Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRestSplintingHand and Finger ExercisesHeat TherapyMassageAdaptive ToolsOTC MedicationsDoes It Go Away?Is Surgery Needed?Prevention Exercises
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Rest
Splinting
Hand and Finger Exercises
Heat Therapy
Massage
Adaptive Tools
OTC Medications
Does It Go Away?
Is Surgery Needed?
Prevention Exercises
Trigger finger can limit finger movement and make it difficult to straighten and bend the affected finger. This condition results from inflammation of thetendonsthat flex the fingers, causing pain and tenderness. Tendons areconnective tissuesthat attach muscles to bone.
Trigger finger needs treatment, or it will get worse.Advanced symptoms include the affected finger gettinglocked in a bent or straight position. The ring finger and thumb are the most commonly affected digits, but the condition can affect any finger.When thethumbis affected, the condition is called trigger thumb.
This article explains the nonsurgical, at-home treatment options, including splinting, hand and finger exercises, and heat therapy, which might help you avoid surgery.
Jorge Aguado Martin / Getty Images
About Trigger Finger
Trigger finger and trigger thumb are sometimes calledstenosing tenosynovitis.Tenosynovitisis inflammation of a tendon in itssynovial sheath(covering).
The causes of trigger finger are not always known. The condition is sometimes linked to medical conditions likerheumatoid arthritis(RA) anddiabetes.Local trauma (injury) to the palm or base of the hand can also lead to the condition.
Symptoms of trigger finger include:
Symptoms may be worse first thing in the morning but will improve as the finger starts to relax.
The article explains the non-surgical, at-home treatment options, including splinting, hand and finger exercises, and heat therapy, which might help you avoid surgery.
One of the easiest ways to treat and manage pain and symptoms from a trigger finger is rest. Resting the hand and finger can often reduce your symptoms.
It is essential to give your finger time to heal, which could take several weeks.Rest your affected hand and finger as much as possible until the swelling improves and you can bend the finger again.
Any overexertion can damage the finger joint, which could lead to joint, tendon, or nerve damage.
Trigger finger also causes the affected finger to be incrediblystiff in the morning, so splint therapy can help reduce morning stiffness.
Splinting for six to nine weeks can allow for gradual improvement, according to a 2020Journal of Primary Care & Community Healthreport.This is especially important while you sleep because this is the time when you are unaware of your finger placement.
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The besthand and finger exercisesfor trigger fingers are those that improve flexibility.When the tendons of the finger joints are flexible, movement of the affected finger becomes easier, and symptoms like pain, stiffness, and joint locking are reduced. Regular movement of the fingers can also keep them from locking up.
The American Society for Surgery of the Hand recommends the following hand and finger exercises:
Differential Tendon Gliding
Tendon glides are stretches that help mobilize the tendon along the fingers, decrease tension, and improve movement. For this exercise, keep the wrist straight. Completing all the steps counts as one repetition:
DIP Joint Blocking
The distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint is the finger joint closest to your fingertip, just before the nail starts.This is the joint closest to your fingertip.
The DIP joint blocking exercise can isolate the affected joint in the finger or thumb to restore strength and prevent further problems.It can also provide relief from pain, stiffness, and locking.
You will want to exercise one finger at a time for the DIP joint-blocking exercise.
PIP Joint Blocking
The proximal interphalangeal joint is the joint of the finger nearest the palm.It bends and extends and can quickly become stiff following an injury.
Exercise one finger at a time, as follows:
Wrist Flexion and Extension
Wrist flexion involves bending the hand down at the wrist so the palm faces the arm.It is part of the normalrange of motionof the wrist.
Extension involves moving the hand backward so the palm is facing up. It is also a normal part of the wrist’s range of motion.
If wrist flexion and extension are impaired, you may have trouble with daily tasks involving the hand and wrist.
With the wrist flexion and extension exercise:
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Wrist Circumduction
Wrist circumduction involves moving the wrist in a circular motion.This is similar to the exercise called alphabet writing:
Do two sets of 15 repetitions for each of the above exercises, two to three times a day.
Heat therapy, such as using a moist heating pad or soaking the affected finger in warm water, can help alleviate stiffness and pain related to the trigger finger. Heat can also increase blood flow.
Soaking the affected finger in warm water, especially when symptoms first start, can ease them.The warmth will dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow to reduce inflammation and stiffness.
Massagemay help unlock a trigger finger.To massage the affected finger, apply gentle pressure and a circular motion at the affected knuckle and the base of the finger on the palm side.
You will also want to massage the fingers, hand, wrist, and forearm connected to the affected finger. You can follow the massage with hand and finger stretches.
Adaptive tools can help reduce the symptoms of trigger finger, including friction and inflammation. Such aids include soft grip tools for use at home and work, altered handle tools, padded gloves,assistive kitchen devices, and splints.
Over-the-counter (OTC) oralnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs), including Advil (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen), and topical pain relievers are first-line treatments for mild trigger finger.
Anti-inflammatory oral medications and topicals can help reduce pain and inflammation. When inflammation is improved, the ability to move the affected finger gets better.
