Contracture (con-TRAK-shur)
A bending or curling of your fingers downward toward your palm. This is caused over time by a thick cord that extends from your palm into your fingers.
Cord
A symptom of Dupuytren’s that looks like a rope and may appear in the palm of your hand. Caused by a thickening of tissue below your skin.
Dupuytren’s contracture (du-pwe-TRANZ) (con-TRAK-shur)
MP joints
Metacarpophalangeal (met-uh-KAR-poe-FAH-len-jay-ahl) joints at the bottom of each of your fingers, where your finger meets your palm. Dupuytren’s contracture commonly affects MP joints.
Nodule (NOJ-ool)
A lump or knot that appears below the skin of your palm and is often one of the first signs of Dupuytren's.
PIP joints
Proximal interphalangeal (PROCKS-ee-mahl inter-FAH-len-jay-ahl) joints in the middle of each of your fingers. Dupuytren’s contracture commonly affects PIP joints.
Pitting
A dimpling on the skin of your palm, which can be one of the early signs of Dupuytren’s.
Tabletop Test
A simple test to determine if you may have Dupuytren’s contracture. Lay your palm flat on a table. If you cannot lay your hand completely flat, you may have Dupuytren’s contracture.
Viking disease
Another name for Dupuytren’s contracture, so-called because the condition is more common in people with Northern European (“Viking”) ancestry.