The purpose of this study is to explore the physical exam characteristics of patients referred to orthopedic surgeons with a diagnosis of thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis. CMC osteoarthritis of the thumb is one of the most common degenerative conditions of the hand in 11% of men and 33% of women (Gillis et al., 2011). Patients with CMC arthritis may experience pain, decreased range of motion, loss of grip and pinch strength, often limiting participation in activities of daily living (Bertozzi et al., 2014). In 1979, two physicians identified a variation of a tendinous connection in the wrist between the tip of the index finger and the tip of the thumb known as the Linburg-Comstock variation (LCV) (Linburg \& Comstock, 1979). The prevalence of the LCV varies respectively from 13-66% in both males and females (Erić et al., 2019). A physical examination of patients with LCV reveals concurrent flexion of the flexor digitorum profundus to the index finger and flexor pollicis longus. The study aims to gain more insight into patients diagnosed with CMC arthritis through clinical examination for LCV to consider an association of the diagnoses. Currently, there is no evidence surrounding patients with symptomatic CMC arthritis and LCV. The hypothesis is that there is an association between symptomatic CMC arthritis and LCV. Patients with a LCV may then be more likely to develop painful CMC arthritis.
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LCV
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