Trigger Finger
Information, Answers and Self-help Strategies What is trigger finger? Trigger finger is a very common and treatable problem. It is often a painful condition in which you may have difficulty bending your fingers or thumb. It may cause your finger to get stuck and then suddenly pop back to a straight position (triggering). In some cases you may need to help it to straighten.
Causes Tendons join our muscles to bones. In the palm, tendons run along our fingers to allow us to bend our fingers, these are called our flexor tendons. The flexor tendons that bend the fingers have a lining around the outside of them. This is often called the tendon sheath. This helps to keep the tendon smooth and to move freely. Over theses tendons and tendon sheaths are small but thick bridges of soft tissue called pulleys. These allow your finger to bend at each individual level. Flexor sheath
Nodule on tendon Flexor tendon
Finger gets stuck in a bent positon
If there is a problem with the sheath or tendon, the tendon can no longer move freely. Trigger finger can occur if the tendon enlarges slightly or develops a small area of thickening often called a nodule (see picture above). The nodule struggles to pass under the bridge like structure (the pulley) causing friction and catching or triggering moments. Trigger finger can be diagnosed by a thorough history, symptoms, and a physical exam. It is rare to require any form of imaging. It is also helpful to know this problem has several very successful treatments.
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