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Arthritis gloves are specifically designed to help ease symptoms associated with arthritis. Using compression, heat retention technology or both, arthritis gloves can assist with pain relief, swelling reduction and an increase in mobility in the fingers and hands.
These gloves are not a cure for arthritis, and little scientific evidence supports their use for symptom relief. However, many people with arthritis—as well as those with carpal tunnel syndrome and other joint or circulation issues—find comfort in wearing arthritis gloves.
To determine the best arthritis gloves, the Forbes Health editorial team analyzed data on approximately 40 products, considering price, number of sizes available and special features, such as whether they’re machine washable. Read on to discover which arthritis gloves earned our recommendations.
Note: All prices are accurate as of publication.
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The Forbes Health editorial team prioritizes the accuracy and integrity of the data collected. Our ranking is based on quantitative data and is free from conflicts of interest. We carefully fact check the information featured in our ranking and are committed to producing rankings and supplemental content about medical supplies that readers can trust. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our arthritis gloves methodology for the rankings below.
This wrist compression glove by OrthoSleeve is designed to fit both the left and right wrist for enhanced versatility. It’s designed with common wrist conditions in mind, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis, with corresponding areas of compression to reduce pain and discomfort, according to the company. Featuring a seamless design and silver ion technology to help combat odors and moisture, it may be a great choice for individuals looking for targeted wrist compression.
Have you considered Vive Health Arthritis Gloves?
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility with Vive Health's Compression Arthritis Gloves, featuring soft fabric, non-slip grips and gentle compression. Here's why we chose it:
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility
Soft and breathable fabric for comfort
Versatile for a range of activities
These Thermoskin fingerless gloves are crafted to ease arthritis pain in the hands and fingers by retaining warmth and delivering moderate pressure. With textured palms and exposed fingertips, users can firmly grip and sense items, making these gloves ideal for unrestricted everyday use. Evenly distributed pressure paired with an adjustable forearm strap make these gloves both comfortable and customizable.
Have you considered Vive Health Arthritis Gloves?
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility with Vive Health's Compression Arthritis Gloves, featuring soft fabric, non-slip grips and gentle compression. Here's why we chose it:
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility
Soft and breathable fabric for comfort
Versatile for a range of activities
These unique gloves by Veturo are crafted with infrared yarn, which absorbs and re-emits body heat in the form of safe, far-infrared waves to encourage circulation and healing, according to the company. The gloves feature a “3D-knit” seamless design for added comfort and a ribbed wrist cuff for gentle support. Customers with cold hands, Reynaud’s syndrome and arthritis may benefit from the warming effect of these gloves.
Have you considered Vive Health Arthritis Gloves?
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility with Vive Health's Compression Arthritis Gloves, featuring soft fabric, non-slip grips and gentle compression. Here's why we chose it:
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility
Soft and breathable fabric for comfort
Versatile for a range of activities
Hempvana’s Green Relief Gloves are crafted with 100% pure hemp fiber, which is also moisture wicking, according to the company. An open-fingertip design with grips on the palms allows for enhanced sensory input and dexterity. Featuring advanced compression technology, these gloves may be an ideal choice for people with sensitive skin or allergies.
Have you considered Vive Health Arthritis Gloves?
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility with Vive Health's Compression Arthritis Gloves, featuring soft fabric, non-slip grips and gentle compression. Here's why we chose it:
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility
Soft and breathable fabric for comfort
Versatile for a range of activities
These full-finger gloves extend past the wrist and are crafted specifically for cold weather. They feature infrared fleece that promotes warmth and enhanced blood flow while wicking away moisture in colder climates, according to the company. What’s more, the palm and fingers of these gloves have touchscreen-compatible silica “microdots” to ensure users have a firm grip and can access their smartphones without having to remove the gloves. The company recommends these gloves be worn on their own or as liners for heavier-duty winter gloves to support pain relief and healing.
Have you considered Vive Health Arthritis Gloves?