A healthcare provider can prescribe stronger oral and topical pain relievers for severe trigger finger. Topical and oral pain relievers can be combined with other therapies, including splinting and hand and wrist exercises.
Does Trigger Finger Go Away on Its Own?
Trigger finger will not go away on its own.It typically gets worse without treatment. Fortunately, most people can manage their symptoms with anti-inflammatory medicines and other conservative therapies.
If you are able to manage symptoms with self-care, the trigger finger will heal. However, if conservative therapies fail, your healthcare provider will recommend seeing ahand specialistwho may recommend surgical treatments.
Corticosteroid Injections
Corticosteroids can be injected into the tendon sheath at the base of the affected finger. In most cases, the injection can resolve the condition quickly and completely stop symptoms.
If symptoms do not improve with the first injection, a second one can be given. If two injections do not help, surgery is often the next step.
Does Trigger Finger Always Require Surgery?
Corticosteroid injections, also called steroid injections and cortisone injections, can be injected into the tendon sheath at the base of the affected finger. In most cases, the injection can resolve the condition quickly and completely stop symptoms.
If you try nonsurgical treatment and the trigger finger does not resolve, your healthcare provider will recommend surgery. They may also recommend surgery if the finger becomes permanently bent or locked or after two failedcorticosteroid injections.
The primary purpose of surgical treatment is to release the tissues in the area located at the base of the finger so the tendon can move gently and freely. This procedure is called a trigger finger release.
If you still have symptoms after a trigger finger release, a flexor tenosynovectomy might be recommended.That surgery removes the thickened lining from the tendon surface. If symptoms continue further, part of the superficial tendon can be removed to reduce the tendon’s volume.
What Are Superficial Tendons?The superficial tendons help to bend the index, middle, finger, and small fingers at the middle joint.
What Are Superficial Tendons?
The superficial tendons help to bend the index, middle, finger, and small fingers at the middle joint.
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Exercises for Trigger Finger Prevention and Pain Reduction
Engaging in trigger finger exercises can help you to relieve pain and keep the condition from worsening.
Wrist Stretching
Different wrist stretches can help manage trigger finger symptoms and prevent them from getting worse.
Clenched Wrist Bend:
Side to Side Wrist Bend:
Fingertip Bend
The fingertip bend is an easy exercise that targets the finger joint of the affected finger, as follows:
Middle Joint Bend
This middle joint bend may improve pain and flexibility in the PIP joint:
Palm Stretch
The palm strength helps to stretch the fingers and wrist.
Ball Squeeze
The ball squeeze uses a small ball to stretch and strengthen the fingers.
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Summary
Trigger finger is a painful condition that can cause your finger or thumb to catch or lock when you bend it. It can affect any finger, but it frequently affects the ring finger or thumb. Trigger finger is also called stenosing tenosynovitis.
You can manage mild cases of trigger finger with rest, heat, stretching, OTC pain relievers, and splinting. The most effective nonsurgical treatment for trigger finger is a corticosteroid injection, and most people can get relief with a single shot. Others may need a second shot for long-term or complete relief.
Trigger finger will not go away without treatment. If it worsens or is untreated, it can lead to limited finger motion. In these cases, surgery will be needed to treat the condition and return function and motion to the affected digit.
You might be able to manage and prevent symptoms of trigger finger with wrist, hand, and finger exercises.
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Trigger finger.Massachusetts General Hospital.Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis).American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Trigger finger.Brozovich N, Agrawal D, Reddy G.A critical appraisal of adult trigger finger: pathophysiology, treatment, and future outlook.Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2019;7(8):e2360. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000002360Merry SP, O’Grady JS, Boswell CL.Trigger finger? Just shoot!.J Prim Care Community Health. 2020;11:2150132720943345. doi:10.1177/2150132720943345American Society for Surgery of the Hand.5 common hand and finger exercises.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Joints.Knight J.11 trigger finger exercises to help your pain.The Hand and Wrist Institute.Kaiser Permanente.Wrist and hand exercises.Shah DS, Middleton C, Gurdezi S, Horwitz MD, Kedgley AE.The effects of wrist motion and hand orientation on muscle forces: A physiologic wrist simulator study.J Biomech. 2017;60:232-237. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.06.017Ferrara PE, Codazza S, Maccauro G, Zirio G, Ferriero G, Ronconi G.Physical therapies for the conservative treatment of the trigger finger: a narrative review.Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2020;12 (Suppl 1):8680. doi:10.4081/or.2020.8680Leow MQH, Zheng Q, Shi L, Tay SC, Chan ESY.Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for trigger finger.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2017;2017(9):CD012789. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012789US Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves three drugs for nonprescription use through RX-to-OTC switch process.HealthPartners.Trigger finger: why it happens and how to treat it.Bickham R, Carr L, Butterfield J, Behar B, Dyer AM, Payatakes A.Current management of trigger digit in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a survey of ASSH members.Hand (N Y). 2022;17(6):1098-1103. doi:10.1177/1558944720975137Hosptial for Special Surgery.Trigger finger.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Tendons.
