Rheumatoid arthritis commonly involves which joints?

• A. Hands and Elbows
• B. Hands, Wrists, Ankles, and Feet
• C. Knees Only
• D. Cervical Spine Only

Answer: (B)

Rheumatoid arthritis is a symmetric inflammatory arthritis that mainly targets synovial joints. The joints most commonly affected early are the small joints of the hands and feet, especially the metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints in the hands and the metatarsophalangeal joints in the feet, with wrists also frequently involved. As the disease progresses, ankles can be involved as well. So listing hands, wrists, ankles, and feet reflects the typical distribution seen in RA. While the knees and the cervical spine can be involved, they are not the most characteristic or exclusive sites, and RA does not usually present as involvement restricted to those joints.