Will kinesiology tape help Trigger Finger?
Trigger finger is not something we see very often in our clinic so when a client came in with it as one of their concerns we were intrigued. I say "we" because even though one of us works with the client we often consult each other to get opinions and bounce ideas of one another.
This was a regular client who had a recent shoulder surgery and the pinkie and pointer fingers of that hand were getting stuck in a flexed position at random times every day. The client would have to take their other hand to "pop" the flexed fingers back straight.
What is Trigger Finger?
The Mayo Clinic describes trigger finger, also known as stenosing tenosynovitis, as a condition in which one of your fingers gets stuck in a bent position. Your fingers may straighten with a snap - like a trigger being pulled and released.
Trigger finger occurs when inflammation narrows the space within the sheath that surrounds the tendon in the affected finger. If trigger finger is severe, your finger may become locked in a bent position.
How to apply the Kinesiology tape?
Would using Kinesiology tape on the flexors of the forearm be better to relieve this condition or would taping the extensors be of more benefit? The top of our forearm is where the muscles and tendons sit to extend or straighten our fingers. Conversely, the muscles and tendons on the underside of our forearm have the action of flexing the fingers. We know this client's overactive flexors seem to be the problem but kinesiology tape can be used to excite or stimulate under-active muscles or calm or inhibit the overactive muscles.In this client's case we had a choice to make. Which would be better to try first in hopes of giving the most relief while the trigger finger heals.
Here is the kinesiology tape application chosen.
Because this was something we've never tried before and after research, seems not many others have tried either, we went with our gut. The extensors of the forearm seemed ineffective in straightening the fingers when the client made a fist. In theory, the tape would assist the muscles and tendon attachments to extend the effected fingers and help with inflammation. This is an oversimplified explanation of how kinesiology tape works. To read about how the tape works visit http://www.massagelamesa.com/kinesiology-tape.html
Part of the reason for choosing to tape the extensors was practical in nature. We know well applied kinesiology tape can stay on for 4-5 days and we figured with hand washing and how often the hands are used this application would begin curling up around the edges on the fingers sooner, which it did. Tape on the underside of the hand would curl even sooner.
Part of the reason for choosing to tape the extensors was practical in nature. We know well applied kinesiology tape can stay on for 4-5 days and we figured with hand washing and how often the hands are used this application would begin curling up around the edges on the fingers sooner, which it did. Tape on the underside of the hand would curl even sooner.
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ReplyDeleteHow can I use it on pinky finger upper knuckle. Have Arthritis on finger
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