I have Dupuytren’s contracture in my left hand… I thought it was as a result of that scooter accident last fall in October but it turns out it’s actually genetic, and it’s mostly genetic in people who came from Europe and their descendants. They actually also called it the Viking Disease as it was exacerbated by Viking swords once upon a time.
I’m pretty lucky because my Dupuytren’s so far has not contracted many of my fingers…just possibly the baby finger on my left hand… And it’s kind of sore right now because I’ve been over using my left hand as a result of wearing a sling for my right elbow.
Anyway, it is an abnormal thickening of the tissue in the palm of your hand (called nodes) which can cause your tendons to no longer work there by causing your fingers to not straighten out.
My case is pretty mild so I don’t have to have any medical intervention at this point. The doctor said that some people have it constricting movement of the fingers which requires a very painful surgery. He offered me a shot of cortisone but as mine is not restricting my fingers at this point I said no thanks.
While I was there, I had occasion to speak to the orthopaedic tech that worked in the same clinic… he asked what I had done to precipitate wearing a sling, and I told him that I broke my elbow… and while my elbow doesn’t hurt daily, the rest of my arm does. He said… “Let me guess you wear the sling when you’re out of the house, but at home you don’t?”
Truth. He said the sling I was wearing was too small and that I need to wear it all the time I’m awake or my arm won’t heal properly. I feel like it’s some kind of a setback… wearing the sling full-time, but I want this thing to heal so I’m gonna.