Scaly finger

Trigger finger is a common cause of pain and dysfunction in the hand area. Scaly finger in adults is the result of nodular thickening of the tendon sheath of the flexor accompanied by stenosis of the 1st annular loop at the level of the metacarpophalangeal joint. Initially, there is a limitation, later a complete inability to move the flexor tendon of the finger. It occurs most often in middle-aged women and affects IV, III. finger and thumb. The cause is mostly unknown, but it can occur in rheumatic, diabetic and dialysis patients.

Clinical picture The patient presents with peeling (jumping of the tendon) or blockage of the finger during flexion or extension. In the initial stages, there is pain when reaching full flexion + crepitation, later "finger snapping". Although the patient often localizes the problem to the interphalangeal joint, palpation tenderness and skipping (movement of the thickened tendon) is on the palm over the A1 loop.