A wrist fracture can also predispose a patient to de Quervain’s tendonitis, because of increased stresses across the tendons. New mothers are especially prone to this type of tendonitis: caring for an infant often creates awkward hand positioning, and hormonal fluctuations associated with pregnancy and nursing further contribute to its occurrence. The cause of de Quervain’s tendonitis is an irritation of the tendons at the base of the thumb, usually caused by taking up a new, repetitive activity. Making a fist, grasping or holding objects-often infants-are common painful movements with de Quervain’s tendonitis.
The inflammation causes the compartment (a tunnel or a sheath) around the tendon to swell and enlarge, making thumb and wrist movement painful. First dorsal compartment tendonitis, more commonly known as de Quervain’s tendonitis or tenosynovitis after the Swiss surgeon Fritz de Quervain, is a condition brought on by irritation or inflammation of the wrist tendons at the base of the thumb (see Figures 1, 1A). index finger middle finger or long finger ring finger little finger In the standard anatomical position, the hand is flat and supinated with the fingers spread.
