THE CONDITION

Dupuytren’s typically appears in middle age when fibrous nodules adhere to the sub-dermal skin of the palm, often forming chords extending to the finger which can, over time, pull the digit towards the palm, unable to be straightened.

Treatment includes surgery, injection or a process known as a needling, with collagen injections also now being used in some cases. There is no cure for the condition.

Bill Nighy, Margaret Thatcher, Frank Sinatra and Ronald Reagan are among the well-known names to have had the disease.

Paul English compares his hand showing early signs of Dupuytren’s to his dad’s