Treatment of Symptoms: FLEXTEND® /
RESTORE™ helps reduce the symptoms of Trigger Finger, by reducing
the size of the adhesions / nodules that have developed on the
affected tendon, causing the adhesion to become smaller, or the
possible thinning of the affected tendon, helping to cause a decrease
in its "catching" and
/ or "locking" down into the palm of the hand.
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FLEXTEND® -
RESTORE™
This 2-Peice Training System is all you need for complete
recovery - Guaranteed! |
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MORE DETAILED
EXPLANATION:
What is Trigger
Finger?
Preview of Trigger Finger:
Trigger Finger is a form of overuse injury with symptoms ranging
from a painless annoyance with occasional snapping/jerking of the
finger(s), to severe dysfunction and pain with continuous locking
of the finger(s) in a flexed downward position into the palm of
the hand.
Anatomy of Trigger Finger:
The tendons that move the fingers are held
in place on the bones by a series of ligaments called "pulleys". These ligaments
form an arch on top of the bone that creates a tunnel so that when
the flexor muscles are contracted, the tendons can move along the
bone in a straight path. In order to make sure these tendons travel
in a smooth manner and reduce friction of the tendon and its sheath,
the body produces and coats the flexor tendons with a slippery
coating called "tenosynovium" which allows the tendons
to glide through the tunnel formed by the pulleys when the fingers/hands
are used to grasp objects.
Symptoms of Trigger Finger:
Trigger Finger may affect any of the fingers (1-5) as well as
any one of the finger joints (MP, PIP, DIP Joints). The occurrence
of this injury usually results from overuse of the flexor muscles/tendons
and the formation of an adhesion or fibrotic nodule on the tendon.
If left untreated, the adhesion/nodule becomes larger, therefore
creating a conflicting ratio between the size of the tendon and
the size of the entrance of the tendon sheath. There may also be
thickening of the pulley ligament as well, due to the friction
of the adhesion/nodule against the pulley ligament. In most cases,
if the adhesion/nodule is not treated, it will continue to increase
in size (Depending on activity/use of affected finger) to the point
where it still has the ability to pass into and through the tendon
sheath when flexing the finger, but becomes stuck and cannot move
back through the tendon sheath and/or pulley when trying to extend/straighten
the finger, thus causing the finger to lock in the flexed downward
position (Palm of hand). At first, this is experienced as a snapping
of the affected finger when relaxing a fist. If the condition worsens,
the finger may need active force from the opposing hand/fingers
to straighten, or the affected finger(s) may not straighten at
all.
Cause(s) of Trigger Finger:
Most clinicians believe that the disorder is caused by the tendon
sheath because it becomes thickened or swollen and pinches the
tendon and prevents it from gliding smoothly. But common sense
reveals that the history of patients suffering with Trigger Finger
have one common denominator, overuse, excessive use and/or abuse
of the hands from work and recreational activities. Trigger Finger
is usually (not always) the result of direct injury to the tendon
via micro-tears resulting from direct and sudden trauma or tasks
that required repetitive use of the hands over long periods of
time. And as the body attempts to heal itself causes the formation
of scar tissue / fibrotic adhesion, and the swelling of the tendon
sheath is a secondary injury caused by friction between the adhesion
and the tendon sheath as the finger is flexed and extended. This
friction causes irritation, swelling, and inflammation to both
the adhesion on the tendon and to the tendon sheath, thus resulting
in a perpetual cyclic injury, starting with the adhesion on the
tendon, then the adhesion irritates the sheath, then the sheath
swells and pinches down more so it irritates the adhesion even
more, and continuing to go back and forth again and again with
both the tendon and its sheath contributing to the cause-effect
of Trigger Finger.
*Other contributors/factors of Trigger Finger are Rheumatoid Arthritis,
partial tendon lacerations, repeated trauma from pistol gripped
power tools, or long hours grasping a steering wheel.
Trigger Finger may also be caused by an infection of the synovium,
resulting in the scarring and formation of a nodule on the tendon.
Trigger Finger can also be caused by a congenital defect that forms
a nodule inside of the tendon. The condition is not usually noticeable
until the infant begins to use its hands.
Treatment(s) for Trigger Finger:
Sometimes the swelling can be treated with
rest, activity modification, oral anti-inflammatory medications,
or steroid injections. The tendon sheath will usually return
to its normal, pain-free condition. More severe cases may require
surgery to release the tendon. This can be done as an Outpatient
procedure. Normal activity can be resumed as pain allows. Often
times, Trigger Finger will be persistent because either no
rehabilitation efforts were attempted or improper forms of
rehabilitation were utilized pre- or post-surgery. Injections
and surgery both attempt to cure injuries by treating the symptoms
instead of treating the "ACTUAL INJURY". In the case
of Trigger Finger, the ACTUAL INJURY is the adhesion, nodule,
and scar tissue buildup on the tendon due to excess strain, overuse,
or direct trauma to that specific location on the ACTUAL TENDON.
Because Trigger Finger and those afflicted with Repetitive Strain
Injuries, Cumulative Trauma Disorders, Including Carpal Tunnel
Syndrome ALL HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF HISTORY (For the most part),
wouldn't you treat this overused, abused, short restrictive tendon(s)
in the same manner by creating a balance within the hand through
stretching and strengthening exercises?
When flexor muscles are overused, they become short, hypertonic
and very restrictive in range of motion, and of course are FULL
of soft-tissue adhesions, scar tissue and fibrotic nodules. The
overwhelming amount of short, restrictive, and tight flexor muscles
puts a lot of pressure upon the underlying tissues, as well as
causes shifting of the bones and the narrowing of open canals and
tunnels within the wrist and hand. (This is also occurs to the
Guyons Canal - in Guyons Syndrome and the Carpal Tunnel - in Carpal
Tunnel Syndrome) To eliminate Trigger Finger at the source, wouldn't
you eliminate the adhesion/nodule and associated scar tissue? Absolutely!
Successful Treatment for Trigger Finger:
• Transverse Friction Massage across
the tender nodule/adhesion on the affected finger. This will
help speed recovery, but if this option is not available, perform
the stretches and exercises below.
• Immediately follow by performing
passive and active stretches to the affected finger with FLEXTEND®.
• Immediately follow
the stretches with active strengthening exercises for the OPPOSING
MUSCLE GROUP, in this case the extensor muscles that extend
the fingers and wrist, in order to hold and maintain the length
to the tendon that you just stretched. This would also be achieved
with FLEXTEND®.
