DeQuervain’s Tenosynovitis

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a painful condition affecting the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist¹. Common activities such as turning your wrist, grasping objects, or making a fist can exacerbate the discomfort associated with this condition (some activities include gardening, playing sports, or lifting objects, can exacerbate the symptoms²).

This condition can be managed with targeted physiotherapy interventions to alleviate symptoms and improve thumb function³.

Our experienced therapists will guide you through personalized exercise programs and teach manual stretches to reduce muscle tension and fatigue, aiming to optimize your recovery and restore mobility and function.

 

Physiotherapy Treatment:

Physiotherapy for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis focuses on education and training to enhance performance and reduce risk factors. This includes flexibility exercises, muscle lengthening, and range of motion exercises to alleviate muscle tightness. Manual therapy techniques, including massaging connective tissues, are also utilized.

 

Modality Treatment:

Thumb Splinting: patients may be prescribed a splint for up to 6 weeks to immobilize the thumb. Studies have shown that combining splinting with NSAIDs can significantly improve success rates in relieving pain and inflammation.

NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs): NSAIDs help reduce inflammation of the affected tendons, which is often used in conjunction with other treatment interventions to alleviate discomfort³.

Particularly effective for this condition is acupuncture and bracing or taping.

Another option is McKenzie Wrist Management: patients learn specific exercises, such as ulnar deviation and thumb metaphalangeal flexion with distraction, to perform at home regularly. These exercises help in reducing pain and promoting recovery. Avoiding radial deviation of the wrist is also recommended, as continuous ulnar deviation with radiocarpal distraction has shown promising results in aiding recovery.