De Quervain's Tenosynovitis Physiotherapy in Johor
De Quervain's is inflammation of the sheath around the two tendons that move the thumb outward - abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis - where they pass over the radial side of the wrist.
Pain is sharp on the thumb side of the wrist, worsens with any thumb-plus-wrist motion (lifting a baby out of a car seat, wringing a cloth, pouring a kettle), and often wakes the patient up when they roll onto the hand at night.
Two distinct Johor demographics
We see it almost evenly split between new mothers 2 weeks to 6 months postpartum - particularly those with babies in the 5–9 kg range who have been doing a lot of one-handed lifting - and desk workers who do heavy phone scrolling, mouse gripping, or trackpad use.
The Finkelstein test (tucking the thumb into the fist and gently ulnar-deviating the wrist) is painful in both groups.
Rehab outline
A thumb-spica splint worn at night and for provocative tasks settles the tendons in 1–2 weeks.
Load modification is taught in specifics - "lift baby from the armpits with a flat palm, not a hooked thumb".
Gentle tendon-gliding exercises start almost immediately. Isometric thumb extension loading and progressive wrist strengthening follow from week 2–3.
Manual therapy and occasional dry needling can calm stubborn cases.
Cost and Johor context
RM120-250 per session. 4–8 sessions over 6–10 weeks.
If 8 weeks of quality rehab doesn't settle it, an ultrasound-guided steroid injection usually does - we coordinate the referral if needed.
Surgical release is rarely necessary.
Very common in Johor post-birth clusters and in new desk workers transitioning from field-based to screen-based roles.
How PhysioJohor matches you
WhatsApp us: which side, whether you have a baby or young child you lift regularly, what specifically triggers the pain, and whether you're breastfeeding (affects oral anti-inflammatory options, not ours, but relevant to the GP conversation).