Stiff Finger Joints

I've been having an odd issue with my fingers that I know has something to do with driving.

Within a couple minutes of starting to drive, the problem is gone.

Basically, a few hours after I stop driving, I get 'sticky' finger joints. The middle joints on the fingers of my left hand aren't painful but the tendons seem to be hanging up in the joints. I can feel the joints pulling apart a bit as I clench my hand, and when releasing my hand, it feels like the tendons hang up a bit, then pop loose. This is worst on the outside three fingers of my left hand, and not on my right. My right hand is entirely missing the index finger though, so the grip I use with that hand is different.

I already have a steering wheel cover and driving gloves.

Has anyone ever resolved this issue by changing the orientation of your steering wheel? More to the horizontal, or vertical?

The condition is called Tenosynovitis. Commonly also called "trigger finger".

It's a strain/repetitive motion injury. I had it on one finger, ended up getting a cortisone shot to straighten it out.

Rick

The condition is called Tenosynovitis. Commonly also called "trigger finger".

It's a strain/repetitive motion injury. I had it on one finger, ended up getting a cortisone shot to straighten it out.

Rick

Thanks! I mentioned this post to another family member earlier today, and they told me exactly the same thing. Trigger finger. They also have it, from a different repetitive task. I will start adjusting my steering wheel to different positions, and get a splint to hold the affected fingers straight if I can still grip the wheel well enough to control it properly. I am in no pain yet, so I'll avoid cortisone for now.

Thanks!

You might also try shifting the position of your hands throughout the day. Give your left hand a break once in a while.

Since starting driving, I have trigger finger in the middle two fingers of both hands. Stretching my fingers out flat whenever I can helps. I discovered that using a small pillow at night under my forearms with fingers stretched over the end helps a lot. I use neck pillows, the ones shaped like a dog bone, they are firm, and have rounded ends that I can rest my hand on.

You might also try shifting the position of your hands throughout the day. Give your left hand a break once in a while.

Yes, in addition to a less-tight grip, this is something I have already started to do. I might have to be a little more aware of it though, maybe set alarms on my phone for every thirty minutes or so to remind me to change my wheel grip.

Since starting driving, I have trigger finger in the middle two fingers of both hands. Stretching my fingers out flat whenever I can helps. I discovered that using a small pillow at night under my forearms with fingers stretched over the end helps a lot. I use neck pillows, the ones shaped like a dog bone, they are firm, and have rounded ends that I can rest my hand on.

Sounds like you sleep on your stomach if you can lay both forearms flat. I'm exclusively a side sleeper. Still, the idea of keeping my left hand flat when I sleep is something I could do with a splint. I'll need to look into getting some of the hot-water-flexible memory plastic that physical therapists use, and make a pancake splint for my hand.

A lot of this comes from the way you sleep.

I "crook" my wrists. I had a carpal tunnel release on my rt hand years ago, I wear a splint (brace) on my left when I sleep - should really wear one on both. I bend my wrists than lay on top of them. Wake up with my fingers numb and wrists aching if I don't use the brace.

Your trigger finger is less likely something that is occurring while you're driving, and more a hyper-extension of something while you're sleeping.

Think of the tendons/joints as rope running thru a pulley. In the case of fingers, there are ligaments that the tendons go thru (tendons run over the joint, ligaments hold their alignment over the joint. When you have a "bulge" in the tendon sheath, it gets "hung up" on the ligament as it runs through.

Heat helps, NSAID's and even a specific anti-inflamatory might help. As I mentioned, in my case - my ortho simply opted for a shot of cortisone into the tendon (ouch) - but it hasn't re-occurred since.

Rick

Go to Walmart and get some epsom salt, pour about half a cup in a sink with the stopper in and run some hot water. make suer to swirl the water around to disolve the salt and soak you hand in there for 15 to 30 minutes and that should help alot. do this after you take a shower for a week or so,