De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a painful inflammation of the tendons on the side of your wrist and base of your thumb.
What are some of the symptoms that may arise if you have this?
👍 pain while moving the thumb
👍 difficulty grasping and lifting objects
👍 difficulty with gripping and twisting activities
👍 pain mainly occurs while moving the thumb and gets worse with repetitive use.
👍 occasional swelling near the base of the thumb.
Why does it occur?
The most common cause is chronic overuse. Some examples of chronic overuse would be,
🎷 activities or occupations that involve using your wrist and thumb like carpentry, dentistry, playing an instrument and household chores can result in overuse.
🤰 It is also associated with pregnancy and rheumatoid disease (arthritis).
🤏 repetitive gripping and grasping results in inflammation of the tendon and its sheath (covering of the tendon) sometimes due to friction which results in pain and limitation of movement in the thumb. If left untreated, it can result in scarring further limiting movement in the thumb.
How can I treat this injury?
Treatment for this condition depends on severity. Conservative management is usually the preferred choice. Physiotherapists are well equipped in diagnosing this condition by listening to your symptoms and carrying out a thorough examination of your wrist and thumb.
Here are some hot tips for managing this condition.
✔️ if possible you should try and avoid aggravating movements
✔️take frequent breaks
✔️splinting/taping might help reduce severity
How can one of our Physiotherapists help?
Our Physiotherapists can identify the cause of the overuse of the tendons. They can also provide you with advice and look at work and home tasks to provide you with modifications.
Some treatment options include:
🏆 splinting/taping of thumb/wrist
🏆 manual therapy to aid in reduction of inflammation
🏆 exercise rehabilitation to strengthen the muscles around your wrist and thumb
🏆 restore pain free range of motion in your wrist and thumb
🏆 graded Return to work, sport or function.
For more information contact The Physio Clinic on 8342 1233 or click below to book online.
By Urvashi Chhabria | Titled Physiotherapist Blackwood
