Postoperative exercises | What is Dupuytren’s disease?

Postoperative exercises

In order to achieve the best possible result, it is important to start early with appropriate physiotherapeutic exercises after the operation for Dupuytren’s disease. It is advisable to discuss with the treating physician what kind of exercises he recommends and to draw up a joint plan. Both after an operation for Dupuytren’s disease and as a conservative therapy method, various exercises for the hand are important to improve mobility.

First, the hands should be warmed up, for example by rubbing them together. Since Dupuytren’s disease causes contractures of the palm and fingers, stretching exercises are particularly important. One possibility is to stretch each finger individually as straight as possible and hold it in this position for about 30 seconds.

This should be repeated several times with each finger. To increase the difficulty a bit, you can also use the other hand to exert slight counter-pressure on the stretched finger, so that the muscles have to work harder to keep the finger stretched. This tension should also be maintained for about 30 seconds before switching to the next finger.

A good exercise is also the forming of a fist with subsequent stretching of the hand. This sequence of movements should also be repeated several times. To promote fine motor skills, it is a good idea to touch the tip of the thumb with each finger one after the other and then stretch the finger out as much as possible.

Here too, several passes should be performed in succession. Small exercise balls that can be squeezed together with the hand are also suitable for strengthening the hand muscles. Between the exercises it can be beneficial to shake out your hands properly.

Another possible exercise is circling the fingers. You place the palms of your hands together so that the fingertips touch and let one or more pairs of fingers circle alternately. An important aspect in this self-treatment of Dupuytren’s disease after surgery is the regular stretching of the fingers.

Before and after the exercises, the fingers and palm can be stretched in a targeted manner and the stretch can be held for a few breaths. It should be noted that not only the one with the affected hand should perform the exercises, but both hands should be observed. Depending on the severity of the disease, a suitable one can be chosen from different exercises.

Dupuytren’s disease is a benign change in the extensor tendons of the palm of the hand.Affected are mostly little fingers and ring fingers, usually on both hands. Due to an increased formation of collagenous connective tissue in the area of the palmar aponeurosis, knots and strands are formed. These strands grow together with the tendons of the palm of the hand and thus significantly restrict the function of the hand.

The disease takes years to develop to the maximum extent of the flexor contracture. Depending on the extent of the resulting extension deficit, the disease is divided into different stages according to Tubania. Depending on these stages, the decision on therapy is somewhat easier.

Unfortunately, the usual physiotherapeutic therapies are useless, so that in addition to radiation in early stages, surgery is currently the only other therapy option. The operation can either be performed as an open fasciotomy or by means of the minimally invasive needle fasciotomy. Further therapeutic options, such as the use of various enzymes, are being tested.