Five issues that could be causing your stiff finger joints

Do you have trouble bending your fingers? Are stiff finger joints making it tougher to do normal daily tasks? If you answered yes to these questions, then you should consider talking to a physical therapist. 

There are multiple joints in your finger that could become less flexible. In fact, each of your fingers has three joints that allow it to bend and straighten depending on what they’re doing. Decreased range of motion in the fingers can become limiting, since you use your fingers to do so many tasks every day. Physical therapists can help you learn why your finger joints have become stiff, and they offer treatment for finger joints that have decreased range of motion. 

These five conditions could be the cause of your stiff finger joints

The conditions that can cause less flexible finger joints are typically related to two root issues. One is repetitive movements, like typing. The second is natural wear and tear on the bones and cartilage in your finger joints and the tendons and other structures that move them. Some of the conditions that these two root causes can lead to include: 

1. Hand osteoarthritis
2. Tendinitis
3. Strains
4. Dupuytren’s contracture
5. Stenosing tenosynovitis (trigger finger)

How can a physical therapist help treat stiff finger joints?

The initial step in treating less flexible finger joints will be to figure out which issue is causing your symptoms. Your physical therapist can determine this by evaluating the affected fingers. They may also ask you questions about other symptoms you have as well your daily routine. 

After diagnosing the cause of your symptoms, your physical therapist will build you a unique therapy plan to treat them. Such a plan can include therapy techniques like: 

• Therapeutic exercises to improve the flexibility and strength of soft tissue that moves and supports the finger joints. 

• Joint mobilization designed to boost finger joint range of motion and decrease pain. 

• Dry needling that can help ease tension in myofascial trigger points.

Advent PT can help ease the stiffness in your finger joints

At Advent Physical Therapy, our team has experience treating stiffness and pain in many of the body’s joints, including the finger joints. We offer free screenings intended to reveal the source of your stiffness and other symptoms. Furthermore, our physical therapists excel at building therapy plans that are personalized to fit your needs. We can even help patients get care from home with our at-home care and virtual therapy services, and our team can begin your therapy even if you don’t have a doctor’s referral. 

Contact our team today for more information about our treatment options for hand and finger issues or to schedule an initial appointment.