De Quervain’s syndrome
Exercises for De Quervain’s
Exercises will strengthen the tendons and to keep the thumb and wrist supple, which will support your recovery.
How often should I practice my exercises?
Practice these 2-3x per day.
How many repetitions should I practice?
This will vary from person to person but as a rough guide, start with around 3-5 repetitions for each exercise. You may only be able to manage a few to start with: that’s fine. Make a note of how many you can do and repeat this each day until it starts to feel easier. Gradually increase how many you practice over time (this often takes several weeks).
How to perform the exercise
For each exercise, push against the resistance at about 50% of your full force, for 5 seconds.
Abductor pollicis longus strengthening (youtube.com)
Isometric thumb extension (youtube.com)
Radial deviation isometric (youtube.com)
Wrist Flexion Isometric Exercise (youtube.com)
Wrist Extension Isometric Exercise (youtube.com)
What if the exercises are painful?
You should feel like the muscles are working, but they should not be painful. Some mild discomfort after the exercises is expected, but this should wear off within around 30 minutes. If pain doesn’t settle within this timeframe, don’t worry, you can try fewer repetitions and then gradually build it up again over the course of a few weeks. If you are struggling to find a suitable level of exercise then seek professional help for further guidance.
An alternative place to find these exercises is on the Hand Therapy app. This is a free app where you can follow exercise videos and chart your progress. We recommend the “thumb isometric exercises” programme for dealing with De Quervain’s.