Also known as “mummy’s wrist”, de Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a super painful wrist condition that is common among new mums. But I’ve also seen it in tradies, desk workers and even a professional rugby union player! De Quervain’s tenosynovitis symptoms The pain is usually felt on the thumb side of the wrist and is worst when the wrist is bent and the thumb is stretched either downwards or outwards. Picking up and holding a baby is difficult, and the pain gets worse with prolonged tension, hence why this condition is so common in new parents. There may or may not be swelling. The good news is t ..read more

One of the players I work with at the Hawthorn Football Club, Mitchell Lewis, was recently interviewed on television. Mitch mentioned how a hand strengthening program I had set up for him had helped him improve his football this year. Hand strength and activity Research has confirmed that strong hands are associated with good health. There is no doubt that improving your hand strength is useful in sports like football or rock climbing, as well as in less active pursuits like gardening or cooking. Targeting an area of hand weakness can also reduce hand pain. Although squeezing a stress ball mig ..read more

Arthritis is a very general term for a collection of disorders that result in gradual degeneration of joints. The most common of these is osteoarthritis which is a condition that results in the smooth cartilage at the end of the bone wearing away. Cartilage is incredibly smooth and is responsible for helping joints move easily. Unfortunately, over time it wears away. This happens in everyone but not at the same time. Some people experience its effects earlier due to trauma or maybe a more active youth. I see it a lot in old footballers! For others it is merely a case of unlucky genetics. Sympt ..read more

With sport now well and truly back on the agenda after almost two years away, and with  football season just around the corner, discussing finger injuries in sport feels timely. Sprained fingers: the most common footy injury? The most common injury I see in my athletes is a sore middle joint in their finger after it has been forced backwards or to the side by a ball or a collision. Sometimes there is a dislocation of the joint, but not usually. Usually there is swelling and pain that won’t go away. This is not an injury that would be ignored at the elite level, but at recreational and com ..read more

Your wrist joint is incredibly complicated. Despite its appearance, it’s not a simple hinge, but rather a complex network of bones, ligaments and tendons, all working together to provide 360 degrees of motion, the ability to push through our palms, and to place our hands exactly where we need them to be. When one or more of the structures in our wrist fails, the ability of the wrist to perform these actions is reduced. And debilitating pain and instability can impact your ability to perform simple daily tasks. Wrist fractures are most common in your long forearm bone — the radius. They can als ..read more