Nudd Loredana

Why are your shoulders always tense?

Do you often notice your shoulders raised, your neck stiff, or your upper back feeling tight?

The reason may not always be where you feel the tension.

In my new blog article, I explore the connection between posture, breathing, daily habits and the way the body compensates — and why understanding the body as a whole can be important when dealing with recurring tension.

Sometimes, the body is simply trying to find its balance.
The first step is learning to listen to it. 🤍

Read the full article on my blog:
Read the full article → https://nuddloredana.is/why-are-your-shoulders-always-tense/

De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis: When Your Thumb and Wrist Ask for Attention 🖐️🧠

Pain at the base of the thumb when turning a key, using a smartphone, opening a jar, or lifting an object may seem like a minor problem.

But what is actually happening inside the wrist?

🧠 Understanding the condition

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a condition affecting the first dorsal compartment of the wrist, where two tendons responsible for important thumb movements pass:

• Abductor pollicis longus (APL)
• Extensor pollicis brevis (EPB)

The condition can develop when the normal gliding of these tendons within their compartment becomes impaired, causing pain and difficulty during certain movements.

🔬 The anatomy: where is the problem?

As they travel towards the thumb, the APL and EPB tendons pass through a narrow fibrous compartment located on the thumb side of the wrist, close to the radial styloid.

This is a small space in which the tendons need to glide smoothly every time we move the thumb or wrist.

When this gliding mechanism becomes altered, even an everyday movement can become painful.

⚙️ What happens?

Repetitive loading and frequent mechanical stress can contribute to changes in the way the tendons glide through their compartment.

Thickening of the tendon sheath and surrounding tissues may occur, reducing the available space and making tendon movement more difficult.

The result can be increased local sensitivity and pain during certain movements.

However, there is not always one single movement or activity responsible for the condition. Load, frequency of movement, the way we use the hand, and individual factors can all contribute differently.

🤲 What are the most common symptoms?

The most characteristic symptom is pain on the thumb side of the wrist, at the base of the thumb.

Pain may increase with:

• moving the wrist towards the little-finger side;
• gripping or closing the hand;
• lifting objects;
• repetitive thumb movements;
• activities requiring prolonged gripping.

There may also be stiffness, local swelling, tenderness, and a sensation of friction or discomfort during movement.

🔎 What can influence the condition?

The problem does not always involve the wrist alone.

Repetitive hand use, the way we grip an object, the load placed on the thumb, and muscular tension in the forearm can all influence the mechanics of the entire upper limb.

This is why it can be useful to look at the movement as a whole rather than focusing only on the place where pain is felt.

💆‍♀️ The role of massage therapy

From a massage therapy perspective, attention can be directed not only to the symptomatic area, but also to the tissues involved in the function of the upper limb.

Depending on the individual situation, the approach may include:

• manual techniques targeting the muscular and myofascial tissues of the forearm;
• work aimed at reducing muscular tension associated with overuse of the upper limb;
• gentle manual techniques applied to the surrounding tissues;
• techniques intended to support tissue mobility and greater awareness of movement.

The goal is not to “force” the tendon or to work aggressively on a painful area, but to respect the condition of the tissues and consider the problem within the overall function of the upper limb.

🧠 Movement education

An important part of managing any movement-related problem is learning to observe your own body.

- Which movement causes pain?
- When does it appear?
- Which activities make it worse?
- Do you always use the same type of grip?
- Are there movements you repeat for hours without even noticing?

These observations can help identify activities that place repeated stress on the thumb and wrist and may allow certain habits to be temporarily modified.

🌿 Understanding your body also means learning to listen to it.

Pain is not simply something to ignore or tolerate.

Understanding which anatomical structure is involved, how it moves, and what kind of mechanical stress it receives can help us become more aware of our own body.

Because anatomy is not simply the study of muscles, tendons, and joints.

It is also a way of understanding why a movement can become painful and what that signal may be telling us.