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility with Vive Health's Compression Arthritis Gloves, featuring soft fabric, non-slip grips and gentle compression. Here's why we chose it:
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility
Soft and breathable fabric for comfort
Versatile for a range of activities
Dr. Frederick’s unisex gloves provide mild compression for those seeking pain relief in the thumbs, fingers, wrists and knuckles. The gloves provide compression in specific areas for enhanced pain relief while also keeping the hands and fingers warm. The fingerless design allows users to access everyday items without needing to remove the gloves or stop what they’re doing. After 30 days, if users don’t find themselves feeling less pain, Dr. Frederick’s will either ship a new product that may work better or refund the cost of the gloves.
Have you considered Vive Health Arthritis Gloves?
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility with Vive Health's Compression Arthritis Gloves, featuring soft fabric, non-slip grips and gentle compression. Here's why we chose it:
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility
Soft and breathable fabric for comfort
Versatile for a range of activities
Actimove Arthritis Care Gloves use mild medical compression and warmth to alleviate pain in the fingers and hands. With their fingerless design, users don’t have to pause during daily activities to remove the gloves or worry about dexterity. Meanwhile, they come in a beige/natural color for individuals who may want a less noticeable glove (or simply a color other than black).
Have you considered Vive Health Arthritis Gloves?
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility with Vive Health's Compression Arthritis Gloves, featuring soft fabric, non-slip grips and gentle compression. Here's why we chose it:
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility
Soft and breathable fabric for comfort
Versatile for a range of activities
These open-fingertip gloves by Dr. Arthritis provide coverage all the way up to just below the fingertips for comprehensive hand and finger compression. Ideal for painful conditions like arthritis, Reynaud’s syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome and hand-specific injuries, according to the company, these versatile, minimalist gloves allow users to maintain dexterity while benefiting from mild compression.
Have you considered Vive Health Arthritis Gloves?
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility with Vive Health's Compression Arthritis Gloves, featuring soft fabric, non-slip grips and gentle compression. Here's why we chose it:
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility
Soft and breathable fabric for comfort
Versatile for a range of activities
These half-finger arthritis gloves bring specialized, interior grip zone compression therapy to the fingers and wrists, as well as all the way through the forearms to the elbows. The copper-infused nylon fabric has antimicrobial properties and anti-odor technology that provides both comfort and support. Because these gloves don’t cover the top finger joints, they may be best suited for those without pain in the fingertips.
Have you considered Vive Health Arthritis Gloves?
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility with Vive Health's Compression Arthritis Gloves, featuring soft fabric, non-slip grips and gentle compression. Here's why we chose it:
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility
Soft and breathable fabric for comfort
Versatile for a range of activities
These ComfyBrace fingerless gloves are made with a cotton and spandex blend and nearly seamless stitching that provides ergonomic, continuous compression for arthritis and other pain relief. What’s more, ComfyBrace is confident in its product: If users don’t experience pain relief after one wear, the company has a no-questions-asked money-back guarantee, as well as a lifetime warranty.
Have you considered Vive Health Arthritis Gloves?
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility with Vive Health's Compression Arthritis Gloves, featuring soft fabric, non-slip grips and gentle compression. Here's why we chose it:
Relieve arthritis pain and improve hand mobility
Soft and breathable fabric for comfort
Versatile for a range of activities
To determine the best arthritis gloves, the Forbes Health editorial team examined data on approximately 40 products, analyzing and ranking them based on the following factors:
Star ratings were then solely determined by the Forbes Health editorial team.
Arthritis gloves are thought to improve arthritis symptoms in the hands, such as pain, stiffness and general loss of mobility. However, these claims rely largely on anecdotal evidence.
There are two main types of arthritis gloves: thermal gloves and compression gloves.
Thermal gloves are intended to alleviate pain and provide mobility by keeping the hands warm and comfortable.
Compression gloves for arthritis may help alleviate pain and swelling by removing fluid buildup around the finger joints. It’s unknown how much compression is needed in a glove to be useful, but it’s best to avoid excessive compression, which may restrict blood flow.
Before buying arthritis gloves, consult a health care professional like a rheumatologist or occupational therapist for expert guidance. This assistance is especially important for people with existing vascular issues (relating to the flow of body fluid), carpal tunnel syndrome (nerve compression at the wrist) or skin disorders, as you need to make sure arthritis gloves are safe for you to use. You may also need to try different types of gloves to find ones that work best for your needs.
Since hand sizes, pain levels and treatment goals vary, arthritis gloves aren’t a one-size-fits-all product. Look for gloves that are snug enough to provide the desired level of compression, but not so tight that they inhibit blood flow.
