Background Trigger finger is a stenotic tendovaginitis characterized by hand pain and dysfunction, commonly encountered and easily recognizable (1). RESWT is frequently used in the treatment of soft tissue pathologies such as lateral epicondylitis, plantar fasciitis and calcific rotator cuff tendinitis (2–3). However, there is no study examining whether RESWT is effective on the trigger finger or not.

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (RESWT) in the Treatment of Trigger Finger.

Methods This study was carried out on 16 patients (18 patient hand) who had been diagnosed with trigger finger that grade 1,2,3 according to quinnel classification. Patients were carried out as a single group. 16 patients (18 patient hand) with trigger fingers were applied to ten-sessions,twice a week of RESWT (2000 impulses, 2 bar, 10 Hz). Pain scores (Numeric Pain Rating Scale - NRS), general funtional capasities (The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (Quick-DASH)), range of motion, grip strength (GS) and pinch strenght (PS) were assessed at every week for five weeks during treatment and 3 months after treatment.

Results 13 female and 3 male patients over 18 years of age were evaluated. In the evaluations performed every week during 10 sessions of RESWT treatment and 3 months after treatment, decrease in pain levels and increase in general functional capacity, range of motion, grip strength and pinch strength were observed in the patients treated (p<0.001) (tablo 1).

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Conclusions According to our results; RESWT might be an effective method to decrease pain severity, improve general functional capacity, range of motion, grip strength and pinch strength in patients with trigger finger.

References

1. Canale ST. Beaty JH. Canale & Beaty: Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics, (CD-ROM) 11th Edition. 2008. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

2. Ogden JA, Toth-Kischkat A, Schultheiss R. Principles of shock wave therapy. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2001; 387: 8–17.

3. Okay B, Mustafa E. Ortopedi ve travmatolojideekstrakorporeal şok dalga tedavisi uygulamaları. C. Ü. Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi. 2002; 24(3):161–164.

References

Acknowledgements The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Disclosure of Interest None declared