Diabetic cheiroarthropathy, also known as diabetic stiff hand syndrome or limited joint mobility syndrome, is a cutaneous condition characterized by waxy, thickened skin and limited joint mobility of the hands and fingers, leading to flexion contractures, a condition associated with diabetes mellitus[1]: 681 and it is observed in roughly 30% of diabetic patients with longstanding disease.
Typically, both hands are afflicted by diabetic cheiroarthropathy, with most patients finding stiffness beginning in the little finger and spreading to the thumb.
[citation needed] A classic test is the prayer sign which is the inability to place hands together in a praying position with the fingers fanned and to press together the palmar surfaces of the interphalangeal joints and the palms.
A tabletop sign is positive in people with diabetes who are unable to lay their palms and the volar aspect of the fingers completely flat on a horizontal surface.
[4] Diabetic cheiroarthropathy can be managed with pain relievers, anti-inflammatory medications, joint and muscle stretching exercises or occupational therapy, and better glucose monitoring and control.