Ally McCoist has revealed he suffers from an incurable medical condition called Dupuytren’s contracture, which has also been dubbed ‘Viking’s disease’.
The Rangers icon currently works as a broadcaster these days for the likes of talkSPORT, TNT Sports and Sky Sports.
He’s now revealed that both of his parents have suffered from the condition.
And though he’s undergone two operations on his hands over the years, the problem has continued to cause him grief.
Ally McCoist has revealed he suffers from an incurable medical condition called Dupuytren’s contracture, which has also been dubbed ‘Viking’s disease’.
PA
Per The Sun, McCoist said: “I have got Dupuytren’s.
“It’s a hereditary thing where your fingers close in.
“I have had them done twice. I went to see the doctor and he said to me ‘Did your grandfather have it?’.
“I said ‘I don’t know’ because I never met any of my grandfathers, sadly they passed before I was born.”
McCoist then revealed that the doctor told him he was unlucky because the condition ‘usually skips a generation’.
The commentator and football pundit added: “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’.
“My wee mum had it as well. My mum had it, my dad had it, it’s a hereditary thing.
READ MORE: Mike Tyson lands new job with disgraced figure just days after Jake Paul boxing fight
“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.”
McCoist then proceeded to admit that he struggles to send text messages due to the condition, which can cause one or more fingers to curl towards the palm.
Fingers can also turn sideways, too.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Ally McCoist has admitted he struggles to send text messages as he suffers from Dupuytren’s contracture
NHS
“I have seen myself sending a text message which takes me five minutes to text with one finger when I should just dial the number, he said.
Dupuytren’s contracture – also known as ‘Viking disease’ – is an inherited condition that causes an abnormal thickening of the skin in the palm of your hand at the base of your fingers.
This can also lead to one or more fingers curling towards the palm – or pulling sideways.
It is reportedly estimated that two million people in Britain have some degree of the condition.
The cause is currently unknown but it runs in families and also worsens with age.
Ally McCoist is one of the most beloved sports presenters and pundits in the football world
PA
There are three main types of treatment, even though Dupuytren’s is incurable.
One is surgery to remove the affected tissue in the hand, also known as a fasciectomy.
A second is using a needle to make small cuts in the affected tissue (needle fasciotomy).
And a third treatment is surgery to remove the affected tissue and skin (dermofasciectomy).
The condition is not usually painful but, as with McCoist, can impact how people can use their hands.