Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Does It Feel?Trigger FingerTreatmentsSeeking Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Does It Feel?
Trigger Finger
Treatments
Seeking Medical Care
Having a finger or thumb lock up in a straight or bent position is a common problem. A locked finger or thumb is the telltale sign oftrigger finger, also known asstenosing tenosynovitis.This occurs when the sheath of tissue that wraps around a tendon (the tissue that connects muscle to bone) becomes inflamed.
A locked thumb or finger can also occur due to other causes likearthritisor trauma. Without treatment, a locked finger can cause pain and decrease function.
A locked finger or thumb can often be treated without surgery. When needed, minimally invasive techniques can provide a long-term cure.
This article describes how locked fingers feel. It also explains the causes, treatments, and when to seek care for this problem.
Alex Liew / Getty Images
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How Does It Feel When Your Fingers Lock Up?
When your fingers lock up, it typically feels like the affected digits are stuck in a curled or bent position toward your palm. You may feel the affected joint “pop” into place as you straighten your finger.
Without Pain
Symptoms of finger locking typically begin gradually. You may experience a painless clicking in its initial stages when you bend or straighten the affected thumb or finger.
These symptoms may improve throughout the day as you increase the gentle use of the affected fingers and hand.
With Pain
Trigger finger is one of the most common diagnoses of hand pain in adults. Most people with locked fingers have pain or discomfort, especially during an activity like gripping.
While this can be the only symptom, painful locked fingers can include the following:
Stuck or Straight Locked Up Fingers From Trigger Finger
Trigger finger occurs due to overuse or damage to thetendonsthat control how your fingers bend and flex. When you flex or grip your hand, a tendon on every finger moves back and forth through the respective sheath of tissue that surrounds it. The sheath acts like a tunnel to keep your tendons in place.
Trigger finger occurs when the tendon that controls a thumb or finger can’t glide smoothly in the surrounding sheath. This can happen if part of the tendon sheath becomes inflamed or the tendon develops a small lump.
In most cases of trigger finger, the exact cause of the condition is not known. The following risk factors can increase your chances of developing this problem:
Other Causes
Why Your Finger Joints Click, Snap, and Pop
Treatments to Manage Finger Locking With or Without Pain
Since pain is not always a symptom of finger locking, thetreatment for this conditionis based on its severity. For most people, treatment for a finger that gets stuck begins withone or more of the following nonsurgical therapies:
If your finger locking persists despite nonsurgical treatments, you may be a candidate for corrective surgery. The decision to have surgery typically depends on the degree of pain or loss of function involved. Without surgery, a finger or thumb locked in a bent position may lead to permanent stiffness and loss of function.
The following outpatient trigger finger treatments are used to treat finger locking:
Exercises to Relieve Discomfort of Frozen Finger
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Do not ignore any finger or hand pain. Getting a prompt diagnosis and treatment can help you achieve the best results. Contact a healthcare provider if you have any of the following trigger finger symptoms:
The Link Between Trigger Finger, Heart Health, and DiabetesResearch indicates that people who have trigger finger and type 2 diabetes have more than three times the risk for cardiovascular disease.
The Link Between Trigger Finger, Heart Health, and Diabetes
Research indicates that people who have trigger finger and type 2 diabetes have more than three times the risk for cardiovascular disease.
Summary
Finger locking can occur as a symptom of trigger finger, a problem that affects the sheath around the tendon on your finger. The problem can cause locking or clicking when you bend or straighten the affected finger or thumb. It can limit function and worsen over time.
Finger locking can also occur due to other problems that affect your joints or tendons. Having certain health problems like diabetes can also increase your risk of finger locking.
Nonsurgical treatment can often relieve symptoms. When these treatments do not work, surgery can usually cure the problem.
Starting treatment early can improve your chances of getting relief. Resting and avoiding movements that worsen the problem can often provide relief. Cortisone shots and surgery are options for more severe cases.
