Trigger Finger

Welcome to Texas State University's Evidence-based Practice project space. This is a wiki created by and for the students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Texas State University - San Marcos. Please do not edit unless you are involved in this project, but please come back in the near future to check out new information!!

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'Original and Lead Editors - Holly Pulket, Hilary Zachary, Angela Dempski, Dana Williams, Shannon Davis

Search Strategy

Databases: CINAHL, PUBMED, PeDro

Keywords: trigger finger, trigger thumb, stenosing tenosynovitis, flexor tenosynovitis, flexor tendon stenosis, A1 pulley AND tendonitis, A2 pulley AND tendonitis

Timeline: 9/15/2011 - 11/28/2011

Definition/Description

Trigger finger is a common condition that is thought to be caused by inflammation and subsequent narrowing of the A1 pulley. This can cause pain, clicking, catching, and loss of motion, especially into flexion, of the affected finger.

Epidemiology/Etiology

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Characteristics/Clinical Presentation

Trigger finger can have a range of clinical presentations. Initially the patient may present with painless clicking with movement of the digit. This can progress to painful catching or popping typically at the MCP or PIP joints, stiffness and swelling especially in the morning, loss of full flexion/extension, palpable painful nodule, and/or finger locked into a flexed position.

Differential Diagnosis

The main characteristic of trigger finger is a popping and/or catching with movement of the digit, especially in flexion to extension. However, this is not a unique characteristic to trigger finger. Other etiologies associated with a locking digits can include: