I haven't figured out why the postings show such old dates. This one to which I am responding was posted last June.
Never-the-less I shall reply since I read if for the first time today.

I am not a doctor or even nurse. My own opinion on how fast dupuytren progresses is that it is entirely individual. Some progress fast others very slowly.

Personally I developed one lone nodule when I was 38 and never any progression until several nodules developed in the other hand at age approximately 50. The ones in the other hand then went on to develop faster than the original one.

It seems, personally to me, that trauma may play a part. I believe a doctor I respect actually mentioned that to me once. Anyway, for whatever it is worth, I would suggest being gentle with hands that tend toward Dupuytrens. I have a very large hilly landscape and, I believe now, abused my hands in the process of using tools to clear it off. Rakes and hoes and shovels tend to jab right into the palm and that is where the nodules for me started.

I too was just diagnosed with Dupuytren's disease and am interested in learning all I can.

Dear Kristen,
I am a white female 59 yrs.old. At 40 I was diagnosed with this disease. I had surgery to remove the lumps, but by a vascular surgeon and not a hand surgeon. The "DR." did not prescribe and therapy after. I now have 2 hooked fingers, pinky and ring on my right hand. I was told this was an alcoholic, older male disease. I now have learned to live with this deformity. A hand surgeon at N.E. Baptist Hos. wanted to break my little finger and fuse it in a semi-open position. He claimed had never seen this severity in a woman of my "young" age.
Good luck. I manage to work aroud this problem. I still manage needlework, beading and driving a motorcycle.

I've had it in my foot since I was 2 yrs. old. I'm 54 now and 3 surgeries later and they say there is nothing more that can be done. If they operate again 'my foot will collapse'. Not sure what that means. I have damage to the medial nerve and am permanently walking with a cane, due to the pain. But, I'm still walking! I want to know if anyone else has had to go to this extreme. What kinds of shoes (brands) are the most comfortable? Has anyone found orthotics helpful, I haven't and thought maybe there might be something out there that would work for me. I am also getting hammertoes on that foot. Sometimes ice packs help and other times a nice warm foot bath.

I also have an extreme case of dupuytren's contracture on my hand. After 3 surgeries it too is finished. Little finger has contracted down to the palm. Doc says next one is amputation. Would love to hear from others that have gone through this. I have the classic knuckle pads and frozen shoulder problems, and had surgery for a trigger thumb.

I've broken all the rules here... got it as a child, female, tea-totaler, no epilepsy, no diabetes, but it is inherited in my family. My father had it and my brothers both have it.

Thanks for listening!
Vicki
tautegv@teleport.com

i found some interesting sites with your problem

for the shoulder

Shoulder
... These patients are often pre-diabetic with raised serum cholesterol and tri-glycerides.
They may have Dupuytrens disease in the palms. Early cases may respond ...
www.dcs.ex.ac.uk/~sgrange/peoc/shoulder1.htm - 11k


for the feet

Heel Spurs, plantar fasciitis, heel pain, heel spur
... children with heel spurs Chiropractor chiropractors cholesterol chopat cho-pat heel
strap ... Theodore dress shoes duck feet dupuytrens duration dyna dyna slipper ...
heelspurs.com/searchlog2b.html - 16k - Cached - Similar pages

good luck pz