A New Physical Diagnostic Tool for the Diagnosis of De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis: First Compartment Synergy Test
Abstract
Introduction: There are two main provocative tests that can help us identify De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. These are better known as the Finkelstein and Eichhoff tests. Both maneuvers are passive and attempt to elongate the affected tendons. Following the notion of muscle synergy, we decided to describe a new active maneuver for diagnosing De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, thus incorporating a new physical diagnostic tool for a more precise diagnosis. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted, evaluating all skeletally mature patients who presented with mechanical pain on the radial border of the wrist between April and July 2023. Tests for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis were performed, as well as assessments for other radial border diseases. Diagnosticimaging studies were requested to confirm the diagnosis. The specificity and sensitivity of the physical tests were determined. Results: A total of 38 patients were included, and 43 wrists were evaluated (29 females, 9 males). The average age was 47 years. The sensitivity and specificity of the synergy test were 94.87% and 100%, respectively, with a positive predictive value of 100%. Conclusion: The findings reveal that active maneuvers outperform passive maneuvers for reaching the correct diagnosis; in this case, the proposed synergy test is the most specific. However, this maneuver should not replace existing ones.Downloads
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