Anyone have this? Fairly common in older folks, and seems to afflict climbers more than we deserve. Looks like I'm joining the party.

http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/handcondiitions/a/dupuytrens>>>>>

I had the surgery to remove it from my hands, and I've had no problem since.

I have it- but was warned by a hand specialist that it reoccurs frequently, and that "the surgery is like picking bubble-gum out of a shag rug." I was advised to wait the surgery out until it was medically necessary, and not do it until then. All other disclaimors aside, this advice may have been due to my rhuematic condition, and not true for everyone.
I was also advised to avoid working the area too much, like rubbing it, etc- or generally aggitating it unneccesarily, as aggitation might promote progression of the condition.
It seems that my connection to it's selective genetics is probably Norman French (where the Vikings had their fun). It affects Scandinavians and middle-eastern blood the most, as I was told. At every possible opportunity, I blame Joseffa, who also has it (She is 1/2 Swede, 1/2 middle-eastern) and tell her I got it from her, maybe from drinking out of her water bottle or some such thing...

All in all, it has little effect on either of us, beyond discomfort at times.

I recall hearing somewhere that it can also be linked with a condition known as Peyronie's as well. Check that one out!

I was diagnosed with this a year ago. The specialist told me that without treatment it would not improve so I had a steroid injection (all the way up the index finger sheath). This fixed the problem for about 9 months, when it returned with a vengance. Im trying to avoid any more steroid injections, maybe Im a pessimist, but I cant help thinking that the doctor is lining his pockets by injecting me. So my current strategy is to go for low intensity mileage as an alternative therapy. After 3 months its hurting less, but far from cured. Let me know if you find out anything more hopeful

I've had dupuytrens for 17 years. Tony Bubb told most of the important stuff. On some people it can get to the point were you 2 small finger are retracted all the way into your palm. Donini had it and went for the surgery after his ring finger retracted to a right angle. Surger was clean and it's been fine for 3 years. I guess the surgery is getting to be a more sure thing. See a hand specialist. Bill Leo's (owns Ouray Mountain Sports) sister is the hand surgeon in Denver who did Donini's work. Ken Duncan up in Ft. Collins is also a hand surgeon and cranks .12 trad lines. Once in a while you'll see an old rancher with his ring and pinky lopped off. That was the old way of dealing with dupuytrens. AMPUTATE!

My fingers aren't retracting and all I have is a had lump in my left hand and a minor one in my right. It only bothers me when I climb slopers a lot and since I HATE slopers it doesn't bother me too much.

FUNNY STORY
About 13 years ago I found myself climbing at the BRC a lot with Chip Chace, a local hardman and acupuncturist extraordinaire. He offered to try acupuncture, saying there was a bit of evidence that needles could cure Dupuytrens. He said he had no experience but would research it and, if it worked, he'd trade me for gear, if it didn't, he'd write it off to education. It didn't work and he offered to try bee sting therapy next. Right. When I showed up in his office for my therapy he proudly displayed his bee sucker, a device he'd made from an old Mason jar, a brass screen and some plastic tubing. Sure looked like drug paraphernalia to me but it was full of bees. He'd suck out a bee, grab it with hemostats (drug paraphernalia again) and hold it up against my dupuytrens until it stung me.

OUCH!

Then he'd do it 9 more times. I'd leave his office with my hand all swole up like a catchers mitt and throbbing like a dog in heat. When the swelling went down, so did the dupuytrens! It didn't cure me but they would shrink and soften up for about 6 months. Believe it or not, I went back for this abuse a few more times until I figured out that all I had to do was stay off the slopers.

BTW, I had gone through steroid injections prior to Chip's administrations. Don't even bother. Steroids fucked me up for more than a month and they only softened my dupuytrens for 3.

Mal

Don't do the surgery unless your DR says its absolute. I've had it and it doesn't just happen to old people, it can also occur in those who irritate the strength and controlling mechanisms of the hand in certain ways - like climbers among others.
Before surgery (which may not improve your hand use, but could eliminate a crippling effect in serious circumstances), it can often be treated with injections (cortisone & others) given in a series (sometimes 2-3) which are painful but provide relief in many cases. You will likely have at least a small hardened area remaining in your palm afterwards, but not a hole -
bon chance
rjf

I've got it on my left palm and the arch of my right foot. The doc told me (as some said above) to not do surgery unless absolutely needed. He said that many times after surgery it comes back larger than before. He suggested doing stretches of the affected area. I've found that that helps the one on the foot, but not the one on my hand. It is getting in the way of my guitar playing some, especially on bar chords.

Also, my doc said it affects people of Irish descent, of which I have a little, I'm mostly Scotch-German.