Are You a Candidate for Nonsurgical Treatment for Dupuytren’s Contracture?

Dupuytren’s contracture can progress at different rates from one person to another. It also tends to affect each person differently.

“One of the things I stress with patients is that it’s incredibly variable and unpredictable,” says Julie Roberts, MD, an orthopedic hand surgeon at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. “It runs in families, but it can skip a generation. Some people in the family can have a very mild case; some can have a more severe case.”

In the first stages of Dupuytren’s, connective tissue called fascia slowly thickens into nodules. Then, the skin on the hand pits around the nodules. Eventually, the fascia grows into cords and contracts, tethering fingers and pulling them toward the palm. These changes occur at different rates in different people.

Even if you aren’t in pain, you may be feeling some discomfort. Plus, it can interfere with routine actions, such as washing your face, putting on gloves, or putting your hands in your pockets. Some people with Dupuytren’s can slowly lose the ability to do their favorite hobbies, such as playing the guitar or doing yoga.

There’s no cure for Dupuytren’s, and the disease is progressive. Today, though, there are several treatment options available that can help you regain motion in your hand. In cases where the disease isn’t getting worse and doesn’t affect your fingers, no treatment at all may be needed.

If you’re experiencing symptoms that are affecting your fingers, doctors usually recommend starting with nonsurgical treatments, such as a needle aponeurotomy to break up the diseased tissue or enzyme injections to soften the tight tissue. For more severe contractures or disease that keeps recurring after nonsurgical treatment, doctors may recommend surgery.

If you have Dupuytren’s contracture, take this assessment to gauge how much of an impact the disease is having on your life and which treatment might be best for you.

Question 1

Which of the following symptoms have you observed in your hand?

A. I can see and feel nodules, or small lumps, under the skin in the palm of my hand, but I don’t have any other symptoms and can move my fingers freely.
B. The cords or bands under the skin of my palms and fingers look and feel like new tendons pulling on my fingers. I can straighten my fingers, but I feel a tightness and pulling.
C. One or more of my fingers curl toward my palm and can’t be straightened anymore. I can’t lay my hand flat on a table.

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

Resources

Dupuytren Contracture. Cleveland Clinic. January 23, 2023.
Dupuytren’s Disease. OrthoInfo. May 2023.

Additional Sources

Plantar Fibromatosis (Ledderhose Disease). Cleveland Clinic. March 12, 2025.
Dupuytren’s Diathesis. Dupuytren Research Group. February 14, 2010.
Dupuytren Contracture. MedlinePlus. April 1, 2019.
Dupuytren Contracture. Cedars-Sinai.

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Medical Reviewer

Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified internal medicine physician and an assistant professor of clinical medicine and the director of the care management program at Weill Cornell ...

See full bio

Lauren Cox

Author

Lauren is a freelance health and science writer whose work has appeared online, on air, and in print. A former health reporter for ABC News, she has contributed to local and nation...

See full bio