Care for Tendonitis and Tendon Injuries

If you’re having trouble bending your finger normally, you may have a tendon injury. These can sometimes be corrected without surgery.

The tendons that run through your fingers, hands, wrists, forearms, elbows and arms work like long ropes connecting the muscles of the forearm with the bones of the fingers and thumb. When these tendons are damaged, special care must be taken to restore the normal bending of fingers and wrist. Some of the most common tendon conditions are:

• deQuervain’s tendonitis -- The most common tendonitis in the wrist, deQuervain’s is caused by irritation or swelling of the tendons along the thumb side of your wrist. The swelling can cause pain and tenderness, usually noticed when forming a fist, gripping things or turning the wrist. When rest, splinting and medication do not work, we may recommend surgery to make more room for the irritated tendons.
• Trigger finger -- Tendons work as pulleys to help the fingers bend. They have a slick lining that helps them work smoothly. When that lining becomes swollen or the tendon develops a knot, it is called trigger finger (or thumb). This condition causes pain, popping or a catching feeling and the finger may become locked in a bent position. Our hand surgeons try to restore full movement through splinting and medication, but surgery may be needed so the tendon will glide more freely.
• Flexor tendon laceration -- Tendons in your hand extend from the flexor muscles in your forearm and help you bend or flex your fingers. If you get a deep cut on the palm side of your wrist, hand or fingers, you can injure these flexor tendons and nearby nerves and blood vessels, making it hard to bend your finger. Surgery is needed to repair the tendon.
• Extensor tendon injuries -- Jamming a finger or cutting yourself can damage the extensor tendons, located on the back of the hand. These tendons are attached to muscles in the forearm and allow you to straighten your fingers and thumb. Injuring this tendon can result in a condition in which the fingertip droops. It’s called “mallet finger.” Our hand surgeons usually treat these injuries with a splint, allowing the tendon to reattach. Sometimes it is necessary to place an "internal" pin through the bone and across the finger joint.
• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) -- There are tendons that attach your forearm muscles to the outside of the elbow and allow you to lift your wrist and hand. When these tendons become inflamed and painful, it is called tennis elbow (golfer's elbow is a similar condition that occurs on the inside of the elbow). People playing tennis or other racquet sports often develop this condition from improper swinging technique. Rest, splints and medication usually work to correct the condition, but surgery is required in some cases.

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