Written by Zita Sham, Fairuuz Saleh and Shiv Mohan Banka, Principal Physiotherapists at Phoenix Rehab.Clinically reviewed by Nigel Chua, Principal Hand Occupational Therapist & Director, AHPC A1300362Z.Last reviewed 6 October 2026.
Most thumb-side wrist pain gets a wrist brace from the pharmacy. Nearly all of those braces hold the wrist and leave the thumb free, and in De Quervain’s, the two tendons at fault run through the thumb. That is why weeks of resting and bracing can change almost nothing.
A hand therapist moulds a thumb spica to your hand in the first appointment, and you leave knowing the two or three daily movements that are keeping the tendons loaded. No doctor’s referral needed.
Five clinics: Orchard, Serangoon, Tampines, Tanjong Pagar, Jurong East.
Reviewed by Nurul Nadzirah
Hand therapist · Phoenix Rehab Group
Nurul’s clinical interest is finger and wrist fractures and De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, the condition most new mothers know as mummy’s thumb. Meet the hand therapy team.
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a painful thickening of the tunnel that holds two thumb tendons at the thumb side of your wrist. You feel it as a sharp pain over the bony bump below your thumb when you grip, pinch, lift a baby or wring a cloth. Most people recover without surgery.
Effective De Quervain’s tenosynovitis treatment starts with a thumb splint, changes to the movements that load the tendons, and a graded exercise plan once the pain settles. If the splint and exercise plan stall, a doctor can offer a steroid injection. A hand surgeon can release the tunnel for the smaller group of people whose pain persists after several months of good conservative care.
Which of these is you?
It started recently
Pain for under six weeks, worse with lifting and gripping. This is the group that settles fastest. A thumb spica and two or three changes to how you lift often turn it around in 2 to 6 weeks.
It is not settling
Months of pain, a pharmacy brace that did not help, rest that did not hold. Longer-standing De Quervain’s takes 6 to 12 weeks and is the group most likely to be offered an injection. What changes the course is the right splint plus a graded loading plan.
You have had an injection or surgery
After an injection, loading usually resumes at about two weeks, done too early it flares. After a release, hand therapy protects the wound, improves movement and rebuilds grip. See hand therapy after surgery.
Before you book
Send us your referral letter or scan report
If you have already seen a GP, a sports physician or a hand surgeon, send us the referral letter, the ultrasound or X-ray report, or the date of your injection or surgery. One of our hand therapists will tell you what it means for your rehabilitation and the likely timeframe before you commit to an appointment.
We read reports, not photos. A photo of the hand cannot show the tunnel, the tendons or whether the compartment is divided, a report can.
This is not a diagnosis and does not replace an assessment. If you have no report, you do not need one to be seen, a referral is not required for hand therapy in Singapore.
De Quervain’s at a glance
| What it is | Thickening of the sheath around two thumb tendons where they cross the wrist |
| Where it hurts | Thumb side of the wrist, over the bony bump (the radial styloid) |
| Who gets it | New mothers and caregivers, women aged 30 to 50, jobs and sports with repeated gripping and thumb use |
| Key test | Finkelstein test, done by a clinician and compared with your other wrist |
| First-line care | Thumb spica splint, load changes, graded exercise |
| Typical recovery with early care | 2 to 6 weeks for recent, mild cases; 6 to 12 weeks if pain has lasted more than 3 months |
| See a doctor first if | Pain started after a fall, the wrist is hot and red, or you have a fever |
Hand therapy, with or without surgery
De Quervain Tenosynovitis Recovery Program
The tendons at the thumb side of the wrist do not swell from nothing. They swell from a load that went up and never came down.
For De Quervain tenosynovitis managed with splinting and graded loading, after an injection, and after release surgery. A staged hand therapy program at five Singapore clinics.
No referral needed to start. Bring your operation note, discharge summary or scan report.
Start here
Where are you right now?
De Quervain is a different problem depending on where you are with it. Pick the one that matches.
How the program runs
4-Stage Structured Recovery
You move up a stage when you meet the criteria for it, not when a number of weeks has passed. That is Criteria Before Clearance, and it is why the last appointment is a graduation rather than a discharge.
The shape of it
What happens, week by week
The weeks below are the usual shape without surgery. After a release, the early weeks look like trigger finger: stitches, scar care, then strength. Your surgeon’s protocol takes precedence over anything on this page, every time.
