De Quervain tenosynovitis is a painful condition affecting the two tendons on the thumb side of the wrist.
Any activity that relies on repetitive hand or wrist movement, such as working in the garden, playing golf or racket sports, or lifting a baby, can make it worse.
Chronic overuse, such as repeating a particular hand motion day after day, may irritate the covering around the tendons. If the covering becomes irritated, the tendons can thicken and swell. This thickening and swelling restrict the movement of the tendons through the small tunnel that connects them to the base of the thumb.
Other causes of de Quervain tenosynovitis include:
∙ Inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
∙ Direct injury to the wrist or tendon, which may cause scar tissue that restricts movement of the tendons
∙ Fluid retention, from changes in hormones during pregnancy
Symptoms
You will feel pain when you move your thumb, make a fist, turn your wrist, grasp anything, or lift a child up.
∙ Pain & swelling at thumb base
∙ Difficulty moving the thumb and wrist upon gripping/grasping
∙ A “sticking” or “stop-and-go” sensation in the thumb upon moving
What’s mommy thumb?
De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis is popularly known as “Mommy’s thumb”. It’s 10 times more common in women. Activities such as lifting gardening pots, groceries, and small children into car seats can inflict symptoms.
This may develop in the last trimester of pregnancy when mothers typically retain fluid which can lead to swelling within compartments in the hand and wrist.
After giving birth, the pain may be triggered by repetitive grasping of the infant while lifting the infant up, or frequently carrying the infant. This is also common among mothers who do breast feeding and holding their wrist in an awkward position while cupping the breast.
Treatment
During examination, we will perform Finkelstein test, where you bend your thumb across the palm of your hand and bend your fingers down over your thumb. Then you bend your wrist toward your little finger. If this causes pain on the thumb side of your wrist, you likely have de Quervain tenosynovitis.
We provide physiotherapy treatment for such condition. This includes manual therapy or shockwave therapy.
If you have mommy’s thumb and would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us for more information.
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