Kienbock’s Disease is a rare and infrequently discussed source of wrist pain that you could definitely encounter in your clinical practice. The condition is named after the Viennese radiologist Robert Kienbock who presented his findings on the disorder in his 1910 publication ‘Concerning traumatic malacia of the lunate and its consequences’. This condition, discussed in depth below, primarily affects people between 15 and 40 years old and has been documented in athletes from many sports that include repetitive use of the wrist e.g. golf, tennis, martial arts, etc . Therefore, if you work with athletes from these sports, you should remain on high alert for the occurrence of Kienbock’s disease.
Can we get better results? The answer is yes. I am certain that following many physiotherapy or physical therapy treatments there is something else that could have been done or said that would allow the patient to get better results. Unfortunately, most physiotherapists do not have all day to spend with one patient, and are thus limited in what they can do. We just want to hope that we can efficiently deliver the best possible treatment or intervention in any given environment. This is why prioritising treatments and using Pareto’s Law can be quite important.