Trigger Finger

Repetitive gripping motions, like playing guitar or tennis, can produce inflammation in the finger or thumb. Trigger finger, or stenosing tenosynovitis, is a type of tendonitis in the finger and thumb wherein inflammation narrows the space within the sheath that surrounds the tendon in your finger and/or thickens the very tendon itself. The result of this size change is that the tendon can no longer glide through the sheath easily, causing the finger to catch or lock in a bent position.

Symptoms include pain, swelling, locking and popping sensations, and /or a tender nodule at the base of the finger/thumb. Mild cases can be treated with a steroid injection to release the locked finger, however there is a limit to the amount of injections that can be administered before it risks rupturing the tendon. More severe cases could require trigger finger surgery to essentially unlock the tendon.