Several illnesses can cause the fingers to draw up or curl. The first two conditions are known as Trigger Finger and Mallet Finger and the other is Dupuytren’s contracture, all of which need medical treatment.
Trigger Finger (flexor tendinitis) is a fairly common condition usually affecting the thumb, middle, or ring finger in which the tendons of the hand become inflamed and thickened and get trapped in their own sheaths causing the fingers to lock when bent. The triggering is usually more pronounced in the morning, or while gripping an object firmly.
This condition responds well to injection with steroids such as cortisone but other measures may be required.
In Mallet Finger, often caused by some kind of force being applied to the finger, the tip of the affected finger bends towards the palm while the rest of the finger stays straight. It is common in people who play sport and is usually sustained from catching a hard-hit ball, which then causes the tendons in the fingers to be stretched or torn.
The treatment for Mallet Fingers is either surgery or to splint them to keep them straightened for at least four weeks. The hand needs to be treated as soon as possible after the injury, so consulting a doctor or sports therapist is probably a good idea.
Dupuytren’s contracture is more common in men than in women and usually affects people of northern European origin. It can develop into a painful condition and involves nodules forming under the skin of the palm of the hand that eventually result in a shortening of the connective tissue, causing the fingers to be drawn in towards the palm.
The ring finger is most commonly affected. Surgery can release the contracted finger and around 12,000 of these operations are performed in the UK each year.
The information provided here is in no way intended to be a diagnosis or a substitute for the advice of a health care provider. There may be other conditions not mentioned here, so it is always wise to seek proper medical advice.
Trigger Finger (flexor tendinitis) is a fairly common condition usually affecting the thumb, middle, or ring finger in which the tendons of the hand become inflamed and thickened and get trapped in their own sheaths causing the fingers to lock when bent. The triggering is usually more pronounced in the morning, or while gripping an object firmly.
This condition responds well to injection with steroids such as cortisone but other measures may be required.
In Mallet Finger, often caused by some kind of force being applied to the finger, the tip of the affected finger bends towards the palm while the rest of the finger stays straight. It is common in people who play sport and is usually sustained from catching a hard-hit ball, which then causes the tendons in the fingers to be stretched or torn.
The treatment for Mallet Fingers is either surgery or to splint them to keep them straightened for at least four weeks. The hand needs to be treated as soon as possible after the injury, so consulting a doctor or sports therapist is probably a good idea.
Dupuytren’s contracture is more common in men than in women and usually affects people of northern European origin. It can develop into a painful condition and involves nodules forming under the skin of the palm of the hand that eventually result in a shortening of the connective tissue, causing the fingers to be drawn in towards the palm.
The ring finger is most commonly affected. Surgery can release the contracted finger and around 12,000 of these operations are performed in the UK each year.
The information provided here is in no way intended to be a diagnosis or a substitute for the advice of a health care provider. There may be other conditions not mentioned here, so it is always wise to seek proper medical advice.
