I'm sure many people reading this site will be asking this same question one day but probably much later than me :( I'm only 31 and I'm a little scared tbh. I've been waiting for a consultation at the hospital for the last 6 months and I only thought I was going to have a broken finger straightened.

It happened about 8 yrs ago. I put my hand through a glass screen and got a nasty cut on my little finger. But before long I noticed the bass of the joint got really hard. Like a small pea underneath my first joint. And then it began. My little finger just seemed to get more and more crooked. Until it really start to affect my work (I'm a music producer). I thought it was broken and had set like that. I went to the Hospital today and he told me it was Dupuytrens disease.

First of all the word disease really threw me. My god - I always thought I was perfect. Well sort of :) I never expected this. And I rely on my hands so much. Then he told me it's so uncommon at my age. So is this gonna get really bad as I get older? How is it going to spread? I've read as much as I can on this but my mind is playing tricks on me. It's like I'm imagining myself with all my fingers, palms, toes and feet curled up and unable to function. Oh dear life is so cruel. Perhaps this is worst case senario but it scares the living hell out of me.

I'm just really really worried at this stage. I'm not a big worrier - I don't usually care about my body as much as I should do, especially being involved in music. But this is something I really need everyone's advice on. How will this develop and what can I do to prevent it? Is this common so young? Am I right to be so concerned?

I really do appreciate any advice/help anyone can give me.

Go to www.handcenter.org

I have had plantar fasciitis in my right foot for about 4 years. After wearing hard orthotics for all that time, I developed heel spurs in both feet. Now I can hardly walk. About 16 mopnths ago I developed trigger thumb in the right hand. with some similar pains in the base of the left thumb. I get some transient pain in both palms and the hand doc who gave me two shots of cortisone found a nodule in the right thumb base. He says surgery on the R. hand is next.
Meanwhile, a foot doctor gave me stretching exercises for the PF and heel spurs ( against the wall) but these seem to be hurting my knees and upper thighs. I also have a chronic shoulder problem (again right side, 14 years.
I'm a basket case.
what does all this ad up to? How does one get a diagnosis?
I am ambidexterous: write left handed, eat lefthanded. Everything else right handed. I have high cholesteral(260/150). Piano playing seems to help my hand. they aren't curving. Robin