Physiotherapy & Physical Rehabilitation

The patient of this study is a female administrative, she was 57 years old. In her job she always uses the computer and she has a lot of repetitive movements. She referred pain in the first extensor compartment of her right wrist. She went to a physiotherapy clinic and has completed three sessions of conservative treatment (massage therapy and stretching). Two months later she was still having pain and a slight loss of muscle strength in her right arm. She went to another physiotherapy clinic and she received a session consisting in massage in her forearm, wrist articular movement, deep transverse massage in tendons of her first dorsal compartment, ultrasound and stretching. She improved but she was still having pain and inflammation. In the second session the physiotherapist proposed dry needling and the patient accepted. After one session of dry needling, ultrasound and stretching, the final recuperation was achieved. Continued stretching at home was recommended. Six months later the patient is completely asymptomatic. We can conclude that dry needling in the treatment of De Quervain’s tenosynovitis has great benefits in pain, inflammation and muscle and tendon recuperation after repetitive movements as well as its long-term maintenance. A lot of evidence exists about the effect of dry needling in muscles but the application of this technique in one specific tendon improves symptomatology. We thought that this line of research could give physiotherapists great results in the treatment of their patients.