Causes / typical injury mechanism: Most commonly due to overuse activities or heavy gripping, eg, household duties, typing, lifting, golfing, racket sports, or skiing.
Classic history and presentation: Gradual onset of pain on the radial side of the wrist, worsened when grasping, lifting, or ulnar deviating.
Prevalence:
- Age – Most prevalent in middle age.
- Sex / gender – 4-6 times more common in women than men.
- Laterality – The dominant hand is most often affected.
Pathophysiology: Due to narrowing of the fibro-osseous canal within the first dorsal compartment of the wrist, the APL and EPB are unable to glide smoothly, resulting in pain. This resistance is due to a fibroblastic response secondary to repetitive tension on the involved tendons.