If you’re buying arthritis gloves online, know that different manufacturers may have different size options and often require you to measure your hand to find the right size for you. For the best results, have arthritis gloves properly fitted to your hands, advises Maeve Gamble, M.D., a rheumatologist at Arva Clinic in Ontario, Canada.
Dr. Gamble also notes that you should find gloves that you can easily put on, accounting for potential joint abnormalities or weakened hand function that may impact your ability to put gloves on and take them off without assistance.
Arthritis gloves vary in coverage, including full finger and wrist, half finger (also called fingerless), wrist only and long sleeve options. The gloves you choose should address the symptoms and areas you want to treat.
Find gloves that are made of a material that’s comfortable and not irritating to your skin, especially if you plan on wearing them all day or night. Many gloves use moisture-wicking materials, which can help keep you from feeling sweaty and make them more comfortable for extended wear.
There are latex-free gloves available for people who might have a latex allergy. You may also want to check whether gloves are machine-washable for easier cleaning.
Not all gloves are made to be worn at all times. Some are specifically for day wear while others are only for use during certain activities. If you’re experiencing chronic pain during the day or pain that occurs at night, look for gloves that are designed for more long-term wear.
Some gloves come with additional features that can give them an edge over others. For instance, added texture on the outside of the glove, such as Griptex, gives you better grip when using the gloves during daily activities. Some gloves feature a non-slip inside as well to ensure continuous compression.
Some arthritis gloves feature vibration technology as well to help increase blood circulation, stimulate muscles and warm achy joints. Other special features include massaging ergoBeads, copper filaments and designs to better help maintain your body heat. Get Targeted, Therapeutic Compression Vive Health's arthritis gloves provide targeted, therapeutic compression with a fingerless design so you can stay active and go about your daily tasks as planned. Shop Now On Vive Health's Website
Vive Health's arthritis gloves provide targeted, therapeutic compression with a fingerless design so you can stay active and go about your daily tasks as planned.
“Arthritis gloves” is one way to market certain compression gloves. Not all arthritis gloves are compression gloves—some use thermal technology instead to address arthritis symptoms.
Similarly, not all compression gloves are used solely for arthritis. Compression gloves are also advertised as helpful for carpal tunnel syndrome, typing and driving.
Copper arthritis gloves are compression gloves with copper filaments incorporated into the fabric. While copper itself has antimicrobial properties, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that copper compression gloves are more effective than standard compression gloves with arthritis symptom relief.
According to Dr. Gamble, the benefit that some folks feel from copper gloves is likely a placebo effect, which is acceptable if it improves their quality of life without harm.
Without clear, supporting evidence, experts cannot say whether certain groups should use arthritis gloves—only that these gloves may be worth a try.
“Overall, I don’t see any negative side effects to the gloves and would consider them generally safe to use,” says Dr. Gamble. However, patients may still experience pain, stiffness or weakness after or even during use.
Chris Nesbitt, a physical therapist at the Shepherd Spine and Pain Institute in Atlanta, suggests wearing arthritis gloves at night may help provide improved sleep by alleviating pain that otherwise would disrupt sleep.
Still, experts stress that arthritis gloves don’t cure or alter the process of arthritis. They do not treat inflammation, prevent damage or reverse existing damage.
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Lauren Silva, a freelance writer in New York City, believes in feeling good in your body and making that experience accessible to everyone across generations. The proof is in her ever-piling browser tabs and newsletters, which help her stay on top of the latest wellness trends. When she’s not researching sustainable alternatives to her everyday products, Lauren is likely attempting to make a dent in her “TBR” book pile.
Meaghan is an editor and writer who also has experience practicing holistic medicine as an acupuncturist and herbalist. She's passionate about helping individuals live full, healthy and happy lives at every age. Outside of writing and editing for Forbes Health, Meaghan loves practicing yoga, reading and spending time with her family near the ocean in her home state of Maine.
Winter Military Gloves Alena is a professional writer, editor and manager with a lifelong passion for helping others live well. She is also a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and a functional medicine certified health coach. She brings more than a decade of media experience to Forbes Health, with a keen focus on building content strategy, ensuring top content quality and empowering readers to make the best health and wellness decisions for themselves.