# Trigger Finger Syndrome



## shadowlawnjutsu (Jun 9, 2020)

OK this might be off topic but somehow related to mowing. Last spring before my renovation, I've been mowing like crazy. I mow every day or sometimes every other day. Then I started to have this pain in my fingers every morning. Did a little research and it's possible that it's a trigger finger syndrome. It started to go away when I started my renovation. But now that I'm mowing again, probably every 2 or 3 days, it's starting to come back. Waking up in the morning is the most painful, it's difficult to clinch and open my fingers, then it gets better around noon time. Did you guys get this too when mowing frequently? What did you do about it?

I know I should be asking this to a medical professional but for the sake of discussion, just curious who gets this from mowing a lot.

By the way this is one reason I started use PGR but it only gave me 1 to 2 days of rest from mowing. But I don't want to use PGR on my new grass just yet. Probably next spring.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trigger-finger/symptoms-causes/syc-20365100


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## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

Hand pain is no fun. It may or may not be trigger finger(s). Based on some of the info you gave, but without a full screening, it may be carpal tunnel. Pain in the mornings and increased/induced symptoms from vibrations would be common characteristics of carpal tunnel.

Not trying to give a diagnosis just sharing my opinion.


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## HarryZoysia (Aug 27, 2019)

Yeah, I thought trigger finger was some of your fingers "catching" when you bend them. Sounds like you have arthritis or carpel tunnel


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## shadowlawnjutsu (Jun 9, 2020)

My fingers are clicking when I bend them and bending them is really a pain especially in the morning.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

shadowlawnjutsu said:


> My fingers are clicking when I bend them and bending them is really a pain especially in the morning.


Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome ("HAVS") is caused by repeated or prolonged use of vibrating tools.

You should try a set of quality anti-vibration gloves. This is actually an OSHA worker protection issue.

https://www.ergodyne.com/gloves/anti-vibration-gloves

I wear gel palm anti vibration gloves when I am riding motorcycles, shooting high caliber handguns, or running chainsaws.

The anti vibration glove can prevent nerve damage, tingling, numbness, pain, loss of grip, or loss of hand or finger functioning. The anti-vibe gloves will also prevent joint and knuckle damage, tendon injury, muscle injury, impact shock, and bone damage.... The above website explains this issue well.


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## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

Is there pinpoint pain at the base of the finger where it would meet your palm? Any noticable bumps in that spot (other than callouses earned doing yard work)?


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## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

@FlowRider good point which is often overlooked!


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## shadowlawnjutsu (Jun 9, 2020)

Wiley said:


> Is there pinpoint pain at the base of the finger where it would meet your palm? Any noticable bumps in that spot (other than callouses earned doing yard work)?


Yes there is a bump and it moves with the finger.


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## shadowlawnjutsu (Jun 9, 2020)

FlowRider said:


> shadowlawnjutsu said:
> 
> 
> > My fingers are clicking when I bend them and bending them is really a pain especially in the morning.
> ...


Thanks for this tip. I will definitely get anti vibe gloves. Didn't know there's such a thing.


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## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

Here are some hand exercises that may help if it's indeed trigger finger.

https://www.braceability.com/blogs/articles/trigger-finger-exercises


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

Sounds like a trigger finger. They commonly cause pain. A palpable nodule and catching (sometimes you may need to use the other hand to "unstick" the finger) is pretty much diagnostic. See a hand surgeon. Treatment is rest (probably won't work if you have pain and catching/locking), steroid injection (works for 1-3 months, but comes back ~50% of the time depending on severity), and surgery.

The surgery is outpatient, pretty low risk, and recovery is fairly easy. You will be on reduced activity for 2 weeks or so with the affected hand. Depending on how much it hurts and how important the lawn work is, you can wait until late fall/winter to get surgery if it is needed. A steroid shot may tide you over until you are ready to take time off the lawn if it is bothering you a lot now. You can try the exercises linked by Wiley, but I would not expect them to have a significant effect - especially if you have a palpable nodule.

I would be very surprised if you have Hand Arm Vibration syndrome from lawn work, though I suppose it is possible. That would be more common in jobs like construction workers on a Jackhammer all day. The anti-vibration gloves won't hurt and may help so it is worth giving them a try.


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## shadowlawnjutsu (Jun 9, 2020)

@bernstem, thanks! I might wait for a year if it won't get better I might consider the surgery next winter. But I hope the gloves and exercise works for me. Since I'm on a reno, it doesn't feel that bad. It's coming back but not like how it was before the reno when I mow almost everyday. Now my mowing schedule is every 1 or 2 days. I ordered the gloves and will be here maybe in a few days.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

Sounds good! There really isn't any risk of waiting to get the trigger finger addressed. The only benefit of earlier treatment is that a steroid injection is more likely to be successful with a mild trigger finger, so you might consider seeing someone to talk about one. There really isn't any down time from the injection (maybe a couple days of lighter activity), and the side effects are quite low like for surgery. The injection is moderately painful/uncomfortable, but the steroid is usually mixed with a local anesthetic so the discomfort goes away very quickly. If it is getting better, then you might not need any treatment.


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## Tadow781 (Oct 11, 2019)

Cut the hand off and start over


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## shadowlawnjutsu (Jun 9, 2020)

Tadow781 said:


> Cut the hand off and start over


 :lol:


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

shadowlawnjutsu said:


> Tadow781 said:
> 
> 
> > Cut the hand off and start over
> ...


Yeah, umm, I think you might want to just try the gloves first. I know, right? :rofl:


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## DEW75 (Sep 25, 2020)

I have trigger finger. If you close your hand by making a fist then open your hand your finger will lock at the first knuckle. I am getting my 2nd injection this coming Tuesday.


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## shadowlawnjutsu (Jun 9, 2020)

@DEW75, That's exactly how I feel every morning. How did it improve after the first injection?


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

A friend had trigger finger and let it go till surgery was mandatory and has been very happy with the surgery outcome.


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## DEW75 (Sep 25, 2020)

shadowlawnjutsu said:


> @DEW75, That's exactly how I feel every morning. How did it improve after the first injection?


The first injection went well, your finger will be numb for awhile (3hrs.) Very little discomfort after that. Don't expect it be cured right away, it takes 6 weeks to know if you need another injection. Mine is 80% better so I am having another injection on Tuesday it has been 6 weeks. I think this one will make it 100% cured. The pain and swelling went away after about 1 week, (the pain and swelling was from the trigger finger not the injection.) You will be glad you had it done. There is absolutely no down time.


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