- Weeks 0 to 3Stage 1 · Calm & ProtectThumb splint shaped in the appointment, worn as advised. The lifts that provoke it changed, not just avoided. An injection, if your doctor gives one, usually fits in here.
- Weeks 3 to 6Stage 2 · Move & MobilizeOut of the splint for longer. Thumb and wrist range without pain.
- Weeks 6 to 10Stage 3 · Rebuild & StrengthenGraded loading of the thumb and wrist. Lifting with the thumb tucked in, then out.
- Week 10 onwardStage 4 · Return & PerformBack to the full load: the baby, the bag, the barbell, the phone held for an hour.
In the first weeks
Is this normal?
Usually expected
- Pain that improves in the splint and returns when you take it off early.
- A slow response, because tendons change over weeks, not days.
- Tenderness over the thumb side of the wrist after a busy day.
- A creaking feeling when the thumb moves.
- After a release, a tender scar and some numbness over the back of the thumb that usually settles.
Contact your doctor
- Doctor the same day: a hot, red, swollen wrist with fever.
- Doctor first: pain that came on after a fall onto the hand rather than gradually. A fracture of the wrist bones needs ruling out.
- Doctor soon: numbness in the thumb and index finger.
- Review soon: no change over 3 to 4 weeks of splinting and load changes.
We would rather send you back to your surgeon early than be the reason you went late.
If it is not going to plan
Months of splinting and rest, and it comes back every time
You wore the splint. You rested it. It settled. Then you went back to lifting the baby out of the cot, and by Thursday it was back.
You lift with the heel of your hand now. You hold the phone with the other one. Wringing out a cloth is out of the question.
A tendon that quietened down in a splint is not a tendon that got stronger. If nothing was loaded back, the first week of normal use puts you where you started. The fix is loading in steps, measured, until the thumb can take what your week asks of it.
The Stalled Recovery Review is three appointments, one a week for three weeks, with the same therapist. The first finds what is holding you back. The next two measure how it responds, because what a joint does under load cannot be read in one visit. $690, nett, no GST.
More on what the three appointments cover: the Stalled Recovery Review.
Logistics
When can I…
Your surgeon decides, based on healing and what your job demands. These are typical points, not permissions.
| Activity | Typical point | What has to be true first |
|---|---|---|
| Typing | From the first week | Splint on if it helps. Short spells, thumb relaxed. |
| Lifting a baby | Changed technique from week 1 | Palms up, thumbs in. Your therapist shows you how on the day. |
| Driving | Usually throughout | A grip on the wheel you trust. After surgery, your surgeon says when. |
| Gym, racquet, heavy carrying | 6 to 10 weeks | Stage 3 loading done without the pain coming back the next day. |
| Medical certificate | Your doctor issues it | Hand therapists do not issue MCs. We can write a report on your functional limits for your doctor or employer. |
The program
What it costs and what is in it
De Quervain Tenosynovitis Recovery Program, Stages 1 to 4
Per 45-minute appointment, nett, no GST. The De Quervain Tenosynovitis Recovery Program is 12 appointments, $2,760 in all. You pay for each appointment as you attend it. If you need more, your therapist shows you which stage criteria are still open, and each extra appointment is $230.
- An Assessment & Treatment first, at $230: which stage you are in, what is limiting you, and a written plan you walk out holding
- A thumb splint shaped during the appointment
- Graded loading, progressed on criteria
- Pain on loading and grip in kilograms, measured against the other hand
- A home program, written down
- A one-page report to your surgeon at weeks 2, 6 and 12 if you were referred
- Your next stage review dated into the diary, with the same therapist
Graduation, Not Discharge. The program ends when you meet the Stage 4 criteria for the lifting, carrying and work your week asks of that thumb.
Who you will see
Managed by our hand therapy team
De Quervain sits with the hand therapy team. All five of our hand therapists treat it, so you can start at the clinic nearest you. You stay with the same therapist through the program, and every appointment is one to one for the whole 45 minutes.
Principal Hand Occupational Therapist. Wrist fractures, TFCC and wrist ligament injuries, custom splinting.
Tanjong Pagar
Principal Hand Occupational Therapist. Stiffness and scar tightness after hand or wrist surgery.
