Why it's better to keep your hand moving even if you have trigger finger
The reason why it is better to keep moving your hand even if you have trigger finger (trigger finger/tendonitis) is because there is a possibility that the joint will become stiff and fixed.
Even if the symptoms are mild at first, if you leave it untreated, the symptoms will gradually progress, so it is important to find a solution as soon as possible. If you leave the finger joints immobile, they will become stiff , and treatment will eventually become more difficult.
Here, we will look at how to solve trigger finger by looking at its causes, based on actual treatments.
- Have been diagnosed with trigger finger or tendonitis
- Trigger finger occurs even when the hand is rested
- I had surgery but it's recurring
Does overuse of the hand cause trigger finger?
If you are diagnosed with trigger finger, you may be instructed to avoid tasks that require the use of your hands. This is because trigger finger is caused by overuse of the hands and fingers, and so the strain on the tendons and tendon sheaths in the hands is reduced.
Tasks that make trigger finger more likely include using a computer keyboard or mouse, playing musical instruments such as the piano, and sports that use the hands, such as tennis. However, many people overuse their fingertips using computers or smartphones, and not everyone suffers from trigger finger. If overuse of the hands is the cause, it is likely that with the increase in smartphone users, more people than before are suffering from trigger finger.
To what extent can overuse of the hands and fingers cause trigger finger?
People who do not develop trigger finger even if they overuse their hands
Let's take a look at how overuse of the hands and fingers is related to trigger finger.
Here's some interesting data. According to the book "Hand Disorders in Musicians" by Naotaka Sakai, a doctor who specializes in musicians, "the incidence rate of tendonitis among musicians is 30% overall." Trigger finger is a type of tendonitis. Even among musicians who use their fingers heavily, trigger finger and tendonitis caused by tendon problems account for 30% of the overall incidence.
It is important to consider that the cause of trigger finger may not just be overuse of the hand, but something else.
What could be the possible causes?
The key to solving trigger finger is to understand your body's habits
We now know that trigger finger is not limited to overuse of the hand or finger. Therefore, we can also say that resting the finger will not necessarily cure it. Furthermore, considering the risk of the joint stiffening from not moving the finger, it is better to move the hand unless there is severe pain.
The next thing to consider is, "Why does trigger finger appear?", "What are the causes other than overuse of the hand?", and "What are the differences between people who develop trigger finger and those who don't?"
People who suffer from trigger finger have problems with the way they use their body and the movement of their joints. By knowing these, you can identify the cause and see how to solve it as quickly as possible. Let's take a look at the physical habits that cause trigger finger and tendonitis .
Common traits of people suffering from trigger finger
No one who suffers from trigger finger has flexible shoulder movement.
The illustration shows a shoulder movement test. Ideally, the index finger should be able to touch at least the fifth thoracic vertebra. This can be difficult for people with hand problems.
Why can't you lift your arms? It's because your chest muscles (pectoralis major) are stiff and contracted, restricting shoulder movement.
If you are flexible, you can clasp your hands behind your back, but you don't need to be that flexible. If your fingers can touch each other, that's within the normal range.
How does having tight chest muscles affect trigger finger?
The relationship between trigger finger and chest muscles
We know that people who suffer from trigger finger have stiff chest muscles, but why does this cause trigger finger?
The muscles in your chest affect the position of your shoulder blades, and if your shoulder blades are out of position, it's the same as if your arms are out of position.
When your arm is not in the correct position, it puts pressure on the muscles and nerves that control your hand, which can lead to trigger finger, as well as weakness and numbness in your hand.
The illustration shows whether there is a gap between the shoulders and the floor. Ideally, there should be no gap. This will improve as you release tension in your chest muscles.
Trigger finger: Treatment record
Let's take a look at the records to see what steps are taken to improve trigger finger.
- Symptoms:
① Trigger finger (little finger and ring finger)
Difficulty opening other fingers ② Tension and pain on the left side of the back - Age: 70s
- Work: Long periods of sitting
- What I tried: Stretching, muscle training
If we were to put the events up to now in chronological order, it would look something like this:
- I was diagnosed with scoliosis in my 20s.
- I have had stiffness in my neck and shoulders for a long time. I have experienced being unable to move my neck.
- I've had trigger finger in my ring finger and little finger for the past month. I feel like it's difficult to open my hand.
