Exercises & tips to manage de Quervain's Tenosynovitis (thumb pain)

Jun 9, 2021 06:28 AM Central
Swati Prakash
ergonomics, hand pain, repetitive strain injury, Upper Limb conditions
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Exercises & tips to manage de Quervain's Tenosynovitis (thumb pain)

de Quervain's tenosynovitis is a painful condition affecting the tendons of the thumb that leads to pain in the thumb and wrist. It is a repetitive strain injury (RSI) caused due to repetitive hand or wrist movement, though conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or a restrictive scar tissue on the thumb tendons after an injury or surgery can also contribute to this condition. It is more commonly seen in pregnant women and in some professions and hobbies that involve repetitive hand and wrist motions such as hairdressers or pianists, those who play golf or racket sports or those who use their thumb constantly for texting or gaming. In this blog, lets discuss some easy exercises and tips to manage this condition.

5 signs that you may be suffering from de Quervain's tenosynovitis:

Pain tenderness and swelling at the base of your thumb and the wrist. When left untreated, pain may extend in the forearm.
Difficulty moving your thumb and wrist when gripping or pinching
Pain when moving the wrist from side to side or twisting it
Weakness or achy tiredness in the thumb
A catching or snapping sensation with movement of the thumb in more chronic cases

Watch this video for exercises that you can do for this condition:

As de Quervain's tenosynovitis is a repetitive strain injury (RSI) , these precautions when followed with the exercises above can help to prevent recurrence:

Avoid repetitive movements of the thumb
Avoid pinching movements with the thumb
Avoid chronic overuse of the hand in general. Take breaks and do stretches if you need to continue the activities
Avoid using the thumb for hours of texting and gaming
Use a brace or thumb support for stabilising the thumb
If you play racquet sports then get trained to avoid excessive strain on the thumb

If you want to know more exercises or precautions to help with this condition, join my free community where we discuss this and similar topics in a judgement free friendly group.

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MEET SWATI

Hi there!

I am Swati, an Executive Mum Power Coach and a Certified Posture Expert. I use my proven system to help mums of younger kids working in high-stress executive jobs manage their back, neck, and nerve pains, despite low energy levels and brain fog. I do all this without taking away a big chunk of their time out of their already busy day. This enables them to be more productive and capable professionals at work and guilt-free mums who can focus on their kids instead of always being distracted by pain.

My passion for helping executive mums stems from my own experiences. I have been in the same boat and understand the frustration and helplessness of being in constant pain or being afraid to engage in activities due to the fear of pain. After two pregnancies in the span of three years and juggling my two kids, housework, and a demanding job, I was constantly in pain. The weight gain from motherhood added extra stress to my already overburdened spine and joints. I was stuck in a vicious cycle of weight loss and spinal/nerve pain that I just couldn’t break free from.

On top of the physical pain, I also suffered from adrenal fatigue. I often felt exhausted, waking up groggy even after a full night’s (10 to 12 plus hours!) sleep, and struggled with low energy levels and brain fog. Simple tasks became challenging, and I found myself forgetting things and unable to think clearly. It was incredibly frustrating and made it even harder to balance my professional responsibilities and family life.

My work involved long hours of standing during the day, prolonged hours on the laptop in the evening, and lots of running around and rocking my kids to sleep in between. Despite my knowledge and expertise in pain relief, I still found myself unable to escape the constant daily pain and fatigue.

Sitting at a desk job from 9 to 5, or longer, plus endless meetings that seem to go on forever. The frequent traveling, the uncomfortable hotel pillows that make it impossible to get a good night’s sleep—I’ve experienced it all. I remember not being able to share my discomfort at work because I felt like an imposter, talking about pain relief strategies and focusing on work while I was not able to achieve it myself. I didn’t disclose the extent of my pain and forgetfulness to my colleagues for years. Even though I loved my kids and my job, I couldn’t give 100% to either. The discomfort held me back from reaching my full potential, making me feel guilty as a mum and less productive at work. I felt like I was constantly running on empty, unable to catch a break from the pain and exhaustion.

I finally got fed up after years of trying and decided to make a New Year’s resolution to get ‘healthy’ instead of focusing solely on my pain, fatigue, forgetfulness, and weight loss. When I shifted my focus to getting healthier by reducing the inflammation in my body and addressing my adrenal fatigue, the pain started to decrease, my energy levels and focus improved, and the pounds started shedding off too! That, of course, meant a happier spine, nerves, joints, and a happier me! Today, my neck, back, and nerve pain are down to zero, my knee pain has reduced by 75%, my brain fog has reduced drastically and my energy levels are higher than ever. I realized that I had been focusing on the wrong solutions for over a decade!

Now, my mission is to share my knowledge of pain relief and managing adrenal fatigue along with my personal experience with other mums, especially those with younger kids who work in high-stress executive jobs. My goal is to help you find lasting relief, boost your energy, and reclaim your life, just as I did.

If you can relate to all this, you are not alone. As a mum, I have been there and done that—momma, I got you! I’ve helped hundreds of mums in this situation over the years find their solution to manage spinal and joint pains, low energy levels, and brain fog that hold them back. This enables them to feel confidently in control and empowers them to cultivate that confidence and productivity at work and enjoy being with their kids, to be able to run around with them without the fear of injury or pain.

Are you ready for this journey? Ask me how if you are curious.

Let's DO THIS!

xx Swati

** Executive Mum Power Coach **