Ally McCoist Discloses Incurable Hand Condition

Scottish football legend and TV pundit Ally McCoist has disclosed that he is living with an incurable hand condition. The former footballer, who played for Rangers and Scotland, announced on his radio show that he has experienced the condition for years, and that both his parents also had it. The condition, identified as Dupuytren’s contracture, is a genetic disorder that causes a person’s fingers to bend towards their palm. McCoist, 62, who served as a captain on BBC’s Question of Sport for 11 years, previously underwent two operations to straighten his fingers, but the issue has not been resolved. Speaking on Talk Sport Breakfast, he detailed how the condition had affected him for a number of years. McCoist said: “I have got Dupuytren’s. It’s a hereditary thing where your fingers close in.” He explained that having the condition meant it could sometimes take him up to five minutes to send a text message on his phone as he had to use one finger. The condition impacts the skin and muscle in the palm of the hand, causing it to thicken and become less flexible. Over time, this can lead to the fingers bending towards the palm. The condition can be painful and there is no cure. Treatment, such as surgery, can help straighten the fingers but it will not eliminate the condition. McCoist said he had undergone two operations in an attempt to straighten his fingers, but the condition returned. He said: “The bizarre thing with Dupuytren’s is when I went to see the doctor he said ‘I will operate on it but it will come back in roughly nine years’. “And I swear to God, nine years later it came back.” This inherited condition is named after the French surgeon Baron Guillaume Dupuytren, and typically affects more men than women, usually manifesting later in life. It can worsen over time and make daily activities like buttoning a shirt difficult. McCoist said his father and mother also suffered from the condition. When a doctor asked him if his grandfather had it, he told him: “I don’t know because I never met any of my grandfathers, sadly they passed before I was born.” He continued: “I said to him ‘But my dad had it’. He lifted his head up and said ‘You’re unlucky because it normally skips a generation’. “I said ‘That’s good news because I have got five boys’.” The condition has also been given the name “the Viking disease” as it is more common in those from northern Europe, or of northern European descent. Other well-known people who suffered with the condition include Margaret Thatcher and actor Bill Nighy. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.