If you’re struggling with stiff, painful fingers or a thumb that feels like it gets “stuck” when you bend it, you might be experiencing a condition called trigger finger. The discomfort, often accompanied by a clicking or popping sensation, can interfere with everyday activities—especially for office workers, musicians, and seniors. But the good news is that relief is often achievable at home under the guidance of a hand and wrist expert.

What is trigger finger?

Trigger finger—technically called stenosing tenosynovitis—occurs when parts of the tendons in your fingers or thumb become inflamed. These tendons typically glide smoothly within a sheath, but when inflammation develops, that sheath constricts, and the tendon has trouble moving. This results in the characteristic “clicking” or “locking” of the affected finger.

Symptoms of trigger finger

• Stiffness in the fingers, especially in the morning
• A clicking, popping, or catching sensation when moving the finger
• Pain or tenderness around the base of the affected finger or thumb
• Finger locking into a bent position and only straightening with difficulty

Trigger finger exercises and treatments

Treating trigger finger or thumb often begins with basic methods that aren’t complicated or invasive, escalating into more intensive treatments if necessary. Many people can manage symptoms at home with targeted exercises and self-care, but in many cases, professional physical therapy may be helpful because trigger finger can occur alongside other conditions, such as arthritis, that benefit from an expert’s understanding of the most effective treatments.

At-home care

Trigger finger can be caused by overuse, whether simply due to your age or because of your lifestyle. In these cases, simply resting the hand or finger experiencing symptoms for a few days can be helpful. If you’re unable to restrict movement to that hand because of your job or other requirements, talk to a physical therapist who can help you treat the condition or excuse you from certain activities.

Your physical therapist can also prescribe specific finger stretches and exercises to strengthen the muscles that control your fingers and help fight the inflammation that causes trigger finger. Exercises include:

• Finger extension stretches
• Tendon gliding exercises
• Ball squeezes

Physical therapy for trigger finger

A physical therapist can also provide trigger finger treatments beyond at-home stretches and exercises. Some potential modes of treatment include:

• Range of motion exercises – The therapist will guide your fingers or thumb through movements to alleviate tightness while protecting the tendon.
• Heat and stretching – Warming up the hand with a hot compress, followed by gently stretching the fingers, promotes flexibility. Heat can worsen inflammation, so this is best done under supervision of an expert to avoid making your condition worse.
• Splinting – Your therapist might suggest a splint to stabilize the finger and prevent locking, especially overnight.
• Functional retraining – Therapy often includes retraining your hand to perform daily tasks with less strain to prevent further irritation.

Trigger thumb exercises and treatments

Trigger thumb causes similar symptoms to trigger finger but affects the thumb tendons specifically. The exercises and treatments are therefore similar but distinct from trigger finger exercises.

At-home care

If resting the affected thumb doesn’t alleviate your symptoms after a few days, or you aren’t able to avoid using that thumb for that long, there are a few exercises you may be able to do to help:

• Thumb abduction stretch
• Rubber band resistance exercise
• Ice massage

Physical therapy for trigger thumb

Professional treatments for trigger thumb include those used for trigger finger but focus on the thumb’s unique motion and grip demands. Expect customized stretches, strengthening routines, and splinting to support thumb healing when working with a hand therapist.

Personalized Trigger Finger Exercises and Treatments in Apache Junction

Managing trigger finger or trigger thumb is achievable with a combination of at-home care and professional support. At Continuum Wellness, we always start by meeting with you one-on-one to best understand what’s bothering you and what you’re hoping to get from treatment. We have a number of effective, non-medicated methods of relieving trigger finger symptoms and may be available as quickly as tomorrow to take your appointment.

Start a conversation with our team by calling our Apache Junction clinic or by requesting your appointment online today.