I haven’t been diagnosed by a doctor, but I’m pretty sure I have Dupuytren’s Contracture in my right hand; it began about 8 years ago. I could post a picture; it would probably take all of a second before confirming I’m definitely inflicted with it. I have a similar condition in both my feet. too. As a guitarist, I’m just thankful I don’t have it in my left hand. It started as a small bump on the palm of my hand on the tendon that I presume controls the ring finger. From there over a few years time it progressed into what I gather is called a “cord” about an inch or two long.

I can’t be sure exactly what caused this, but I suspect I over did it in my early piano days. However, I had also cut the palm of my hand about this time too, in a relatively close location; I wonder if that may have had something to do with it. Perhaps it’s a combination of the two?

I believe I’m pretty lucky so far given the size of the cord in my palm. I figure it’s only affected my range of motion about ... well I’m not sure—I can pretty much straighten it out, but it wants to contract, as well as cock a little bit towards the side of my middle finger. I estimate about a 3-5% impairment at most, if that? I’m definitely affected, but it hasn’t progressed in at least 5 years. It has not affected me as a musician at all thus far. I don’t know if that’s due to some of the physical therapy-type things I made up on my own when I first started noticing the condition (I figured if I made a conscious effort to keep it straight when resting, it couldn’t contract) or maybe I have just been lucky so far. Is it possible that it will never progress further than it has? I believe my palm is more affected than my finger: I fail the tabletop test badly. I have taken to wiping tables and such off with the back or side of my hand.

I turned 40 a few months ago. It started about age 32. Just a little knot that would hurt when I gripped something like a doorknob just the right way. In just a few years it advanced into looking just like the pictures of cords I have seen on the net. I'm pretty certain it hasn't advanced at all in the last 5 years. Keeping photographic records is a great idea!

I've mentioned it to a couple of different doctors in passing over the years when I've seen them for various things, but I got the impression neither of them had ever heard of it.

I'm glad to have found this site.

Thanks!

Edited 01/21/14 04:39