I was recently diagnosed with Kienbock’s disease in an advanced stage. I’ve had very little pain or problems. Why weren’t there any symptoms before this?

Kienbock’s disease is most often seen in men between the ages of 30 and 40. Manual laborers are affected more than anyone else. In this disease, there is a loss of blood supply to a particular bone in the wrist called the lunate. Without enough blood to the bone, it starts to die.

Most of the lunate bone is covered in a thick cartilage. This cartilage doesn’t have much sensation. This explains why the early stages of Kienbock’s can be without any symptoms. By the time the patient feels pain, stiffness, and loss of motion, the damage can be severe.

At first, the patient may not be able to put pressure on the wrist. Adults often work through the pain and ignore the symptoms until the disease gets much worse. Early detection and early treatment are the key to a successful outcome with Kienbock’s disease.