Orchard, Sundays
Principal Hand Occupational Therapist. Carpal and cubital tunnel, sports wrist and finger injuries, tennis elbow.
Orchard, Serangoon, Tampines
Principal Hand Occupational Therapist. Finger and wrist fractures, De Quervain’s, wrist ligament injuries.
Orchard
Principal Hand Occupational Therapist. TFCC and wrist ligament injuries, trigger finger, thumb and wrist pain after pregnancy.
Jurong East, from 25 October
This program runs Stages 1 to 4 of the Phoenix Recovery Protocol. It sits under hand therapy after surgery, alongside the other recovery programs.
Timings on this page are typical ranges, not predictions for any individual recovery, and your surgeon’s protocol takes precedence. Hand therapists assess, splint, exercise, educate and refer; doctors diagnose, inject, prescribe and order imaging. If we find something that needs medical review we refer you back to your doctor.
What is De Quervain’s tenosynovitis?
Two tendons run along the thumb side of your forearm to your thumb.
Abductor pollicis longus (APL) moves your thumb away from your palm. Extensor pollicis brevis (EPB) straightens your thumb at its middle knuckle. At the wrist, both tendons pass through a narrow tunnel of tough tissue that sits over the radial styloid, the bony bump you can feel below the base of your thumb. Clinicians call this tunnel the first dorsal compartment.
In De Quervain’s, the walls of that tunnel thicken and the tendons lose room to glide. Each thumb movement that pulls the tendons through the tight section rubs and hurts, and grip and pinch make it worse.
Under the microscope, the tissue shows thickening and wear more than classic inflammation. That finding explains two things patients notice: anti-inflammatory tablets give partial relief, and rest on its own seldom settles the problem for good.
You may see the condition called De Quervain’s syndrome, De Quervain’s tendinopathy, washerwoman’s sprain or mummy’s thumb. All four names describe the same problem.
Symptoms of De Quervain’s tenosynovitis
- Pain on the thumb side of the wrist. The pain can spread into the thumb or up the forearm.
- Sharp pain with grip and pinch. Lifting a kettle, opening a jar, wringing a cloth or pinching your phone can set it off.
- Swelling over the bony bump. Some people see a soft swelling or feel a tender lump over the tunnel.
- Catching or creaking. The thumb may feel as if it sticks or grates as it moves.
- Pain in the Finkelstein position. Tucking your thumb into your palm and tilting your wrist toward your little finger reproduces the pain.
- Tingling on the back of the thumb. A small skin nerve, the superficial radial nerve, runs over the tunnel. Swelling, a tight watch strap or an ill-fitting brace can irritate it.
Symptoms tend to build over days to weeks. Many new mothers notice them in the months after the birth, once lifting and feeding become constant.
How to tell De Quervain’s apart from other thumb and wrist pain
Several conditions hurt in the same area, and each one needs a different plan.
| Condition | Where it hurts | Clues |
|---|---|---|
| De Quervain’s tenosynovitis | Thumb side of the wrist, over the bony bump | Pain in the Finkelstein position; swelling over the tunnel |
| Base of thumb arthritis | Base of the thumb, closer to the palm | Pain with pinch; grinding when the joint is pressed and turned; age over 50 |
| Intersection syndrome | A few centimeters above the wrist, on the back of the forearm | Squeaking or creaking with wrist movement; common in rowers and gym users |
| Scaphoid fracture | The hollow at the base of the thumb | Follows a fall on an outstretched hand; needs an X-ray |
| Wartenberg’s syndrome | Back of the thumb and wrist | Burning or tingling; worse with a tight watch, bracelet or cast |
| Trigger thumb | Palm side of the thumb base | Clicking or locking as the thumb bends |
| TFCC injury | Little-finger side of the wrist | Opposite side; pain with twisting and leaning on the hand |
What causes De Quervain’s tenosynovitis?
Repeated or sustained loading of the thumb with the wrist bent sideways is the most common trigger. Lifting, gripping and pinching pull the two tendons through the tunnel under load. A feathered kayak blade loads the same tendons on every stroke, covered in the dragon boat and paddling injuries guide. In our Singapore clinics, the pattern shows up most in these groups:
- New mothers and caregivers. Lifting a baby under the arms with the thumbs spread wide loads the tendons dozens of times a day. Fluid and hormone changes during pregnancy and breastfeeding add to the problem. Grandparents who look after young grandchildren develop it for the same reason.
