Distal interphalangeal joint

The finger joint nearest the nail (DIP joint). It is the hand joint most often affected by osteoarthritis, and the place where Heberden nodes form.

Related terms

• Condition

  Heberden node

  A firm bony swelling at the back of a finger's end (distal interphalangeal) joint, formed by osteophytes in osteoarthritis of that joint. A mucous cyst often arises beside one, and the osteophytes are commonly trimmed when the cyst is excised.

• Anatomy

  Proximal interphalangeal joint

  The middle joint of a finger (PIP joint), between the first and middle finger bones. It bends the finger in the middle; in osteoarthritis Bouchard nodes form here.

Articles mentioning this term

1. Patient information · 11 October 2026

   Fusion of the finger end joint

   Finger end-joint (DIP) fusion for arthritis: when it is considered, effects on pain and grip, choosing the finger position, healing, risks and recovery.

2. Patient information · 11 October 2026

   Finger osteoarthritis: Heberden and Bouchard nodes

   Finger osteoarthritis: symptoms, diagnosis, signs of another cause, hand therapy, splints, medicines, steroid injections and when surgery may be discussed.

← Back to glossary