GAMER’S THUMB: If You Are A Gamer, New Mother or A Serial Texter Then You Might Be Facing DE QUERVAIN’S TENOSYNOVITIS

DR RASHMEET KAUR

WHAT IS IT?

It’s a painful swelling around the thumb in your hand. When the muscles are overused, they get short and cause a lot of friction at the attachment site of muscle with the bone when the movements are being done. This friction between the muscle and the bone causes swelling and pain around the thumb.

 SYMPTOMS

1. Pain around the thumb, especially on the back side of the thumb.
2. Swelling and pain at the base of thumb (where the thumb starts).
3. It can happen gradually, slowly or start suddenly.
4. The pain may travel into your thumb or up your forearm.
5. Pain while trying to grasp or pick up something.
6. Slight weakness while trying to pinch or hold things.

CAUSES

1. A direct hit on the thumb.
2. Video gaming or racket sports.
3. Overuse of hand.
4. Repetitive movements of thumb without rest.
5. Inflammatory conditions like Rheumatoid Arthritis
6. Hobbies like gardening, cutting, etc.

SELF DIAGNOSIS

                                      [FINKELSTEIN’S TEST]

1.      Place thumb in a closed fist.

2.      Tilt the hand down.

Pain felt in this test is a positive indicator.

TREATMENT

1. Ice the area to ease swelling.
2. Stop doing anything that makes it worse. Avoid repetitive movements of thumb.
3. Massage in circular motion over the painful area with the thumb of your other hand.
4. Do the stretches regularly for the thumb.
5. Keep doing the exercises for your thumb which include all the thumb movements.

About Author

Dr Rashmeet Kaur (BPth, MPT Sports) is a Pune-based Physiotherapist. She has been working for the past 2.5 years and has seen 500+ individual patients. She has worked as an on-field physiotherapist for various marathons, for NGOs and Online consultation for various FB groups. She has treated difficult and chronic cases of Sports and Ortho conditions in 3 sessions with 99% of results.