- Hands-on jobs. F&B and hawker work (tossing woks, lifting pots and trays), cleaning (wringing cloths and mops), hairdressing, dentistry, laboratory work and assembly work combine grip with thumb and wrist movement. Our page on repetitive strain injury covers other work-related hand and wrist pain.
- Racquet and club sports. Badminton, tennis, golf and bowling load the thumb tendons with each swing or release. A jump in training volume often comes a few weeks before the pain.
- Heavy phone and tablet use. Long appointments of thumb scrolling and texting add load. Research links heavy phone use to thumb-side wrist pain, though the link is weaker than for lifting and gripping.
Other factors raise the risk:
- Being female and aged 30 to 50
- Pregnancy and the first year after birth
- Rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions
- A split tunnel. Some people have an extra wall (a septum) that divides the first dorsal compartment into two narrower channels. This variation can make symptoms more stubborn and injections less effective, and an ultrasound scan can show it.
How is De Quervain’s tenosynovitis diagnosed?
A hand therapist or doctor diagnoses De Quervain’s from your history and a hands-on examination. Most people do not need a scan.
The history. Your clinician asks when the pain started, which tasks trigger it, and about recent changes such as a new baby, a new job, a new sport or a jump in training. A fall on the hand changes the plan, because a fracture needs ruling out first.
The De Quervain’s test (Finkelstein test)
Your clinician presses along the tunnel, checks thumb and wrist movement, and tests the tendons against resistance. The standard check is the Finkelstein test. The clinician holds your thumb and tilts your wrist toward your little finger. Pain over the tunnel supports the diagnosis.
A popular variation asks you to tuck your thumb inside a fist and bend the wrist down. This version, the Eichhoff test, can hurt healthy wrists too, so your clinician compares both sides before drawing a conclusion. Please do not keep testing yourself at home. Each test loads the tendons you are trying to settle.
Scans and X-rays. Your hand therapist refers you to a doctor for imaging if the picture does not fit. Common reasons are a recent fall, likely arthritis at the base of the thumb, or pain that does not change with treatment. An ultrasound scan shows thickening of the tunnel and any septum. An X-ray checks for bone and joint problems.
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis treatment in Singapore: your options
Treatment follows a ladder. Most people improve on the first two rungs, and each step up adds cost and risk.
| Option | Who provides it | What the evidence shows | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Load changes and education | Hand therapist | Reduces pain flares at all stages | From day one |
| Thumb spica splint | Hand therapist (custom) or pharmacy (ready-made) | Eases pain in the first weeks; works better alongside load changes than on its own | From day one, worn for 3 to 6 weeks |
| Graded exercise program | Hand therapist | Rebuilds tendon tolerance for lifting and gripping | Once pain settles, often from week 2 to 4 |
| Anti-inflammatory tablets or gels | Doctor or pharmacist | Short-term pain relief; no effect on the thickened tunnel | Short courses, alongside the above |
| Steroid injection | Doctor (GP, sports physician, orthopedic or hand surgeon) | Strongest evidence of the non-surgical options | If splint and therapy stall after 4 to 6 weeks, or pain is severe |
| Surgery (first dorsal compartment release) | Hand or orthopedic surgeon | Relieves pain for most people; small risks of nerve irritation and tendon slipping | If pain persists after 3 to 6 months of good conservative care |
- Load changes come first. The aim is to cut the specific movements that load the tunnel and keep the rest of your hand moving. Your therapist helps you pick out the two or three tasks that cause the most pain and changes how you do them. A new baby-lifting technique, a two-handed pour or a thicker pen grip can reduce pain within days.
- Splints: custom or ready-made? A splint for De Quervain’s must hold both the wrist and the thumb. Hand therapists call this design a thumb spica. It runs from the forearm to the thumb, holds the wrist straight and supports the thumb out to its middle knuckle, leaving the tip of the thumb free. Many pharmacy wrist supports in Singapore hold the wrist and leave the thumb free. Those braces help carpal tunnel syndrome and wrist sprains, and do little for De Quervain’s. If you buy one, choose a brace labelled “thumb spica” or “thumb stabilizer”.
- A custom thermoplastic splint moulds to your wrist and thumb, keeps pressure off the tender bump, and weighs less than many ready-made braces. Perforated thermoplastic also breathes better than thick neoprene in Singapore’s humidity. Your therapist adjusts it as the swelling changes.
