Physiotherapy Management of People Diagnosed with de Quervain's Disease: A Case Series

Purpose : To report the outcomes of a physiotherapy management approach for de Quervain's disease (DQD), a common hand disorder for which evidence for physiotherapy management is lacking, in 4 consecutive patients with DQD. Methods : Participants underwent a median of eight treatment sessions, consisting of mobilizations with movement, eccentric muscle training, and high-voltage electrical stimulation. Outcomes were assessed with an 11-point numeric pain rating scale (NPRS; range 1-10) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH; range 0%-100%). Result s: Median NPRS and DASH scores decreased from a baseline of 5 and 48, respectively, to 2.8 and 19 after treatment; at 6-month follow-up, all participants reported minimal pain and disability, but one participant required a corticosteroid injection shortly after discharge from physiotherapy. Conclusions : Overall outcome was considered successful for three of four patients, comparable to the success rate previously reported for corticosteroid injections. A randomized clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of this intervention seems warranted.