De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis aka Mommy Wrist/Thumb

As a new momma, there are countless tasks that you do over and over again, and sometimes before you know it, you have that nagging ache that turns into a pain. That is common with Mommy Wrist/Thumb, which affects the tendons of the thumb and wrist caused by repetitive motions.

What you’ll learn today:

Common causes
How to relieve the pain
How to stop aggravating the area
Long term relief

*Disclaimer: All of the content is for educational and informational purposes only. None of which constitutes as medical advice and does not establish any kind of patient-provider relationship by your use of this website. Please consult your doctor or qualified medial professional if you have a genuine concern.

This is a GENERAL GUIDE with GENERL INFORMATION. Everyone’s pain and circumstances are different. Ideally, you should have an individualized treatment plan based on your unique needs (I can help with this). BUT, I’d like to share a few things to help you get started…

Common Causes

Overuse
- Think about all those things you do to take care of your baby…picking her up, holding, feeding, etc that you do countless times throughout your day
  - The repetitive wrist motions can lead to swelling and irritation of those tendons causing you pain
Body Mechanics
- Not keeping your wrist and hand in a neutral or straight position while doing these tasks
- Death gripping and tension in your arms and shoulders can add additional strain to the thumb/wrist

Pain relieving techniques

REST (see splint below)
- Those tendons are irritated and need some TLC
Ice Massage
- Massage the tender area of your thumb with an ice cube. You will feel sensations of cold, ache, burning, then numbness. It should only take a few minutes.
  - Helps decrease inflammation and pain
Trigger point release of forearm muscles
- Using a massage ball, lacrosse ball, golf ball, find those tight muscles or “knots” along both sides of your forearms
- Roll the ball over those muscles OR roll your forearm over the ball making sure to keep your hand relaxed
- Roll for 2-5 minutes

Daily Modifications

Splint
- Sometimes the best way to stop irritating those tendons is to wear a small brace or splint
  - The brace should support your thumb AND limit wrist motions
  - You can also wear the splint at night to prevent irritation while sleeping OR if you find your wrist is painful in the morning
Modify the activities throughout your day that are aggravating your pain
- If you can optimize your alignment/position as well as movement patterns it will put less stress/strain on your thumb/wrist
Keep your wrist in a neutral or straight position AND avoid death gripping while
- Carrying baby, holding baby, feeding baby, etc
- Texting, typing, cooking, cleaning, etc

Long Term Solutions

Strength/stability
- Once your wrist pain is decreasing (2-3/10)
  - Gripping a towel with a neutral wrist
  - Wrist strengthening
- Upper back strengthening
  - Shoulder matrix (see this blog)
  - Bent over rows
  - Reverse flys
Mobility/flexibility
- Wrist circles, thumb circles
- Stretching forearm muscles
- Thoracic mobility (see this blog)

Let’s review:

Relieve your pain with REST (maybe a splint), ice, and trigger point release
Modify your daily activities to prevent aggravation: neutral wrist and no death gripping
Movement component - mobility and stability for long term relief

Remember, this is a GENERAL GUIDE. Everyone’s pain and situations are different. If you want an individualized plan, schedule a 1:1 Virtual Consult. Let’s get you thriving!