- Exercise comes after the pain settles. Tendons need the right dose of load to recover. Once the sharp pain eases, your therapist adds thumb and wrist strengthening in stages, so you return to lifting with tendons that can take the load.
- Steroid injections. A doctor injects a small dose of corticosteroid into the tunnel, sometimes under ultrasound guidance. Of the non-surgical treatments, injection has the strongest evidence for De Quervain’s. It can thin the skin or lighten skin color at the site, and some people need a second injection. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, discuss the timing with your doctor. Hand therapists do not give injections; we coordinate your splint and exercise plan with your doctor around the injection.
- Surgery. A hand surgeon opens the roof of the tunnel under local anesthetic as a day procedure, and releases the septum if one is present. Afterwards, hand therapy after surgery protects the healing wound, improves movement and rebuilds grip strength.
- Treatments with limited evidence. Taping, therapeutic ultrasound and laser have limited research support for De Quervain’s. If a clinic offers them, treat them as add-ons to splinting and load management.
Hand therapy for De Quervain’s at Phoenix Rehab Group
Phoenix Rehab Group has four hand therapists working across our clinics. AHPC-registered occupational therapists and physiotherapists with post-graduate training in hand therapy. The practice was founded by Nigel Chua, Principal Hand Occupational Therapist & Director, who has worked in hand and wrist rehabilitation since 2005.
At your first appointment, you can expect:
- A focused history. We ask about your tasks at home, at work and in sport, and about pregnancy or a new baby.
- An examination of both hands. We confirm De Quervain’s and rule out the look-alikes in the table above. If anything points to a fracture, infection or inflammatory arthritis, we refer you to a doctor first.
- A custom thumb spica splint. We mold a thermoplastic splint to your hand in the same appointment and show you when to wear it and how to check your skin.
- A load plan. You leave with specific changes for your most painful tasks, including baby lifting and feeding positions if you are a new parent.
- A starter exercise plan. Movement for the fingers, thumb and wrist that keeps the joints mobile without irritating the tendons.
At follow-up appointments, your therapist adjusts the splint, progresses the exercises and decides with you when to wean off the splint. If progress stalls, we write to your GP or surgeon with our findings so you do not start from scratch. Most people need 3 to 6 appointments over 6 to 8 weeks.
Thumb-side wrist pain
If it has lasted more than two weeks, or it wakes you at night, a hand therapist can confirm the cause and splint it in the same appointment.
De Quervain’s recovery time: what to expect
Recovery depends on how long you have had symptoms and how much you can change the load. The timeframes below assume splinting and hand therapy. Your therapist or surgeon may give you different targets; use theirs.
| Situation | What happens | Typical timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Recent onset (under 6 weeks), mild pain | Pain settles with splint and load changes; exercise builds strength | 2 to 6 weeks |
| Pain for more than 3 months | Slower progress; some people need an injection | 6 to 12 weeks |
| After a steroid injection | Pain eases; splint for comfort; exercise resumes | Relief within 1 to 2 weeks; loading resumes after about 2 weeks |
| After release surgery | Wound heals, then movement, then strength | Light daily use from about 2 weeks; full grip and lifting by 6 to 12 weeks |
| New mothers | Eases as lifting and feeding demands change | Can persist until breastfeeding ends |
You are on track if pain with daily tasks drops week by week, you can lift a kettle or your baby without a sharp catch, and night pain stops. Contact your therapist if pain rises despite the splint, numbness appears, or the swelling grows.
Exercises for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis
Start exercises after your therapist confirms the diagnosis. An exercise that helps in week four can flare the tendons in week one, so the order matters.
Stage 1: calm the tendons (splint stage)
- Finger tendon glides. With the splint on, move your fingers through a straight hand, hook fist, full fist and flat fist. 10 repeats at a slow pace, 3 times a day.
- Thumb movement out of the splint. Rest your forearm on a table, thumb side up, wrist straight. Bend and straighten the thumb within comfort. 10 repeats, 2 to 3 times a day.
Stage 2: start loading (once pain at rest has settled)
- Thumb holds. Place your hand on its side, thumb up. Press your thumb outward against the fingers of your other hand without moving it. Hold 5 to 10 seconds, 5 times, at about half effort.
