Which joints are especially vulnerable to rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disease that can involve almost any movable joint in the body. While the condition is widespread, it shows a particular vulnerability for certain areas:12

• Primary sites: The disease typically makes its first appearance in the small joints of the hands and feet, usually affecting the same joints on both sides of the body symmetrically.12
• Progression: As the condition advances, it frequently spreads to the wrists, knees, and shoulders.1
• Susceptibility: Among all movable joints, the fingers, wrists, and knees are considered particularly susceptible to the inflammatory process.2

The pathology involves inflammation of the synovial membranes, which leads to the formation of pannus—a layer of granulation tissue that erodes and destroys the underlying cartilage. Over time, this can result in joint deformity, instability, or total immobility due to the joints becoming fixed in place (ankylosis).12