In a full rugby stadium, hands clap, shake a ball, film the scrum. However, behind certain thumbs which appear to be in great shape, a throbbing pain spoils the most mundane gestures. This pain has a name: osteoarthritis of the thumbOr
rhizarthrosisa common but largely under-the-radar joint disease.
From January to May 2026, the information platform Osteoarthritis-Pouce.com returns to the road with a tour in 11 stadiums Top 14
and Pro D2 to talk about this osteoarthritis localized at the base of the thumb. Objective: to reach an active audience, often in their thirties, who have come to see a match but are already affected by pain that they attribute to fatigue or age. What if it wasn’t so simple?
Osteoarthritis of the thumb: pain invisible even in the stands
This invisible pain nestles in the trapeziometacarpal joint, at the base of the thumb. It appears when turning a key, opening a bottle, buttoning a jersey or picking up a rugby ball. The hand does not necessarily seem deformed, yet the thumb-index clamp loses its strength. In France, nearly 10 million people live with osteoarthritis, of whom around 1.8 million have osteoarthritis of the thumb.
There rhizarthrosis mainly affects women between 55 and 75 years old, but the first symptoms sometimes appear before the age of 40. Repeated professional gestures, gripping sports, falls on the hand, intensive use of the smartphone or gamepad put a strain on the joint. In a stadium, we find this same cocktail: hands clenched on the railing, burst of photos, balloons caught in flight.
Rhizarthrosis: what really happens at the base of the thumb
In osteoarthritis of the thumb, the cartilage that covers the bones slides less well, rubs, then wears out. The joint becomes painful, sometimes swollen, and rotating or squeezing movements become painful. Some advanced shapes result in a typical “Z-inch” deformation. A few warning signs should draw attention:
- Pain at the base of the thumb when gripping;
- Difficulty opening a jar or turning a key;
- Loss of strength to carry bags or hold a ball;
- Discomfort when writing, using a smartphone or a controller for a long time.
The diagnosis is based on clinical examination, supplemented if necessary by an x-ray. To provide relief, doctors rely on analgesics, anti-inflammatories, thumb orthoses, rehabilitation, and sometimes infiltrations into the joint. When the pain becomes debilitating on a daily basis, surgery such as trapeziectomy or trapeziometacarpal prosthesis may be offered. Early treatment helps preserve mobility and independence.
When high-level rugby becomes a showcase for prevention
To take out the rhizarthrosis from the shadows, Oarthrose-Pouce.com has chosen stadiums as its playground. From January to May 2026, the team will be present on 11 flagship posters:
- January 24: Racing 92 (Paris) vs LOU (Lyons)
- January 31: Toulouse Stadium (Toulouse) vs Rowing Bayonnais (Bayonne)
- February 1: Paloise section (Pau) vs RC Toulon (Toulon)
- March 21 or 22: UBB (Bordeaux) vs Toulouse Stadium (Toulouse)
- April 10: Oyonnax Rugby (Oyonnax) vs CA Brive Corrèze (Brive)
- April 16 or 17: CA Brive Corrèze (Brive) vs. Aurillacois Stadium (Aurillac)
- April 18 or 20: Castres Olympic
(Castres) vs Toulouse Stadium (Toulouse) - April 23 or 24: Valence Romans Drome Rugby (Valencia) vs CA Brive Corrèze (Brive)
- April 25 or 26: LOU (Lyon) vs Castres Olympic (Castres)
- May 14 or 15: Rugby Club Vannes (Vannes) vs US Dax (Dax)
- May 16 or 17: Stade Rochelais (La Rochelle) vs Toulouse Stadium (Toulouse)
On the program: passing games, ball throws, quizzes combining rugby culture and medical information, photobooth, goodies and dedicated information space.