- At the same time, I started to experience back pain and stiffness.
- Stretching and muscle training do not improve
Various tests will be performed to find the cause. Various parts of the body have a limited range of movement. If you are unable to move as you should, or if it is difficult to move up and down or to the left or right, that may be the cause of the pain.
Test results
Upon examination, it was found that there were areas throughout the body that were not functioning properly.
Checking for spinal curvature.
It curves like the letter C. The pain in your back is on the left side because the muscles on the left side are working hard to prevent the curve from getting any stronger.
There are two possible causes of a curved back. The first is that the muscles in your right arm (deltoid) are stronger than your left arm. The second is that the muscles in your left chest (pectoralis major) are stronger than your right chest.
Considering that the trigger finger is on the left hand, it is likely that the left pectoralis major muscle is the cause.
When the pectoralis major is tense, the left shoulder is rolled inward. Furthermore, the pectoralis minor is tense, which causes the shoulder blade to lift up and remain out of position.
In this way, the conditions for developing trigger finger are met.
Although I have problems with my fingers, I don't touch them from the start for two reasons.
① Inflammation worsens and the number of visits to the hospital increases
When you get a massage, your blood circulation definitely improves for a moment, which feels good. However, the muscles that are causing pain are inflamed, so pressing on them will only make the inflammation worse. This will result in constant pain, and during the treatment, it will be impossible to tell whether your symptoms are improving or not.
This makes it impossible to tell on the spot whether the symptoms have improved, so we end up saying, "That's all for today. Let's see how it goes for a while," which results in the patient having to come to the clinic more often. This is not desirable as it increases the burden on the customer.
② There is no cause in the area where the pain is occurring
When you have problems with your fingers, the cause is often far away, in your abdomen or legs. Relaxing the muscles around your hands can temporarily relieve pain, but it doesn't really improve the underlying cause.
Also, the muscles that are causing pain may not be relaxed, and the more treatment you receive, the worse the pain will become.
For these two reasons, even though the patient complains of trigger finger, we do not touch the hand from the start.
Treatment details
We will introduce you to the holistic treatment method.
"A new update has been released." Along with this notification, apps are regularly updated on smartphones and computers to fix problems or update programs to make them more convenient to use.
In the same way, the body's programs are rewritten every day. The purpose is to use the body efficiently, so for example, if you do a lot of work in front of your body, you will update your body's information by hunching your back so that you can reach out more easily.
As a result of continuing to update your body's programming in this way, you will eventually establish a posture that prioritizes efficiency, even if it is bad.
However, prioritizing convenience often puts strain on the body, causing pain and signaling an error.
If you leave the symptoms untreated or try to treat them without updating your body's programs, the pain may continue for a long time. This is called chronic pain.
At NAKO, we find problems through various inspections and rewrite the programs. Sometimes new problems arise when we update, but we continue to inspect and verify the programs and update them until the problems are gone. It's like working as an engineer correcting data.
I am once again attempting the movements that were painful during my pre-treatment exam. My trigger finger is back to normal. My back pain is gone.
It may heal naturally. If the condition worsens, it will progress to the next stage, depending on the progression of the trigger finger.
① I have pain at the base of my fingers. My hands are swollen when I wake up in the morning.
② The base of the finger is swollen or feels hot. It is difficult to move.
③My finger is bent and won't straighten.
④ Repeated recurrences.
Even if the condition heals naturally, you are still using your body in a way that makes you more susceptible to trigger finger, so it's a good idea to take this opportunity to check what parts of your body are not in ideal condition.
Steps to solve the problem holistically
The way we use our bodies, learned from childhood through play, sports, accidents, childbirth and other events, has shaped the physical condition we have today.
If you are experiencing pain, it is simply your body's way of telling you that there is a problem with the way you have been using your body up until now.
The first step to solving the problem is to stop the pain. After identifying the cause through an examination and then performing treatment, the pain will be reduced. Only after the pain has been alleviated will you be ready to learn how to use your body correctly.
The second step is to learn how to use your body correctly. This will change your body and brain so that you don't go back to your old state.
Since physical pain is often caused by lifestyle habits, stretching and exercise are necessary. Just like brushing your teeth, consistent practice is important.
If you want to solve your pain, you need to stop the pain first, then stretching and exercise can come afterwards.
