In reply to ripper:
> (In reply to sarahlizzy) yes, I have what I assume are nodules on several of my knuckles too. GP took one look and said 'osteoarthritis, there's no treatment but some people find glucosamine helps' and that was that. Hasn't affected my climbing yet either but I guess it's bound too, sooner or later... interested to hear that you have a specialist - any benefit?
Said specialist is a bit of an accident really. I had what my GP thought was a persistent ganglion cyst in my hand. Sent me to see a hand specialist and he stuck a needle in it. When it didn't go down he tried to excise it under local anaesthetic. After opening me up, he didn't see a cyst but noted that the swelling was incipient Dupuytren's disease.
Unfortunately, disturbing it caused it to flare up massively and spread to the adjacent finger.
AIUI, if you have or are prone to Dupuytren's (70% of the UK population are), glucosamine is the worst thing to take, as it can cause it to flare up.
They can now treat contracture non-surgically through collagenase injections, and that gives me hope I'll retain full functionality going forward. Whet terrifies me is that the same mutation can cause a similar condition on the foot, and that early onset cases such as mine are more likely to develop it in other areas. Treatment for plantar fibramatosis (for that is what Dupuytren's is) in the foot is nowhere near as successful as in the hand.
Feet are fine for now, as is my left hand (damage is currently confined to the right one), touch-wood.
All I'd say, based on my experience, is don't have Dipuytren;s surgery unless you absolutely need it. It is fickle and prone to flareups if disturbed.