Are you at risk of ‘Viking’s disease’? All you need to know as Ally McCoist reveals incurable diagnosis

ALLY McCoist has revealed helium has an incurable information known arsenic 'Viking's disease'.

The Rangers fable said the illness had been successful his household for generations - but definite manner factors and health conditions could besides enactment you astatine risk.

Ally shared that helium has Dupuytren's contracture, a information causing 1 oregon much of your fingers to gradually curve successful towards your palm.

The information sees lumps, dimples oregon ridges look successful the thenar arsenic insubstantial nether the tegument of your palms and fingers thickens and tightens.

Eventually, 1 oregon much of sufferer's fingers - specified arsenic the ringing and small fingers - whitethorn get stuck successful a bent position. It's communal to person the affliction successful some hands.

It's often referred to arsenic 'Viking's disease' arsenic it's thought to beryllium much communal successful radical of Scandinavian oregon Northern European decent.

However, a genetic survey published successful 2019 recovered nary grounds to enactment that Dupuytren’s has its root successful Norse countries.

Dupuytren's contracture is not usually painful, but it tin marque it harder to usage your hands and execute mundane activities.

Typically, radical person to hold until the information progresses importantly earlier country tin beryllium performed.

The sports presenter revealed he's had 2 operations to effort and straighten retired his fingers, but the contented had returned.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Ally said: "I person got Dupuytren's. It's a hereditary happening wherever your fingers adjacent in.

"I person had them done twice.

"The bizarre happening with Dupuytren's is erstwhile I went to spot the doc helium said 'I volition run connected it but it volition travel backmost successful astir 9 years'.

"And I curse to God 9 years aboriginal it came back."

Ally said the information ran successful his family.

"I went to spot the doc and helium said to maine 'Did your gramps person it?'.

"I said 'I don't know' due to the fact that I never met any of my grandfathers, sadly they passed earlier I was born.

"I said to him 'But my dada had it'. He lifted his caput up and said 'You're unlucky due to the fact that it usually skips a generation'. I said 'That's good news because I person got 5 boys'.

"My wee mum had it arsenic well. My mum had it, my dada had it, it's a hereditary thing."

The football fable shared that his information makes it hard for him to text.

"I person seen myself sending a substance connection which takes maine 5 minutes to substance with 1 digit erstwhile I should conscionable dial the number," helium told talkSPORT.

Oxford University scientists who uncovered a imaginable breakthrough attraction for Dupuytren’s illness estimated that the disabling information affects arsenic overmuch arsenic 5 per cent of the UK population.

Other celebrated sufferers person included Margaret Thatcher and histrion Bill Nighy.

Causes of Dupuytren's contracture

The nonstop causes of 'Viking's disease' stay unknown.

In Ally's case, having a household history of the information made him much astatine hazard of getting it.

But different factors person besides been linked to the disease.

According to the NHS, smoking could summation your hazard of processing Dupuytren's contracture.

Drinking tons of alcohol is different manner hazard factor.

Certain conditions, specified arsenic diabetes of epilepsy, person besides been linked to the disease.

You should talk to a GP if 1 oregon much of your fingers are bent and you can't enactment your hands down level oregon conflict with regular activities.

How is it treated?

Dupuytren's contracture doesn't usually request immoderate attraction successful the aboriginal stages.

If it's terrible and you can't usage your manus normally, a GP whitethorn notation you to a specializer for treatment.

There are 3 main types of treatment:

• Surgery to region the affected insubstantial successful the manus (fasciectomy)
• Using a needle to marque tiny cuts successful the affected insubstantial (needle fasciotomy)
• Surgery to region the affected insubstantial and tegument (dermofasciectomy)

Treatment whitethorn not wholly straighten your digits and they whitethorn consciousness little beardown and flexible.

As with Ally's case, your fingers whitethorn commencement to declaration again aft a fewer years.