What is De Quervain's Tenosynovitis also known as?

• A. Ganglion cyst of the wrist
• B. Tennis elbow
• C. Trigger finger
• D. Gamer's thumb

Answer: (D)

De Quervain's tenosynovitis is a stenosing inflammation of the thumb tendons as they pass through the first dorsal wrist tunnel, specifically affecting the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis. The lay term gamer’s thumb captures this condition when repetitive thumb use—in activities like gaming—causes radial-side wrist pain and tenderness with thumb movement. This alias helps differentiate it from other wrist or hand problems because the discomfort centers at the base of the thumb and worsens with thumb motion, which is a hallmark of this tendon sheath inflammation.

Other conditions listed describe different problems altogether: a ganglion cyst is a lump at the wrist; tennis elbow refers to lateral elbow tendinopathy; trigger finger is a pulley stenosis causing finger locking. The location, movement pattern, and affected tendons in De Quervain’s disease point to the gamer’s thumb as the correct alternative name.