Hi everybody

22y/o Australian male here with early stage DD and LD, wondering if RT will be a safe treatment option for my condition.

Have had DD since age 19 with a cord in my right pinky and a few other small nodules on the same hand. What’s really causing the problem, however, is the nodule in the arch of my right foot, which I first noticed about 18 months ago and is causing increasing discomfort when walking.

The early onset of the conditions could be due partly to a family history of DD, LD and frozen shoulder, as well as the trauma my hands and feet were subjected to as a competitive runner and rugby player as a teenager.

Since it sounds like RT is the most effective method of treatment for DD and LD, I was just wondering if it is appropriate for young patients like myself. There have been a couple of posts on this forum that advise against it, but I’ve heard of a couple of success stories also.

I asked my GP about the use of RT on Dupuytren’s, but she told me it would result in me developing cancer, if not now, possibly 30 years or so down the track. I also understand there’s a risk of RT inhibiting the success of future surgeries.

What do you guys think? Do I opt for the RT, or shouldn’t I take the risk?

Cheers
Sp

Southpaw:

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Hi everybody

22y/o Australian male here with early stage DD and LD, wondering if RT will be a safe treatment option for my condition.

Have had DD since age 19 with a cord in my right pinky and a few other small nodules on the same hand. What’s really causing the problem, however, is the nodule in the arch of my right foot, which I first noticed about 18 months ago and is causing increasing discomfort when walking.

The early onset of the conditions could be due partly to a family history of DD, LD and frozen shoulder, as well as the trauma my hands and feet were subjected to as a competitive runner and rugby player as a teenager.

Since it sounds like RT is the most effective method of treatment for DD and LD, I was just wondering if it is appropriate for young patients like myself. There have been a couple of posts on this forum that advise against it, but I’ve heard of a couple of success stories also.

I asked my GP about the use of RT on Dupuytren’s, but she told me it would result in me developing cancer, if not now, possibly 30 years or so down the track. I also understand there’s a risk of RT inhibiting the success of future surgeries.

What do you guys think? Do I opt for the RT, or shouldn’t I take the risk?

Cheers
Sp

Edited 04/26/15 05:36

Seph:

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Southpaw; 60 y/o NZ male living in Sydney. I echo the comments of SB and Cherise. You have a long journey ahead. Best hasten slowly.

I have a strong view on the nodule in the arch of you foot - leave it alone. Push through the pain and, in time, it will go away.

I developed a nodule in the arch of one foot in my early teens. Doctors operated not knowing what it was and within a short period it grew back twice the size followed by a new nodule in the arch of the other foot. I am not assuming a causal connection between the surgery and the other growth but it does seem to me that the more you interfere the more DD LD activity you get.

In any event by your age I had LD both feet and DC one hand and by age 30 the other hand was also affected.

With the LD lump I think the pain is caused by the nodule displacing tendons, nerves and other ligaments. Over time, if you push through, they will stretch or adjust and the pain goes away. At your age I had a issues with pain when I first started walking in the morning or when I started to run. At that time I did a bit of running, played field hockey and squash and was a regular in the gym. By the time I was 30 I had no pain and have had non since.

The other issue I had with my feet was when the nodules started rubbing on the bottom of my shoes. Blisters would form after I had been for a run. These I popped and applied methylated spirits. Today the nodules have a leathery skin covering like my heals and I have no issues.

NB I have also had bilateral frozen should. Now that is really painful. I suspect that there is a good chance you will get to enjoy that at some stage.

Good luck

Edited 04/26/15 07:05

Wolfgang; I decided not to use cortizone as I understand there is a risk that it will weaken tendons; cartilage and other connective tissue. Since frozen shoulder self corrects over time I decided I would tough it out. I did try hydrodilatation on my left shoulder. Very uncomfortable and I'm not sure it helped. I wouldn't do it a second time.

I am right handed and I did get earlier improvement there by continuing to play tennis. I would take 4-5 nurofen tablets before playing then just go for it. Certain actions resulted in excruciating pain but it only lasted 10 seconds each time. In any event it self corrected and I now have no shoulder issues and, so far, it hasn't come back.

The bunch of decrepid individuals that I play tennis with are still better than me but the multiple shoulder, knee or and ankle alterations that they are having are adding up. I will stick to nurofen as my drug of choice and eventually I will beat them.

Seph

I also suffered from frozen shoulder. My orthopedist advised against cortisone shots saying they do not work so that he no longer administers them for frozen shoulder. However, I told him I had had great success with physical therapy for other shoulder/knee/ankle injuries caused by sports activities. He readily agreed to a course of physical therapy for frozen shoulder which I believe tot have been very effective in terms of greatly speeding up the recovery process. In lieu of 1-2 years of pain I experienced 100% correction within 6 months of onset, probably about 95% correction within 90 days from starting physical therapy (app. 10-12 week duration given insurance constraints).