- Wrist tilts with a light weight. Hold a 500 ml water bottle with your forearm resting on a table, thumb up. Tilt the wrist up toward the ceiling, then lower it over 3 seconds. 10 to 15 repeats, once a day.
Stage 3: build strength and return to tasks
- Pinch and grip with therapy putty. Squeeze and pinch putty in the grade your therapist chooses. 2 to 3 sets of 10.
- Hammer tilts. Hold a light hammer by the handle, thumb up, and tilt the head up and down. Move your grip toward the end of the handle to make it harder.
- Task practice. Rehearse the tasks that caused the pain, such as lifting your baby, carrying groceries or a badminton grip, using the technique changes from your load plan.
Stop or scale back if pain during an exercise goes above 3 out of 10, pain is still higher the next morning, or new swelling or creaking appears.
One common exercise to skip: online videos show the Finkelstein position, thumb tucked in a fist and wrist bent down, as a “stretch”. Holding that position squeezes the tendons against the tunnel wall. Leave it out during recovery.
Mistakes that slow De Quervain’s recovery
- Using a wrist brace that leaves the thumb free. It supports the wrist and misses the tendons at fault.
- Taking the splint off for the hardest tasks. Wear it for lifting, carrying and feeding, when the tendons take the most load.
- Complete rest for weeks. Tendons lose tolerance without load. Cut the painful tasks and keep the hand moving.
- Stretching into pain. Pain during a stretch means you are squeezing the tendons in the tunnel.
- Testing yourself several times a day. Each Finkelstein test provokes the tendons again.
- Waiting months before seeking help. Longer-standing De Quervain’s takes longer to settle and is more likely to need an injection.
Mummy wrist: De Quervain’s in new parents
Mummy wrist, or mommy wrist, is De Quervain’s tenosynovitis in someone caring for a baby. Lifting a baby under the arms with your thumbs spread wide pulls two thumb tendons through a narrow tunnel on the thumb side of the wrist, under load, dozens of times a day. Fathers, grandparents and helpers who do the lifting get it too.
It can start in pregnancy, when fluid retention narrows the tunnel, and it peaks in the first year after the birth. By then the pain has a pattern. You pass the baby to someone else to get out of the car. You twist the formula tin open with your palm. The kettle goes to the other hand. Tingling in the thumb, index and middle fingers that wakes you at night is a different problem: carpal tunnel in pregnancy.
The lifts that set it off
- The scoop under the armpits. Hands around the chest, thumbs spread behind the arms, lifting out of the cot or off the play mat. The thumbs take the baby’s weight while the wrist bends toward the little finger, and that combination loads the two tendons hardest.
- Feeding. Cradling the head in an open hand with the thumb spread, or holding a bottle at an angle, for the length of a feed. Night feeds are the same hold, half asleep, with nothing under the arm to take the weight.
- The car seat. An infant car seat with the baby in it, carried on one hand by the handle, with the wrist bent sideways to keep it clear of your leg. The car park to the lift lobby is long enough.
What helps
Change the lift before anything else. Slide one hand under the bottom and the other behind the back and neck, palms up, thumbs resting beside your fingers. Bring the baby against your chest before you stand. Carry the car seat and the pram with both hands, close to your body. Let a nursing pillow or cushion take the weight during feeds, so your wrist stays straight. In the first weeks, share the lifting with your partner, helper or family.
A thumb splint made by a hand therapist. Many pharmacy wrist braces hold the wrist and leave the thumb free, and the two tendons run through the thumb. A thumb spica holds the wrist straight and supports the thumb out to its middle knuckle. Your hand therapist molds it to your hand in the first appointment, shaped around the way you hold your baby, and you wear it for lifting and night feeds. Thermoplastic wipes clean after a feed, which a fabric brace does not.
Graded loading once it settles. The splint lets the tendons calm down. Loading them in steps is what builds them up to a baby who is heavier every month. Once the sharp pain eases, your therapist adds thumb and wrist exercises one level at a time, then rehearses the lifts you do every day. That is Stage 3, Rebuild & Strengthen, of The Phoenix Recovery Protocol.
Pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication are a decision for your doctor or pharmacist. If you are breastfeeding, take any question about medication or an injection to your doctor. If the pain started with a fall onto the hand, or the wrist is hot, red and swollen, see a doctor first.
