An interventional study of Shock Wave Therapy and Therapeutic Exercises in De Quervain Tenosynovitis, sponsored by Cairo University. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Egypt. Open to female participants aged 25 Years to 35 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-13.
Sponsored by Cairo University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
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This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on pain, wrist and thumb range of motion, and upper limb function in postpartum women with De Quervain's tenosynovitis.
De Quervain's tenosynovitis is a musculoskeletal condition affecting the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendons within the first dorsal compartment of the wrist. It is associated with pain, tenderness, restricted thumb and wrist movement, and difficulty performing daily activities. Postpartum women may be particularly affected because of repetitive wrist and thumb movements associated with infant care.
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a non-invasive treatment modality being investigated for its potential effects on pain reduction and functional recovery in musculoskeletal disorders.
This study is designed as a prospective randomized controlled trial involving 40 postpartum women diagnosed with De Quervain's tenosynovitis. Participants will be randomly allocated into two equal groups of 20 women each.
The study group will receive extracorporeal shock wave therapy combined with a therapeutic exercise program consisting of tendon gliding, stretching, and strengthening exercises.
The control group will receive the same therapeutic exercise program without shock wave therapy.
Outcome assessments will be conducted before and after the treatment period. Pain intensity will be evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), wrist and thumb range of motion will be measured using a goniometer, and upper limb function will be assessed using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire.
The study will compare changes within and between the two groups to evaluate the additional effect of shock wave therapy on pain, range of motion, and upper limb function in postpartum women with De Quervain's tenosynovitis.
31 studies on the registry are indexed under De Quervain Disease; 7 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 40 is below the median of 55 across 26 interventional studies indexed under De Quervain Disease.
Browse De Quervain Disease studies →Cairo University is the lead sponsor of 4,951 studies on the registry; 1,463 are open to participants now.
Of its 37 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 5 (14%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Twenty postpartum women with De Quervain's tenosynovitis will receive extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in addition to a therapeutic exercise program consisting of tendon gliding, stretching, and strengthening exercises. The exercise program will be performed for 30 minutes daily over four weeks.
Device: Shock Wave Therapy · Other: Therapeutic Exercises
Twenty postpartum women with De Quervain's tenosynovitis will receive a therapeutic exercise program consisting of tendon gliding, stretching, and strengthening exercises for 30 minutes daily over four weeks, without shock wave therapy.
Other: Therapeutic Exercises
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy will be applied to the affected first dorsal compartment of the wrist using a radial shock wave device. Treatment parameters will include 1,000 impulses per session, with frequencies ranging from 18 to 21 Hz and pressure settings ranging from 1.4 to 1.8 bar, according to the study protocol.
Also known as: Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)
A structured therapeutic exercise program consisting of tendon gliding, stretching, active range-of-motion exercises, and progressive strengthening exercises targeting the wrist and thumb. Exercises will be performed for 30 minutes daily over four weeks, according to participants' tolerance.
Pain Intensity Measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)
Pain intensity will be measured using a 10-cm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Lower scores indicate less pain. Changes in pain intensity will be compared between the study and control groups.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Wrist Flexion Range of Motion
Change in active wrist flexion range of motion, measured in degrees using a universal goniometer. The change will be calculated as the post-treatment measurement minus the baseline measurement.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Wrist Extension Range of Motion
Change in active wrist extension range of motion, measured in degrees using a universal goniometer. The change will be calculated as the post-treatment measurement minus the baseline measurement.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Wrist Radial Deviation Range of Motion
Change in active wrist radial deviation range of motion, measured in degrees using a universal goniometer. The change will be calculated as the post-treatment measurement minus the baseline measurement.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Wrist Ulnar Deviation Range of Motion
Change in active wrist ulnar deviation range of motion, measured in degrees using a universal goniometer. The change will be calculated as the post-treatment measurement minus the baseline measurement.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Thumb Flexion Range of Motion
Change in active thumb flexion range of motion, measured in degrees using a universal goniometer. The change will be calculated as the post-treatment measurement minus the baseline measurement.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Thumb Extension Range of Motion
Change in active thumb extension range of motion, measured in degrees using a universal goniometer. The change will be calculated as the post-treatment measurement minus the baseline measurement.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Thumb Abduction Range of Motion
Change in active thumb abduction range of motion, measured in degrees using a universal goniometer. The change will be calculated as the post-treatment measurement minus the baseline measurement.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Thumb Adduction Range of Motion
Change in active thumb adduction range of motion, measured in degrees using a universal goniometer. The change will be calculated as the post-treatment measurement minus the baseline measurement.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Upper Limb Disability Measured by DASH Questionnaire
Upper limb function and disability will be assessed using the 30-item Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire. The total score ranges from 0 (no disability) to 100 (maximum disability). Lower scores indicate better upper limb function.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Start is estimated for Nov 2026; primary completion for Jan 2027, 2 months later.
Of 16 interventional studies with no phase under De Quervain Disease, half reached primary completion within 13 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 2 and three quarters within 28. This study's planned 2 months is below that.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Nov 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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