Why Your Finger Locks Up And Pops | Trigger Finger
Your finger locks. You straighten it with your other hand and it pops, and it
is worst first thing in the morning. That is trigger finger. Here is what is actually
happening inside your hand, and why the sore spot is not the knuckle that locks.
Dr Jesse Dashe, Hand Surgeon
San Leandro, CA
(510) 297-0550
https://drdashe.com
This video is general education, not medical advice. If your finger is catching or
locking, see a hand surgeon for an evaluation.
Transcript
Your finger locks, you straighten it with your other hand, and it pops. Worse first thing in the morning. Here is what is actually happening. The tendon that bends your finger runs through a row of loops like a rope through the eyelets on a boot. The first loop at the base of your finger is the tightest. The tendon swells or that loop thickens. Now the rope is too big for the eyelet. Bend the finger and it forces through, straighten it and it has to force back. It hangs there. That is the catch. When it clears, that is the pop. So, the problem is not the knuckle that locks. That joint is fine. It is an inch away down in your palm. Press the base of that finger. If that is the sore spot, that is your answer.