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Exercises

De Quervain's Exercises

Stretches and strengthening for De Quervain's tenosynovitis, sometimes called Mommy Thumb.

Exercise 1: Finger Opposition

  1. Move from positions 1-4, touching your thumb to each fingertip.
Four small pictures numbered 1 to 4 showing the thumb touching each fingertip in turn.
Repeat
10 times
Hold
1 second
Sets
2
Per day
2 times

Exercise 2: Finkelstein's Stretch

  1. Hold out the affected wrist and make a fist with your thumb tucked under your fingers.
  2. Bend your wrist forward as shown and hold this stretch for 2 minutes, resting as needed.
Two pictures of a fist with the thumb tucked inside, then the wrist bent toward the little finger side.
Repeat
5 times
Hold
30 seconds
Sets
1
Per day
2 times

Exercise 3: Eccentric Wrist Flexion

  1. Place your arm, palm side up, on a table with your hand over the edge holding a free weight or dumbbell.
  2. Start by using your unaffected hand to lift up your affected hand and the weight.
  3. Hold this position with your affected hand as you release your unaffected hand.
  4. Next, use only the affected hand that is gripping the weight to lower it as you bend at the wrist.
  5. Return to the starting position by lifting with your unaffected hand again, and repeat.
Three pictures of a forearm resting palm up on a table with the hand over the edge, holding a small weight and lowering it.

The original handout did not list how many to do. Ask your therapist.

Exercise 4: Eccentric Wrist Extension

  1. Place your arm, palm side down, on a table with your hand over the edge holding a free weight or dumbbell.
  2. Start by using your unaffected hand to lift up your affected hand and the weight. Hold this position with your affected hand as you release your unaffected hand.
  3. Next, use only the affected hand that is gripping the weight to lower it as you bend at the wrist.
  4. Return to the starting position by lifting with your unaffected hand again, and repeat.
Three pictures of a forearm resting palm down on a table with the hand over the edge, holding a small weight and lowering it.
Repeat
10 times
Sets
2
Per day
1 time

Exercise 5: Eccentric Wrist Radial Deviation

  1. Place your arm, thumb-side up, on a table with your hand over the edge holding a free weight or dumbbell.
  2. Start by using your unaffected hand to lift up your affected hand and the weight. Hold this position with your affected hand as you release your unaffected hand.
  3. Next, use only the affected hand that is gripping the weight to lower it as you bend at the wrist.
  4. Return to the starting position by lifting with your unaffected hand again, and repeat.
Three pictures of a forearm resting thumb side up on a table with the hand over the edge, holding a small weight and lowering it.
Repeat
10 times
Sets
2
Per day
1 time

Exercise 6: Rubber Band Finger Extension

  1. Loop a rubber band around all five fingers, between the fingernail and the DIP joint (the joint nearest the fingertip).
  2. Keeping constant tension on the band, spread the fingers outward, then bring them back in.
  3. Imagine a balloon in your hand inflating, then deflating. Each of your fingers should always keep a curve and not fully straighten out.
Two pictures of a hand with a rubber band around the fingers, with the fingers closed and then spread apart.
Repeat
10 times
Sets
3
Per day
2 times

Exercise 7: EPB Thumb Extension with Rubber Band

  1. Wrap a rubber band around all your fingers. Place your arm on the table, small finger side down.
  2. Bend both joints of your thumb. Keeping your thumb tip bent, lift up the thumb from your wrist.
Two pictures of a hand on its little-finger side with a rubber band around the fingers, with the thumb bent and then lifted.

The original handout did not list how many to do. Ask your therapist.