Z deformity

Last revised by Arlene Campos on 8 Jan 2025

The Z or zig zag deformity is one of the musculoskeletal manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis in hand 1,2:

  • radial deviation at the wrist

  • ulnar deviation of the digits, and often

  • palmar subluxation of the proximal phalanges

This should be differentiated from the Z-thumb deformity, also known as the hitchiker thumb deformity

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