De Quervain’s syndrome affects an estimated 1.2% of working adults, and the condition is more than three times more common in women (2.1%) than in men (0.6%).
Anyone whose work involves repeated wrist bending, gripping, or twisting motions, including office workers, manual laborers, and assembly-line workers, is at increased risk, typically affecting adults in their 30s to 50s.
Our Denver chiropractors at The Disc Chiropractic take a hands-on, results-driven approach to wrist and hand pain.
Rather than offering a generic treatment plan, our team identifies the specific repetitive movements and ergonomic factors contributing to your symptoms and builds a conservative care plan designed to calm the irritated tendon and prevent it from coming back.
What Causes De Quervain’s Syndrome?
Two tendons run along the thumb side of your wrist: the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis. Think of them as two cables sharing one pulley.
They pass through a narrow tunnel called the first dorsal compartment, and together they let you lift your thumb up and away from your hand.
When they’re forced to glide through that tunnel over and over, especially with the wrist bent or twisted, the tunnel’s lining can thicken and the tendons themselves can swell, making every subsequent movement more painful and restricted.
Here are the most common contributors:
Repetitive Wrist Bending and Gripping
Movements that combine wrist bending with a forceful grip, like typing, texting, or operating tools, place repeated mechanical stress directly on the tendons of the first dorsal compartment. Over time, this repeated friction causes the tendon sheath to thicken and inflame.
Symptoms:
- Pain along the thumb side of the wrist that worsens with gripping
- Swelling near the base of the thumb
- A “catching” or “snapping” sensation when moving the thumb
- Pain that radiates up the forearm with sustained use
Twisting or Turning Motions
Jobs and tasks that involve twisting the wrist, such as driving screws, wringing out cloth, or repetitive turning motions on an assembly line, place direct shear stress on the same tendon compartment, accelerating wear and irritation.
Symptoms:
- Sharp pain when turning the wrist, such as opening a jar
- Tenderness directly over the tendon at the wrist
- Weakness when trying to pinch or grip with the thumb
- Stiffness that’s worse in the morning
New Parent Wrist (Lifting and Carrying)
A study on postpartum De Quervain’s found this mechanical strain from newborn caregiving plays a major role in the condition’s development, and pregnancy itself is a well-documented risk factor, with a longer pregnancy, first-time childbirth, and higher BMI all linked to increased risk in postpartum women.
Symptoms:
- Pain that worsens specifically when lifting or carrying
- Discomfort that builds throughout the day with repeated lifting
- Difficulty making a fist without pain
- Pain that improves with rest but quickly returns with activity
Hormonal and Pregnancy-Related Factors
Hormonal changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period can increase fluid retention and tendon swelling.
A study on first-time mothers with De Quervain’s found that the prevalence of the condition rises during the perinatal period, with symptoms commonly appearing in late pregnancy and becoming more frequent in the postpartum months, when hormonal changes combine with the physical demands of caring for a newborn.
Symptoms:
- Onset of wrist/thumb pain during pregnancy or shortly after delivery
- Swelling that seems disproportionate to activity level
- Pain that affects both wrists in some cases
- Symptoms that may improve gradually as hormone levels normalize
Shockwave Therapy Has the Strongest Clinical Evidence for De Quervain's Syndrome
De Quervain’s syndrome affects an estimated 1.2% of working adults, and the condition is more than three times more common in women (2.1%) than in men (0.6%).
Anyone whose work involves repeated wrist bending, gripping, or twisting motions, including office workers, manual laborers, and assembly-line workers, is at increased risk, typically affecting adults in their 30s to 50s.
Our Denver chiropractors at The Disc Chiropractic take a hands-on, results-driven approach to wrist and hand pain.
Rather than offering a generic treatment plan, our team identifies the specific repetitive movements and ergonomic factors contributing to your symptoms and builds a conservative care plan designed to calm the irritated tendon and prevent it from coming back.
FAQs About De Quervain’s Syndrome
What Is De Quervain's Syndrome?
De Quervain’s syndrome, also called De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, is an overuse condition affecting the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist. It develops when repetitive wrist and thumb movements cause the tendon sheath to thicken and the tendons to become irritated and inflamed.
What Does De Quervain's Pain Feel Like?
Most people describe a sharp or aching pain directly over the thumb side of the wrist, often worsened by gripping, twisting, or lifting. Some people also notice swelling, a catching sensation when moving the thumb, or pain that radiates up into the forearm.
Is De Quervain's the Same as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
No. De Quervain’s affects the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist, while carpal tunnel syndrome involves compression of the median nerve in the middle of the wrist. The two can sometimes occur together, but they involve different structures and require different testing to tell apart.
Why Do New Parents Get De Quervain's Syndrome So Often?
Lifting and carrying a baby repeatedly involves bending the wrist while extending the thumb to support the baby’s weight, which places sustained, awkward stress directly on the same tendon compartment affected in De Quervain’s. Hormonal changes during pregnancy and postpartum can also increase tendon swelling, compounding the issue.
What Is Shockwave Therapy and How Does It Help De Quervain's?
Shockwave therapy uses focused acoustic pulses to stimulate blood flow and tissue repair in irritated tendons. Clinical trials have shown it significantly improves pain, hand function, and grip strength in De Quervain’s patients compared to sham treatment, making it one of the most well-supported non-surgical options available.
Will Spinal Decompression Help With De Quervain's Syndrome?
No. Spinal decompression is designed to relieve pressure on the discs and nerves of the cervical or lumbar spine, and there’s no clinical evidence or anatomical rationale supporting its use for a wrist tendon condition like De Quervain’s. Our team will recommend treatments that are actually backed by evidence for this specific diagnosis.
How Long Does It Take to Recover From De Quervain's Syndrome?
Recovery time varies based on severity and how consistently activity modifications are followed. Many patients see meaningful improvement within several weeks of starting conservative care and shockwave therapy, though cases involving long-standing inflammation or repeated re-injury from work demands may take longer.
Can De Quervain's Syndrome Come Back After Treatment?
Yes, especially if the underlying repetitive movements or ergonomic issues aren’t addressed. This is why our team places strong emphasis on identifying and correcting the specific work or activity patterns that caused the problem, not just treating the current flare-up.
Do I Need Surgery for De Quervain's Syndrome?
Most cases of De Quervain’s respond well to conservative treatment and don’t require surgery. Surgical release is typically reserved for cases that don’t improve after a genuine trial of conservative care, splinting, and therapies like shockwave treatment.
Is There a Simple Test to Check for De Quervain's Syndrome?
Yes. One common test, called the Finkelstein test, involves tucking your thumb into your palm, making a fist around it, then gently bending your wrist toward your pinky finger. If that movement reproduces sharp pain at the base of the thumb, it’s a strong sign the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendons are involved. Our Denver chiropractors use this and other hands-on tests as part of a full evaluation before recommending treatment.
Schedule Your First Appointment Today
Living with thumb and wrist pain can make even simple daily tasks frustrating, whether it’s lifting your child, typing at work, or opening a jar.
Our team at The Disc Chiropractic is here to identify exactly what’s driving your symptoms and build a personalized plan to get you back to pain-free movement.
Don’t wait for the pain to get worse. Take the first step toward relief today.
Book an Appointment Now with Our Denver Chiropractors
Call: 720-573-4910