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Trigger finger.Massachusetts General Hospital.Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis).American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Trigger finger.Brozovich N, Agrawal D, Reddy G.A critical appraisal of adult trigger finger: pathophysiology, treatment, and future outlook.Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2019;7(8):e2360. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000002360Merry SP, O’Grady JS, Boswell CL.Trigger finger? Just shoot!.J Prim Care Community Health. 2020;11:2150132720943345. doi:10.1177/2150132720943345American Society for Surgery of the Hand.5 common hand and finger exercises.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Joints.Knight J.11 trigger finger exercises to help your pain.The Hand and Wrist Institute.Kaiser Permanente.Wrist and hand exercises.Shah DS, Middleton C, Gurdezi S, Horwitz MD, Kedgley AE.The effects of wrist motion and hand orientation on muscle forces: A physiologic wrist simulator study.J Biomech. 2017;60:232-237. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.06.017Ferrara PE, Codazza S, Maccauro G, Zirio G, Ferriero G, Ronconi G.Physical therapies for the conservative treatment of the trigger finger: a narrative review.Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2020;12 (Suppl 1):8680. doi:10.4081/or.2020.8680Leow MQH, Zheng Q, Shi L, Tay SC, Chan ESY.Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for trigger finger.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2017;2017(9):CD012789. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012789US Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves three drugs for nonprescription use through RX-to-OTC switch process.HealthPartners.Trigger finger: why it happens and how to treat it.Bickham R, Carr L, Butterfield J, Behar B, Dyer AM, Payatakes A.Current management of trigger digit in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a survey of ASSH members.Hand (N Y). 2022;17(6):1098-1103. doi:10.1177/1558944720975137Hosptial for Special Surgery.Trigger finger.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Tendons.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Trigger finger.Massachusetts General Hospital.Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis).American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Trigger finger.Brozovich N, Agrawal D, Reddy G.A critical appraisal of adult trigger finger: pathophysiology, treatment, and future outlook.Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2019;7(8):e2360. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000002360Merry SP, O’Grady JS, Boswell CL.Trigger finger? Just shoot!.J Prim Care Community Health. 2020;11:2150132720943345. doi:10.1177/2150132720943345American Society for Surgery of the Hand.5 common hand and finger exercises.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Joints.Knight J.11 trigger finger exercises to help your pain.The Hand and Wrist Institute.Kaiser Permanente.Wrist and hand exercises.Shah DS, Middleton C, Gurdezi S, Horwitz MD, Kedgley AE.The effects of wrist motion and hand orientation on muscle forces: A physiologic wrist simulator study.J Biomech. 2017;60:232-237. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.06.017Ferrara PE, Codazza S, Maccauro G, Zirio G, Ferriero G, Ronconi G.Physical therapies for the conservative treatment of the trigger finger: a narrative review.Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2020;12 (Suppl 1):8680. doi:10.4081/or.2020.8680Leow MQH, Zheng Q, Shi L, Tay SC, Chan ESY.Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for trigger finger.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2017;2017(9):CD012789. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012789US Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves three drugs for nonprescription use through RX-to-OTC switch process.HealthPartners.Trigger finger: why it happens and how to treat it.Bickham R, Carr L, Butterfield J, Behar B, Dyer AM, Payatakes A.Current management of trigger digit in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a survey of ASSH members.Hand (N Y). 2022;17(6):1098-1103. doi:10.1177/1558944720975137Hosptial for Special Surgery.Trigger finger.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Tendons.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Trigger finger.
Massachusetts General Hospital.Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis).
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Trigger finger.
Brozovich N, Agrawal D, Reddy G.A critical appraisal of adult trigger finger: pathophysiology, treatment, and future outlook.Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2019;7(8):e2360. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000002360
Merry SP, O’Grady JS, Boswell CL.Trigger finger? Just shoot!.J Prim Care Community Health. 2020;11:2150132720943345. doi:10.1177/2150132720943345
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.5 common hand and finger exercises.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Joints.
Knight J.11 trigger finger exercises to help your pain.The Hand and Wrist Institute.
Kaiser Permanente.Wrist and hand exercises.
Shah DS, Middleton C, Gurdezi S, Horwitz MD, Kedgley AE.The effects of wrist motion and hand orientation on muscle forces: A physiologic wrist simulator study.J Biomech. 2017;60:232-237. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.06.017
Ferrara PE, Codazza S, Maccauro G, Zirio G, Ferriero G, Ronconi G.Physical therapies for the conservative treatment of the trigger finger: a narrative review.Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2020;12 (Suppl 1):8680. doi:10.4081/or.2020.8680
Leow MQH, Zheng Q, Shi L, Tay SC, Chan ESY.Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for trigger finger.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2017;2017(9):CD012789. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012789
US Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves three drugs for nonprescription use through RX-to-OTC switch process.
HealthPartners.Trigger finger: why it happens and how to treat it.
Bickham R, Carr L, Butterfield J, Behar B, Dyer AM, Payatakes A.Current management of trigger digit in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a survey of ASSH members.Hand (N Y). 2022;17(6):1098-1103. doi:10.1177/1558944720975137
Hosptial for Special Surgery.Trigger finger.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Tendons.
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