De Quervain’s tendinopathy and its relationship with grip strength, hand length, hand width, and carrying angle among health professionals

Abstract

Background: De Quervain’s Tendinopathy (DQT) is the thickening of tendon sheaths on the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis along the radial styloid wrist, which leads to pain and difficulty in daily activities involving the thumb.

Objective: To determine the relationship between De Quervain’s tendinopathy and grip strength, hand length, hand width, and carrying angle among health professionals.

Methods: This cross-sectional study (Ref. No IRB/2022/077) was conducted on 150 participants selected at Arif Memorial Hospital, Lahore. The Finkelstein test was used to diagnose De Quervain’s tendinopathy. The data was collected using non-probability convenience sampling. The outcomes, carrying angle, grip strength, hand length, and width, were assessed with a goniometer, handheld dynamometer, and measuring tape. SPSS version 22 was used for data analysis. The correlations between carrying angle, grip strength, hand width, and hand length were described using Point biserial correlations.

Results: The results show the frequency of DQT was 33.33% among health professionals. The likelihood ratio showed a significant relationship between occupation and DQT, with a p-value of <0.05. Point biserial correlation revealed a negative relationship between carrying angle, grip strength, and De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, but a positive relationship between Hand length, hand width, and De Quervain’s tenosynovitis.

Conclusion: The study’s findings, which reveal significant correlations between DQT and various anthropometric factors such as grip strength, hand length, hand width, and carrying angle. These physical characteristics may predispose individuals to DQT or influence their severity. This provides important information for making preventive and management strategies for DQT and enlightens the audience about the importance of this research.