16 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.University of Utah Health.Do you have trigger finger?American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Trigger finger.Matthews A, Smith K, Read L, Nicholas J, Schmidt E.Trigger finger: An overview of the treatment options.JAAPA. 2019;32(1):17. doi:10.1097/01.JAA.0000550281.42592.97American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Trigger finger.University of Michigan Health.Trigger finger.University of Michigan Health.Dupuytren’s disease/Dupuytren’s contracture.Paul A, Gnanamoorthy K, Paul A, Iii KG. The association of diabetic cheiroarthropathy with microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study.Cureus. 2023;15(3). doi:10.7759/cureus.36701NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing hand sprains & strains.UVA Health.Calcific tendonitis lavage: how radiologists “wash away” tendon pain.Saint Luke’s.Understanding infectious tenosynovitis of the finger, hand, or wrist.MedlinePlus.Rheumatoid arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoarthritis.ElTaraboulsi R.Crystalline arthropathy. In: Esther RJ, ed.Clinical Foundations of Musculoskeletal Medicine: A Manual for Medical Students. Springer International Publishing; 2021:143-149.Kaiser Permanente.Trigger finger (finger tenosynovitis).Joseph J, Ditmars DJ.Percutaneous trigger thumb release: special considerations.Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open. 2018;6(6):e1758. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000001758Mineoka Y, Ishii M, Hashimoto Y, et al.Trigger finger is associated with risk of incident cardiovascular disease in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study.BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2021;9(1):e002070. doi:10.1136/bmjdrc-2020-002070
16 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.University of Utah Health.Do you have trigger finger?American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Trigger finger.Matthews A, Smith K, Read L, Nicholas J, Schmidt E.Trigger finger: An overview of the treatment options.JAAPA. 2019;32(1):17. doi:10.1097/01.JAA.0000550281.42592.97American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Trigger finger.University of Michigan Health.Trigger finger.University of Michigan Health.Dupuytren’s disease/Dupuytren’s contracture.Paul A, Gnanamoorthy K, Paul A, Iii KG. The association of diabetic cheiroarthropathy with microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study.Cureus. 2023;15(3). doi:10.7759/cureus.36701NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing hand sprains & strains.UVA Health.Calcific tendonitis lavage: how radiologists “wash away” tendon pain.Saint Luke’s.Understanding infectious tenosynovitis of the finger, hand, or wrist.MedlinePlus.Rheumatoid arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoarthritis.ElTaraboulsi R.Crystalline arthropathy. In: Esther RJ, ed.Clinical Foundations of Musculoskeletal Medicine: A Manual for Medical Students. Springer International Publishing; 2021:143-149.Kaiser Permanente.Trigger finger (finger tenosynovitis).Joseph J, Ditmars DJ.Percutaneous trigger thumb release: special considerations.Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open. 2018;6(6):e1758. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000001758Mineoka Y, Ishii M, Hashimoto Y, et al.Trigger finger is associated with risk of incident cardiovascular disease in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study.BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2021;9(1):e002070. doi:10.1136/bmjdrc-2020-002070
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.
University of Utah Health.Do you have trigger finger?American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Trigger finger.Matthews A, Smith K, Read L, Nicholas J, Schmidt E.Trigger finger: An overview of the treatment options.JAAPA. 2019;32(1):17. doi:10.1097/01.JAA.0000550281.42592.97American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Trigger finger.University of Michigan Health.Trigger finger.University of Michigan Health.Dupuytren’s disease/Dupuytren’s contracture.Paul A, Gnanamoorthy K, Paul A, Iii KG. The association of diabetic cheiroarthropathy with microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study.Cureus. 2023;15(3). doi:10.7759/cureus.36701NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing hand sprains & strains.UVA Health.Calcific tendonitis lavage: how radiologists “wash away” tendon pain.Saint Luke’s.Understanding infectious tenosynovitis of the finger, hand, or wrist.MedlinePlus.Rheumatoid arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoarthritis.ElTaraboulsi R.Crystalline arthropathy. In: Esther RJ, ed.Clinical Foundations of Musculoskeletal Medicine: A Manual for Medical Students. Springer International Publishing; 2021:143-149.Kaiser Permanente.Trigger finger (finger tenosynovitis).Joseph J, Ditmars DJ.Percutaneous trigger thumb release: special considerations.Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open. 2018;6(6):e1758. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000001758Mineoka Y, Ishii M, Hashimoto Y, et al.Trigger finger is associated with risk of incident cardiovascular disease in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study.BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2021;9(1):e002070. doi:10.1136/bmjdrc-2020-002070
University of Utah Health.Do you have trigger finger?
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Trigger finger.
Matthews A, Smith K, Read L, Nicholas J, Schmidt E.Trigger finger: An overview of the treatment options.JAAPA. 2019;32(1):17. doi:10.1097/01.JAA.0000550281.42592.97
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Trigger finger.
University of Michigan Health.Trigger finger.
University of Michigan Health.Dupuytren’s disease/Dupuytren’s contracture.
Paul A, Gnanamoorthy K, Paul A, Iii KG. The association of diabetic cheiroarthropathy with microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study.Cureus. 2023;15(3). doi:10.7759/cureus.36701
NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing hand sprains & strains.
UVA Health.Calcific tendonitis lavage: how radiologists “wash away” tendon pain.
Saint Luke’s.Understanding infectious tenosynovitis of the finger, hand, or wrist.
MedlinePlus.Rheumatoid arthritis.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoarthritis.
ElTaraboulsi R.Crystalline arthropathy. In: Esther RJ, ed.Clinical Foundations of Musculoskeletal Medicine: A Manual for Medical Students. Springer International Publishing; 2021:143-149.
Kaiser Permanente.Trigger finger (finger tenosynovitis).
Joseph J, Ditmars DJ.Percutaneous trigger thumb release: special considerations.Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open. 2018;6(6):e1758. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000001758
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