What Is Dupuytren's Contracture?

By james

Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky

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The way that we are able to move our fingers to allow them to clench around objects was very important for us in evolutionary terms. Combined with other factors such as our intelligence, it meant that we could make complex tools and this gave us an advantage over other species.

Some people, however, will develop conditions that will limit their ability to grasp on to objects. One such condition is Dupuytren’s contracture, a condition that affects the tissues in the hand in a way that causes the patients fingers to curl up. It is not a serious condition and treatment is available that can help restore the patients mobility.

1. Thickening Tissue

Just below the surface of the skin on the palms of our hands is a connective tissue known as fascia. This tissue helps to keep everything in place, helping to keep our hands strong and flexible. Some people experience a condition with this fascia that will limit the movement of their fingers. For some reason, this tissue starts to get thicker, taking on an almost scar-like nature. This causes the fingers to become very tight making it harder for the patient to move them at all. The thickening is called a contracture, and the condition is named after Guillaume Dupuytren, the French surgeon who first described it.