De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis | What is it?
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, which is also known as ‘mother’s thumb’ and ‘gamer’s thumb’, is a commonly encountered cause of wrist and thumb pain. At times the pain can be severe and with approximately 40% of the function of the hand attributed to the thumb, a problem here can have a significant impact one’s ability to use the hand.
In this blog, we cover what De Quervain’s is and what causes it. You can fast forward to treatment options here.
What is De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis?
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis (often De Quervain’s for short) is a painful condition which causes wrist pain just below the base of the thumb. The pain results from irritation and inflammation of two of the tendons that produce movement of the thumb (abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis). The tendons pass through a tunnel called the synovial sheath at the level of the wrist which also becomes inflamed. This results in increased friction and subsequently pain with wrist and thumb movement.
Symptoms of De Quervain’s
- Wrist pain level with the base of the thumb
- Pain on movements of the thumb and wrist (particularly gripping, lifting, wringing actions)
- The pain is usually worse with activity, and better with rest
- Sometimes swelling can occur over the painful area
Causes and Risk Factors
- De Quervain’s is typically considered an overuse injury
- It affects women more frequently than men
- It occurs predominantly in those 40-60 years of age
- It is more common in pregnancy and new mums, particularly those who are breastfeeding
- It is also more common on people with rheumatoid arthritis
Diagnosis of De Quervain’s
Often, in the hands of an experienced physiotherapist, a diagnosis of De Quervain’s can be made during a clinical examination. Occasionally, if there is any uncertainty, imaging such as an ultrasound scan, x-ray or MRI may be recommended, however it is often not necessary.
What Can Be Done About It?
The good news is, there are several treatment options and the condition typically responds well. You can learn about treatment options for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis here.
If you are struggling with wrist and thumb pain and would like an accurate diagnosis and clear treatment plan, book an appointment with one of our experienced physiotherapists. You can book online by following this link, or call our friendly reception team on 0114 267 8181.
