Abstract
Background: De-Quervain's tenosynovitis is a condition that involves tendon entrapment, affecting the first dorsal compartment of the wrist. While the exact cause of De-Quervain's tenosynovitis is unclear, it is associated with repetitive wrist motion, specifically motion requiring thumb radial abduction and simultaneous extension and radial wrist deviation. The purpose of the study is to determine the prevalence of De-Quervain's tenosynovitis and its relationship to the frequency of cell phone usage among medical professionals.
Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of De-Quervain's tenosynovitis and its relationship to the frequency of cell phone usage among medical professionals.
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among medical professionals in the Makkah region. Participant sample size was 354 students, selected through convenience sampling. Data was collected from medical professionals through a self-administered questionnaire and the severity of pain was assessed through the Universal Pain Assessment Tool. De-Quervain's tenosynovitis was diagnosed through the Finkelstein test.
Result: The Finkelstein test showed positive results (67%, n=238) when done on students. The majority of the participants had a positive Finkelstein test with a higher count (59%, n=211) for female participants. As the frequency of mobile phone usage increased, with more than 200 text messages sent per day (p value 0.000), progressively more people showed a positive Finkelstein test. An analysis of the association between the Finkelstein test and frequency of texting showed that 67% of people who used their mobile phone for texting were positive for the test.
Conclusion: De-Quervain's tenosynovitis is a critical cause of hand dysfunction for health care providers. Further awareness will help researchers develop an educational program for mobile texting and recommend suitable behavioral variations for avoiding this under-documented cause of tendinopathy.