| Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the most widely | | | | Trigger Finger is a form of overuse injury |
| recognized form of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), | | | | affecting any of the fingers (1-5) with symptoms |
| but Trigger Finger is catching up fast, becoming all | | | | ranging from a painless annoyance with occasional |
| too common among society and affecting the | | | | snapping/jerking of the finger(s), to severe |
| youth and elderly in ever-increasing numbers. If | | | | dysfunction and pain with continuous locking of |
| the rising numbers keep on track, Trigger Finger | | | | the finger(s) in a flexed downward / forward |
| may be recognized along with Carpal Tunnel | | | | position into the palm of the hand. |
| Syndrome as having achieved epidemic | | | | The occurrence of this injury usually results from |
| proportions. | | | | overuse of the flexor muscles/tendons and the |
| Trigger Finger On The Rise | | | | formation of an adhesion or fibrotic nodule on the |
| Prior to the 1990's, Trigger Finger seemed to | | | | tendon. If left untreated, the adhesion/nodule |
| affect a small number of the elderly that had | | | | becomes larger, therefore creating a conflicting |
| experienced some form of direct trauma or | | | | ratio between the size of the tendon and the size |
| excessive strain to one or possibly several fingers. | | | | of the entrance of the tendon sheath. In most |
| Trigger Finger was more prevalent in those that | | | | cases, if the adhesion/nodule is not treated, it can |
| were already suffering with Osteoarthritis in the | | | | continue to increase in size (Depending on activity |
| affected hand, making many healthcare | | | | use of the affected finger) to the point where it |
| professionals to believe that Trigger Finger was a | | | | still has the ability to pass into and through the |
| byproduct of Osteoarthritis. But within the past | | | | tendon sheath when flexing the finger, but |
| 5-years, the age of those suffering from Trigger | | | | becomes stuck and cannot move back through |
| Finger became much "younger" while the overall | | | | the tendon sheath when trying to extend |
| number of individuals with the disorder increased. | | | | straighten the finger, thus causing the finger to |
| The belief of a direct correlation between those | | | | lock in the flexed forward / downward position. |
| suffering with Osteoarthritis and Trigger Finger | | | | The Trigger Finger Solution |
| seems to be reducing in popularity as many of | | | | Because Trigger Finger consists of an adhesion, |
| those suffering with Trigger Finger do not have | | | | nodule, and scar tissue buildup on the tendon due |
| Osteoarthritis, but instead, are involved in high-risk | | | | to excess strain, overuse, or direct trauma to |
| tasks that are already associated as the | | | | that specific location on the tendon, it should be |
| causative factor in many types of Repetitive | | | | treated with stretching and strengthening |
| Strain Injuries. | | | | exercises in order to break down the adhesion on |
| Injuries resulting from repeated motion (repetitive | | | | the affected tendon. By breaking down the |
| / cumulative trauma disorders -- CTD's) are | | | | adhesion on the affected tendon, it reduces in |
| growing. According to recent annual statistics | | | | size and slides through the pulley system in a |
| from the U.S. Survey of Occupational Injuries and | | | | normal manner, no longer "catching" and locking |
| Illnesses, over 302,000 CTD's account for nearly | | | | into the downward flexed position. (There is also a |
| two-thirds all of workplace-related illnesses. | | | | "thinning" of the tendon, which helps reduce the |
| Ergonomic disorders are the fastest growing | | | | overall size of the tendon and nodule, therefore |
| category of work-related illness. According to the | | | | allowing it to pass through the tendon sheath with |
| most recent statistics from the U.S. Bureau of | | | | greater ease.) Creating strength in the opposing |
| Labor Statistics, they account for 56 percent of | | | | finger extensor tendons is very important as it |
| illnesses reported to the Occupational Safety and | | | | allows the finger to return to an extended position |
| Health Administration. | | | | in a more appropriate manner. This is where |
| Trigger Finger - Recognized as a Repetitive Strain | | | | muscle balancing comes into play. By creating |
| Injury | | | | equality of tendon length and strength on both |
| Now that Trigger Finger is rearing its head in the | | | | sides of the finger joint, individuals can help |
| workplace with increased intensity, it has been | | | | prevent the onset of Trigger Finger and/or keep |
| added to the growing list of debilitating Repetitive | | | | it from re-occurring in the future. |
| strain Injuries. Trigger Finger now joins the ranks | | | | Conservative therapy utilizing stretches and |
| of Tendonitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, | | | | exercises has been highly effective, providing |
| Epicondylitis, Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, | | | | long-term and permanent relief. For those wanting |
| DeQuervain's and the many other debilitating | | | | to avoid surgery and for those where surgery |
| workplace disorders affecting the upper | | | | was not effective in eliminating the condition, |
| extremity. So, what is Trigger Finger, how is it | | | | stretch and exercise therapy is the solution to |
| recognized and what are its symptoms? | | | | both preventing and rehabilitating the devastating |
| Trigger Finger Explained | | | | symptoms associated with Trigger finger. |