The MCP joint of the thumb is often affected by rheumatoid arthritis, but itâs unusual to replace it with an artificial one. Instead, the joint can be stiffened, allowing the joints next to it to make up for its loss of movement. This operation is usually effective at easing pain and improving pinching movements.
China is a civilization spanning some six thousand years and comprising a large fraction of humanity. There is evidence of man's prehistoric ancestors living in China some two million years ago, and modern man has lived in the area for at least 18,000 years, possibly much longer.
Just like everywhere else in the world, China did not just become China the day that people moved in. There is evidence of a human ancestor called 'Homo erectus' living in China many millennia earlier. However, the oldest human remains in China have been dated between 18,000 and 11,000 BC. These early humans were nomadic, meaning they travelled continuously for food rather than settling in one place. This changed around 10,000 BC, when people adopted a sedentary lifestyle, living in one place with non-mobile homes.