A finger that clicks, locks and catches

In the morning, when you bend your finger, you feel and hear a distinct click, as if something has caught inside your hand. Over time, the catching turns into actual locking: the finger stays bent and you have to straighten it with your other hand.

This is not a ‘clicking joint’ that needs to be loosened. It is trigger finger.

What is actually happening?

The tendon that bends the finger moves inside a sheath and is held close to the bone by a series of small, ring-shaped pulleys, like a cord threaded through the eyelets of a belt. When the tendon is overloaded and irritated, a small thickening forms on its surface, while the sheath itself and the first pulley thicken and narrow the passage even further. Inflammation often accompanies this, causing additional swelling and thickening of the tendon. The thickened tendon struggles through an eyelet that is too tight, which you feel as a jump or click, and eventually it may become completely stuck in it.

It is most often the result of repetitive strain on the hand and microtrauma, especially during work that requires frequent, forceful gripping. Repetitive movements and precise manual work may also cause it. Less commonly, tissue predisposition or chronic diseases such as diabetes contribute to it.

How can you recognize it?

  • pain at the base of the finger on the palmar side of the metacarpus,
  • finger stiffness in the morning that improves after moving it,
  • a distinct jump or click when bending and straightening the finger,
  • the finger painfully locks in a bent position and you have to use the other hand to straighten it.

Why you should not wait

The longer the tendon is forced through the narrowed area, the more irritated and swollen it becomes, while the sheath narrows further. This vicious circle aggravates the problem until the finger begins locking more often or a permanent contracture develops.

When clear locking in flexion occurs and requires help from the other hand, conservative treatment alone is usually no longer sufficient. Delaying treatment increases the risk of permanent finger locking and a contracture that is harder to correct later.

How we help

We begin with a consultation and examination that confirm the diagnosis and assess the stage of the problem. If the findings are unclear, ultrasound shows thickening of the tendon or a nodule on it, as well as narrowing of the canal through which the tendon moves.

For milder symptoms, we begin with non-surgical treatment: limiting activities that overload the finger, anti-inflammatory medication, and sometimes a steroid injection directly into the tendon sheath, which reduces inflammation and swelling and improves gliding.

When clear finger locking occurs or conservative treatment does not help, we perform a small procedure: through a small incision at the base of the finger, we cut the narrowed sheath and the first pulley, giving the tendon room to glide freely again.

There is one goal: a finger that bends and straightens without snapping or help from the other hand.

Book a consultation

If you recognize these symptoms in yourself, do not wait until the finger starts locking more often. Make an appointment for a consultation. We will assess the stage of the problem and tell you whether conservative treatment is enough or a procedure is needed.