De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
This condition affects the tendon sheaths of the first compartment of the wrist, which results in thickening of the extensor retinaculum and ultimately leads to entrapment and compression of the abductor pollicus longus and extensor pollicus brevis tendons. Symptoms may include a dull ache over the radial aspect of the wrist that is aggravated by activities such as turning a doorknob or a key. Other symptoms may include localized swelling, tenderness, thickening, and crepitus. Aggravating factors may include ulnar deviation of the wrist and/or thumb flexion and abduction.
Signs in common with thoracic outlet syndrome
(Dutton, 2008 & Watson et. al., 2009)
Signs in common with thoracic outlet syndrome
- Pain over the lateral wrist and thumb
- Local tenderness and swelling
- Pain with resisted thumb extension
- Pain with passive thumb flexion
- Finkelstein’s test (rules in De Quervain’s Syndrome)
(Dutton, 2008 & Watson et. al., 2009)