Physiotherapy Management of De Quervain Tenosynovitis in a Postpartum Woman: A Case Report

Abstract

Background: De Quervain tenosynovitis is characterized by pain on the radial aspect of the wrist and may interfere with daily activities involving repetitive thumb and wrist movements. This case report describes the assessment, multimodal physiotherapy management, and early clinical response of a postpartum woman with left-sided De Quervain tenosynovitis.
Case Presentation: A postpartum woman with pain at the base of the left thumb underwent two physiotherapy visits. Clinical examination showed positive Finkelstein, Eichhoff, and Wrist Hyperflexion and Abduction of the Thumb (WHAT) tests. The intervention included infrared rays, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, ultrasound, myofascial release, hold-relax exercise, progressive strengthening exercises, ergonomic education, and a home program.
Results: During the first visit, pain during movement decreased from 6 to 5 on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) immediately after the session. At the second visit, the VAS score for pain during movement was 4 before and remained 4 after the intervention. All three provocative tests remained positive. The patient reported slightly less pain and improved ability to open a bottle without significant discomfort. No adverse events were documented during the two sessions.
Conclusion: Multimodal physiotherapy was accompanied by early changes in pain and patient-reported activity during two visits. However, the short observation period, concurrent use of multiple interventions, and incomplete repeated outcome assessment preclude causal conclusions regarding treatment effectiveness or structural tendon changes.