

Newswise — The mechanical stress of chopstick use is associated with prevalent osteoarthritis of the hand, according to new research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

The study recruited a sample of 2,507 60-year-old residents in randomly selected Beijing neighborhoods. Researchers gathered data through a combination of self-reporting through interviews about handedness and hand preference while eating, (modeled) pincer grip activities, and tests including radiograph (X-ray) images. Each joint was scored for signs of osteoarthritis including joint space narrowing, osteophytes (bony knobs at the edge of joints), and rated on the Kellgren and Lawrence scale measuring erosions. Subjects were identified as having osteoarthritis if at least one joint showed radiographic evidence. Researchers then compared the prevalence of osteoarthritis in the hand with which they used chopsticks to the hand that did not use chopsticks. Evaluation was conducted among other participants who identified no preference for "handedness" for other tasks.

While investigators have long speculated on the possibility that mechanical stress is responsible for the development of osteoarthritis in the hand, chopsticks use presents a good study subject, particularly in China because use is nearly universal, and because using chopsticks places known stress on specific joints in the first, second, and third fingers among users. Results of this study showed that indeed, chopstick use is associated with increased risk of developing osteoarthritis in finger joints of the thumb, the second and third joints on the first and third fingers for both sexes, and second fingers for women.

"This study suggests that chopsticks may play a role in the development of hand osteoarthritis," said David Hunter, MD, Assistant Professor at the Boston University School of Medicine and lead investigator in the study. "Previous studies of occupational groups exposed to repetitive use of small hand joints have shown an excess of hand osteoarthritis in joints that were used repetitively. While the increase in risk associated with chopstick use is small, this accounts for a large proportion of the osteoarthritis in these joint groups. We recommend further biomechanical research to evaluate the forces involved in chopstick use."

The American College of Rheumatology is the professional organization for rheumatologists and health professionals who share a dedication to healing, preventing disability and curing arthritis and related rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. For more information on the ACR's annual meeting, see http://www.rheumatology.org/annual.