What is mummy wrist?
Mummy wrist, or mommy wrist, is De Quervain’s tenosynovitis in someone caring for a baby. Lifting a baby under the arms with the thumbs spread pulls two thumb tendons through a narrow tunnel on the thumb side of the wrist, dozens of times a day. Fathers, grandparents and helpers who do most of the lifting can develop it too.
How is mummy wrist treated?
A hand therapist assesses the wrist, molds a thumb spica splint that holds both the wrist and the thumb, and changes how you lift: palms up, thumbs beside your fingers, the baby close to your body. Graded thumb and wrist loading follows once the sharp pain settles. Questions about medication or an injection, especially while breastfeeding, go to your doctor.
When to see a doctor or hand surgeon
See a doctor on the same day if:
- your pain started after a fall on an outstretched hand, and more so if the hollow at the base of the thumb is tender (a scaphoid fracture can hide on the first X-ray)
- the wrist is red, hot and swollen, or you feel feverish (possible infection)
- you cannot straighten or lift your thumb after a sudden snap or pop (possible tendon rupture)
Make an appointment with a doctor soon if:
- numbness spreads into your fingers, or your grip weakens
- pain wakes you most nights and keeps getting worse
- several joints are painful and stiff for more than an hour each morning (possible inflammatory arthritis)
Frequently asked questions about De Quervain’s tenosynovitis
What is the fastest way to treat De Quervain’s tenosynovitis?
For most people, the fastest route combines a thumb spica splint, changes to the tasks that load the thumb, and a graded exercise plan from a hand therapist. Recent, mild cases often settle in 2 to 6 weeks this way. If pain has not improved after 4 to 6 weeks, a doctor can offer a steroid injection, which has the strongest evidence of the non-surgical treatments. Surgeons keep surgery for pain that persists after 3 to 6 months of good conservative care.
How long does it take for De Quervain’s to heal?
Recent, mild cases often settle in 2 to 6 weeks with a splint, load changes and exercise. Pain present for more than three months takes longer, often 6 to 12 weeks. After a steroid injection, many people feel relief within 1 to 2 weeks. After release surgery, expect light daily use from about 2 weeks and full grip strength by 6 to 12 weeks. New mothers often find symptoms ease as feeding and lifting demands change.
What is the major cause of De Quervain’s tenosynovitis?
Repeated gripping, pinching and lifting with the thumb spread and the wrist bent sideways is the major cause. This load pulls two thumb tendons through a narrow tunnel at the wrist until the tunnel lining thickens. In Singapore, new mothers, caregivers, F&B and cleaning workers, hairdressers and racquet-sport players develop it most often. Pregnancy, breastfeeding and inflammatory arthritis raise the risk.
What should I avoid doing if I have De Quervain’s tenosynovitis?
Avoid lifting with your thumb spread wide, wringing cloths, and twisting jar lids with the sore hand. Skip the Finkelstein “stretch” and repeated self-testing, since both squeeze the tendons against the tunnel. Cut down long bursts of thumb scrolling on your phone. Keep the rest of the hand moving, because complete rest for weeks weakens the tendons and slows your return to normal use.
Does De Quervain’s go away on its own?
Mild De Quervain’s can settle without treatment once the triggering activity stops, for example as a baby grows and needs less lifting. Many cases linger for months while the load continues, and longer-standing symptoms take longer to treat. A splint and a load plan from a hand therapist shorten the course for many people and improve your odds of avoiding an injection or surgery.
Can I use a wrist support from the pharmacy for De Quervain’s?
Yes, if it holds your thumb as well as your wrist. Look for a brace labelled “thumb spica” or “thumb stabilizer”. Many standard wrist supports sold in Singapore pharmacies hold only the wrist, which helps carpal tunnel syndrome and sprains and does little for De Quervain’s. If a ready-made brace presses on the tender bump or slips, a hand therapist can mold a custom splint to your hand.
Do I need a steroid injection for De Quervain’s?
Many people recover with a splint, load changes and exercise, without an injection. A doctor may suggest one if pain has not improved after 4 to 6 weeks of good conservative care, or if pain is severe from the start. Injection has the strongest evidence of the non-surgical options. It can thin or lighten the skin at the site, so discuss the risks and timing with your doctor, and more so if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Can I see a hand therapist for De Quervain’s without a doctor’s referral in Singapore?
