Los Angeles Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford is busy preparing his body for the physical toll of the NFL season. Meanwhile, his wife, Kelly Stafford, is dealing with an unexpected injury. Known for keeping things candid and humorous, Kelly took to Instagram and shared her dilemma.
“I think I have tendonitis in my thumb. Both of them,” Kelly said through an Instagram Story. “And it’s not from anything cool, like working out or playing tennis or anything like that. I think it’s from doing ponytails. Like, when you’re grabbing the hair and forcing the rubber band, doing this nonstop… It’s in both, too. I’ve tried to use these two fingers, but my thumbs are hurting. And now, they hurt when I’m not doing anything.
“Is this what happens when you get older? I’m not that old! But it hurts. I mean, I’m doing at least ten ponytails a day with these tight a– rubber bands. But it’s really starting to hurt, and I’m embarrassed to go to the doctor and be like, ‘Yeah, the ponytails are killing me.’”
However, her real predicament is figuring out how to break the news to her Super Bowl-winning husband without sounding absurd.
“And meanwhile, my husband is playing in the NFL against 22-year-olds and doing his thing. And then here I am, tendonitis in the thumb doing ponytails,” she joked. “Also, how do I tell him that? I can’t complain to him and be like, ‘Yeah, my thumbs are killing me.’ He’ll be like, ‘What do you mean?’ I’ll be like, ‘All the ponytails I do.’ I can’t tell him that! I’ll have to make something up. But they’re really hurting.”
Well, tendon irritation from repetitive everyday tasks is a very real issue. Tendonitis (De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, when it affects the tendons of the thumb) can occur when repetitive motion causes inflammation and strains the tendons. It can be due to repetitive gripping, pinching, and even stretching rubber bands to make ponytails.
The physical toll of parenting certainly contributes to Kelly’s dilemma. De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, also known as ‘Mommy’s wrist,’ often plagues mothers since they have to lift their babies. While her four daughters—Sawyer, Chandler, Hunter, and Tyler—are now older, she still has to go about her daily routine in that chaos.
Nevertheless, Kelly seems to be taking the discomfort in stride. But what she needs to do right now is rest her thumbs and seek professional help.
The Rams are busy preparing for what should be a Super Bowl-winning season this year. Stafford is running it back this year as the Reigning NFL MVP, ready to give his all. And as she has in the past, Kelly will try to bring her kids to watch as many games as possible.