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Causes of Trigger Finger


To understand the causes of trigger finger, one must understand how the tendons and muscles in the arms and hands function. Tendons are the cords of fiber that attach the muscles to the bones. A protective sheath that is lined by a substance called tenosynovium normally surrounds tendons. Tenosynovium provides the necessary lubrication that protects the sheath and the tendon from injury as you continually bend and straighten your fingers.

In cases of trigger finger, the sheath that surrounds the tendon gets inflamed or narrows down. This restricts the movement of the fingers and at times causes the finger to get stuck in the bent position before popping straight after a while. After each attack of trigger finger, the situation worsens and causes the sheath to get more inflamed and narrow. Scarring, bumps, and thickening of the sheath can also occur with repeated attacks.

There are certain risk factors that increase your chance of developing trigger finger. These include:

  • Gender: Trigger finger is more common in women than men
  • Age: The condition occurs in people over the age of 40 or under the age of six
  • Health Problems: People who suffer from medical conditions such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, amyloidosis and other infections are more prone to developing trigger finger. Other illnesses that could result in trigger finger include gout, congestive heart failure, carpal tunnel syndrome and mucopolysaccharide storage disorders
  • Repeated Gripping: If you grip an item for long periods of time such as a tool or a musical instrument, you are at a higher risk for trigger finger as well
  • Dupuytren’s Contracture: This is a condition that affects the fingers in your hand and causes them to bend into the palm
  • De Quervain’s Disease: This disease affects the tendons in your thumb and causes pain in the wrists

Trigger Finger
Signs & Symptoms
Frequently asked questions
References
  1. A. Freiberg, R.S. Mulholland, R. Levine, Nonoperative treatment of trigger fingers and thumbs, The Journal of Hand Surgery, Volume 14, Issue 3, May 1989, Pages 553-558, ISSN 0363-5023, 10.1016/S0363-5023(89)80024-3.
  2. A.V. Bonnici, J.D. Spencer, A survey of ‘trigger finger’ in adults, The Journal of Hand Surgery: British & European Volume, Volume 13, Issue 2, May 1988, Pages 202-203, ISSN 0266-7681, 10.1016/0266-7681(88)90139-8.