Yes. You can see a hand therapist at Phoenix Rehab Group without a doctor’s referral. Your therapist confirms the diagnosis, makes your splint and plans your recovery. If you need an X-ray, an ultrasound scan or an injection, we refer you to a doctor and share our findings. Some insurers ask for a doctor’s referral before they reimburse therapy, so check your policy first.
Is De Quervain’s the same as mummy’s thumb?
Yes. Mummy’s thumb, or mommy thumb, is an everyday name for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis in new mothers. The strain of lifting and feeding a baby, combined with fluid and hormone changes after pregnancy, irritates the two thumb tendons at the wrist. Fathers, grandparents and helpers who do most of the lifting can develop it too. The treatment is the same: a thumb splint, changes to lifting technique and graded exercise.
Not sure it is De Quervain’s?
These conditions sit close by and are treated differently. All are treated by our hand therapy team.
Where we are
Clinics across Singapore
ORCHARD
400 Orchard Road #12-12
Orchard Towers, S238875
NS22 Orchard MRT
Physiotherapy and hand therapy in Orchard →
WhatsApp 8800 1830TAMPINES
9 Tampines Grande #01-20
Asia Green, S528735
EW2DT32 Tampines MRT
Physiotherapy and hand therapy in Tampines →
WhatsApp 8780 9608SERANGOON
265 Serangoon Central Drive #04-269
S550265 · Lift C only
NE12CC13 Serangoon MRT
Physiotherapy and hand therapy in Serangoon →
WhatsApp 8892 4121TANJONG PAGAR
10 Anson Road #02-77A
International Plaza, S079903
EW15 Tanjong Pagar MRT
Physiotherapy and hand therapy in Tanjong Pagar →
WhatsApp 8227 7074JURONG EAST
2 Venture Drive #02-02
Vision Exchange, S608526
NS1EW24 Jurong East MRT
Opening 25 October 2026
Physiotherapy and hand therapy in Jurong East →
WhatsApp 8242 7340Get the thumb splinted, not just the wrist
Bring your referral letter or scan report if you have one. If you do not, you still do not need a referral. We assess the wrist, rule out the look-alikes and mold your splint in the first appointment.
Itemised invoices provided, and a clinical report if your insurer asks for one.
Had an injection?
The injection quieted the thumb. The baby still weighs the same.
An injection settles the two tendons on the thumb side of the wrist. Lifting the baby under the arms with your thumbs spread, wringing a towel, scrolling one-thumbed on the phone: none of that changes because the pain went.
A custom thumb splint, a different way to lift, and graded loading are what the quiet weeks are for.
Where are you with this right now?
1. It is settling on its own
Most injuries and most flare-ups settle over weeks with sensible load management and a return to normal movement. Improvement is judged over a month, not over a day, and good days and bad days inside that are usual. If you are doing more this month than last, and sleeping better, it is behaving the way it should. You do not need us for this, and we would rather say so.
2. It has stopped improving
You have adapted without noticing. The other side takes the load, you plan movements you used to make without thinking, and you have quietly dropped things you used to do.
Pain is the first thing to leave. Movement and strength are the last things trained back, and most people stop before that part is done. That is the gap worth measuring, and it is not measured by how you feel on the day.
The Stalled Recovery Review is three appointments over three weeks with the same therapist, because what a joint does under load cannot be read in one visit. The first finds what is limiting it. The next two measure how it responds. $690, nett, no GST, which is three appointments at $230.
3. You have had surgery, or you have a date
Recovery after an operation has a shape, and knowing which stage you are in tells you whether you are on it. See the recovery programs, hand and physiotherapy, or the four stages and what each one works on if you are not sure which applies to you.
All of it runs on the same four stages. The Phoenix Recovery Protocol explains what each stage works on and what you have to meet to move up. No referral needed to start.
Next step
Find out which stage you are in
Pain is the first thing to leave. Movement and strength are the last things trained back, and most people stop before that part is done. One Assessment and Treatment is a single 45-minute appointment at $230, nett, no GST. Your therapist finds what is actually limiting you, treats it in the same appointment, and you leave with your current stage and a written plan.
Prefer to phone? Each of our five clinics has its own number on the clinics page. No referral needed to book.
Related reading
What our patients say
Google reviews from our clinics in Singapore.
