De Quervain's tenosynovitis

De Quervain's tenosynovitis is a painful irritation of the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist, often flaring with gripping, lifting, or repetitive thumb movements. It's common in new parents and anyone doing a lot of hand-intensive tasks, and can make everyday actions sore.

Physiotherapy helps settle the irritated tendons and gradually restore pain-free movement, using activity advice, splinting, and graded exercises. In this guide we cover assessment and evidence-based conservative care for De Quervain's tenosynovitis, clear clinical reasoning for practitioners and practical guidance so patients understand what's aggravating their wrist and how to calm it down.