Dupuytrens contracture...

[Shadow]

...anyone here had it diagnosed? Until today I'd never heard of it.

As there is no method to prevent it or cure it, how did you 'manage' it?
Did you cope without resorting to surgery?

 

[Sharky]

Runs in our family, we must have Viking ancestry.

Not really heard of that medical term, but "claw hand" or "glue hand" and "trigger finger".

My mum and uncle both suffered and my brother, has had surgery to release the tendons and allow his hand to open again.

I don't suffer to the same extent, but one of my fingers is developing "trigger finger", where when I bend my finger, it snaps into a locked position. Gives me a little bit of pain when I force it out of the locked position.

From my brother's experience, surgery does seem to be effective. Your symptoms probably need to deteriate to the point where it affects your daily life, before surgery is considered.

 

[midlife]

It’s often asked asked of medical and dental students in exams as it’s an awkward spelling. Like carpal tunnel, some sort of physical intervention is really the only option if treatment is required

 

[MadMalx]

Commonly recurs a few years after surgery though.
Some hereditary linkage.
Dad & elder brother both badly affected when younger than me, I have it mildly.

 

[Beebo]

My dad has it. Had an operation about 10 years ago, to release the tendons but it didn’t really work. He now just lives with it. It doesn’t really hold him back. He’s average fitness for 78.

I had no idea that it is Scandinavian. We are of danish decent many generations ago.

 

[Webbo2]

https://ukbouldering.com/threads/rock-climbing-link-to-duputrens-disease.
lots of info on here.
Its seems that that link won’t work. However if you go on to UKBouldering and go to the diet and injuries thread, it’s on there.

 

[OldShep]

I’ve got it my grandad had it and it’s getting worse slowly. Doctor advised stretching it which I try to do daily.

 

[figbat]

I have it in both hands, the right one first followed a couple of years later by the left. I’m not aware of any family tendency, nor any Viking heritage. So far it doesn’t affect me really as I can still straighten all fingers, but there’s some restriction to how far my ‘ring’ fingers will bend back. Not sure if or what to do about it - in the past I have been told (by a GP) not to interfere with physical issues until they affect your quality of life.

I’ve read that intervention has limited success and there’s a strong chance of recurrence. I’m monitoring it and will act as and when it causes me either discomfort or inconvenience.

 

[Webbo2]

My mate has both hand operated on when he was in his late fifties and it was a successful outcome.He’s been a rock climber since he was 14 and his patents were Latvian. So a slight Viking connection.
Apparently having a physical job can be another factor.

 

[Asa Post]

Apparently having a physical job can be another factor.

My dad, a mechanic for nearly all his working life, had it both hands. He blamed the effort of trying to undo stuck bolts and other parts. Nobody else in the family has got it.

 

[Shadow]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

It always seems more re-assuring knowing others have similar symptoms, to varying degrees, with options to chat about it, thanks.

Like those doing physical labour - mechanic, bricky - I wonder if riding a bike exacerbates it, but there is no way of ever really knowing. I do know I grip handlebars too tightly at times, especially when on a chilly night ride.

I dread the day when I will may be unable to wear gloves but hopefully that day is many, many years away!

 

[gbb]

Never heard of it and with hindsight, its wonder if my mum had it...but she'd have been into her 80s before she had a finger that seemed to pull right in, getting slowly and progressively worse.
Not aware (but probably wouldn't be anyway) of anyone on her side with the same symptoms...none of us kids got it.

Ironically (and tongue in cheek), her family is from Northumberland and I remember dad ribbing her once for being a mix of English, probably Scottish with a dash of Viking somewhere in the past

 

[dan_bo]

We have it. Had my right hand done 15 years ago or so now I need my left hand sorting.

 

[figbat]

I wonder if riding a bike exacerbates it…

I’m convinced that’s what brought it on for me.

 

[Dadam]

It's hereditary. I've got it and my Dad had it. He had a couple of surgeries for it.

Right hand just has a couple of nodules in the palm, and though I can straighten the hand, the fingers can't bend back beyond straight. I used to be able to bend them right back at 90 degrees!
Left hand though is more annoying. The little finger won't straighten beyond a bend of about 60 degrees.

It would be unusual not to have a healthy dose of Scandinavian ancestry here in the heart of the Danelaw!