Finkelstein Sign

Excerpt

Harry Finkelstein, an American surgeon (1865–1939), described the Finkelstein's test or Finkelstein's sign in 1930. It is a provocative test for diagnosis of De Quervain’s disease that can easily be performed in an office setting or at the bedside. Finkelstein's test produces severe tenderness and usually pain on the radial aspect of the wrist when the thumb is flexed into the palm and the wrist is ulnar deviated. De Quervain's disease is commonly associated with the repetitive motions that place stress on the wrist; it is ommonly associated with professions such as restaurant servers. Moreover, De Quervain's disease is significantly more likely to occur in females.