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SoP Library › De quervain tendinopathy

Statement of Principles

De quervain tendinopathy — DVA SoP factors

Every factor in the Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles for De quervain tendinopathy. DVA can only accept a claim for De quervain tendinopathy if at least one of these factors is met and connected to your service. Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) applies to operational service; Balance of Probabilities (BoP) applies to peacetime service.

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Source: Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles as held by the Veterans Health Centre. SoPs are amended and replaced regularly; always confirm the current instrument at rma.gov.au before relying on it.

De quervain tendinopathy

RH No. 41 of 2019 · BoP No. 42 of 201922 factors

Meaning of de quervain tendinopathy: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, de Quervain tendinopathy means entrapment of one or both tendons in the first extensor compartment of the radial side of the wrist, producing localised pain and tenderness that is exacerbated by movement of the thumb or wrist. (3) While de Quervain tendinopathy attracts ICD-10-AM code M65.4, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of de Quervain tendinopathy is that given in subsection (2). (4) For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-296-4.

Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 41 of 2019

At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting de Quervain tendinopathy or death from de Quervain tendinopathy with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

  1. (1)
    performing repetitive activities or forceful activities using the affected hand or wrist, for a cumulative period of at least 500 hours within the six months before the clinical onset of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: forceful activities and repetitive activities are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  2. (2)
    having acute trauma involving the affected wrist or tendon, within the one year before the clinical onset of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: Examples of acute trauma include, but are not limited to, a laceration, puncture, heavy blow, fracture and crush injury.

  3. (3)
    being treated with or using growth hormone within the one year before the clinical onset of de Quervain tendinopathy;
  4. (4)
    being treated with a fluoroquinolone antibiotic within the six months before the clinical onset of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: Examples of fluoroquinolone antibiotics include, but are not limited to, ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin and ofloxacin.

  5. (5)
    being treated with an aromatase inhibitor within the one year before the clinical onset of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: Examples of aromatase inhibitors include, but are not limited to, anastrozole, exemestane and letrozole.

  6. (6)
    performing repetitive activities or forceful activities using the affected hand or wrist, for a cumulative period of at least 500 hours within the six months before the clinical worsening of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: forceful activities and repetitive activities are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  7. (7)
    having acute trauma involving the affected wrist or tendon, within the one year before the clinical worsening of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: Examples of acute trauma include, but are not limited to, a laceration, puncture, heavy blow, fracture and crush injury.

  8. (8)
    being treated with or using growth hormone within the one year before the clinical worsening of de Quervain tendinopathy;
  9. (9)
    being treated with a fluoroquinolone antibiotic within the six months before the clinical worsening of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: Examples of fluoroquinolone antibiotics include, but are not limited to, ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin and ofloxacin.

  10. (10)
    being treated with an aromatase inhibitor within the one year before the clinical worsening of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: Examples of aromatase inhibitors include, but are not limited to, anastrozole, exemestane and letrozole.

  11. (11)
    inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for de Quervain tendinopathy;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 8(6) to 8(11) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.

Balance of Probabilities (BoP) — Statement of Principles No. 42 of 2019

11 factors

At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, de Quervain tendinopathy or death from de Quervain tendinopathy is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

  1. (1)
    performing repetitive activities or forceful activities using the affected hand or wrist, for a cumulative period of at least 500 hours within the six months before the clinical onset of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: forceful activities and repetitive activities are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  2. (2)
    having acute trauma involving the affected wrist or tendon, within the one year before the clinical onset of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: Examples of acute trauma include, but are not limited to, a laceration, puncture, heavy blow, fracture and crush injury.

  3. (3)
    being treated with or using growth hormone within the one year before the clinical onset of de Quervain tendinopathy;
  4. (4)
    being treated with a fluoroquinolone antibiotic within the six months before the clinical onset of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: Examples of fluoroquinolone antibiotics include, but are not limited to, ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin and ofloxacin.

  5. (5)
    being treated with an aromatase inhibitor within the one year before the clinical onset of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: Examples of aromatase inhibitors include, but are not limited to, anastrozole, exemestane and letrozole.

  6. (6)
    performing repetitive activities or forceful activities using the affected hand or wrist, for a cumulative period of at least 500 hours within the six months before the clinical worsening of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: forceful activities and repetitive activities are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  7. (7)
    having acute trauma involving the affected wrist or tendon, within the one year before the clinical worsening of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: Examples of acute trauma include, but are not limited to, a laceration, puncture, heavy blow, fracture and crush injury.

  8. (8)
    being treated with or using growth hormone within the one year before the clinical worsening of de Quervain tendinopathy;
  9. (9)
    being treated with a fluoroquinolone antibiotic within the six months before the clinical worsening of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: Examples of fluoroquinolone antibiotics include, but are not limited to, ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin and ofloxacin.

  10. (10)
    being treated with an aromatase inhibitor within the one year before the clinical worsening of de Quervain tendinopathy;

    Note: Examples of aromatase inhibitors include, but are not limited to, anastrozole, exemestane and letrozole.

  11. (11)
    inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for de Quervain tendinopathy;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 8(6) to 8(11) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.

A VHC Diagnostic Assessment addresses each of these factors one by one against your service record and clinical history. See how a VHC DVA claim works, see all fees ($600 + GST per stage) or book an appointment.

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Dr Perkins has spent more than thirteen years working exclusively with current and former ADF members — treating their conditions, writing their reports and navigating the DVA system alongside them. With over 100,000 claims submitted and 2,000 Permanent Impairment Assessments completed, he has seen precisely what separates an accepted claim from a rejected one at every level, from initial liability to the Veterans' Review Board.

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