Hand & finger
Trigger Finger — North Vancouver
A finger that catches, clicks, or locks bent and snaps straight with a painful pop. We settle the swollen tendon, restore smooth gliding, and sort out whether it's a job for physio or a hand specialist.
What it is
Understanding your trigger finger.
Trigger finger is what happens when a finger catches, clicks, or locks as you bend or straighten it. The flexor tendon that curls the finger normally glides smoothly through a series of snug pulleys in the palm. When the tendon — or the first pulley at the base of the finger — becomes swollen, the tendon no longer slides cleanly. Instead it snags, then suddenly releases with a click or a painful snap. In stubborn cases the finger can lock bent and need the other hand to straighten it. Along the way the stiffness, catching, and tenderness can make everyday tasks like gripping objects, writing, or typing awkward.
Early on it might just be stiffness and a tender lump at the base of the finger or thumb, often worse first thing in the morning. As the swelling builds, the catching becomes more obvious and more painful. It commonly affects the thumb, ring, or middle finger, and tends to come from repeated gripping — power tools, sustained clutching of a steering wheel, a heavy week of manual work, or hobbies that load the fingers hard and often.
Some people are more prone to it. Diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and other inflammatory conditions make the tendons more reactive, and trigger finger turns up more frequently with age and in occupations or hobbies built around repetitive finger gripping. Knowing what's stoking the irritation shapes how we approach it.
What to expect
Mild trigger finger caught early — stiffness and occasional catching without true locking — often improves over several weeks with splinting, gliding work, and load management. More advanced cases that lock regularly are less likely to fully resolve with hands-on therapy alone; for those, a cortisone injection is frequently effective, and a finger that keeps locking despite injection may need a quick day-surgery release. Your physiotherapist will be straight with you about which category yours falls into so you're not spinning wheels.
Get a plan
Not sure if we're the right fit?
Send us a quick note about what's going on. A physiotherapist — not a receptionist — will read it and reply with what they'd recommend. No commitment to book.
Common questions
About trigger finger.
My finger locks bent and I have to pull it straight — can physiotherapy fix that?+
True locking is a more advanced stage, and it's the honest answer that frank locking often doesn't fully resolve with hands-on therapy alone. We can still help with the surrounding tension, gliding, and load management, but for a finger that consistently locks we'll usually recommend you discuss a cortisone injection with your physician early rather than persisting with conservative care that's unlikely to clear it.
When is a cortisone injection or surgery the right call?+
A cortisone injection into the tendon sheath is often very effective for trigger finger, particularly when catching or locking is established and hasn't responded to splinting and activity changes. If the finger keeps locking after one or two injections, a minor day-surgery procedure to release the tight pulley reliably resolves it. We'll flag when you've reached either of those thresholds and coordinate the referral — physiotherapy is the right first step for milder cases, not a substitute for these when they're warranted.
Why does it feel worse in the morning?+
Fluid tends to pool around the irritated tendon and pulley overnight while the hand is still, so the catching and stiffness are often most pronounced on the first few bends of the day, then ease as you move. An overnight splint that keeps the finger straight is one of the more useful early tools precisely because of this.
I do a lot of gripping at work — will it just come back?+
It can if the triggering load stays unchanged. For trades-people and others doing repetitive gripping around the North Shore, we look at tool handles, grip habits, and recovery between bouts alongside the treatment, because settling the tendon without easing the daily load tends to invite a relapse. If you have diabetes or an inflammatory condition, managing that with your physician also matters, since it makes the tendons more reactive.
Do you direct-bill extended health?+
Yes — direct billing for most major extended-health insurers, plus ICBC and WorkSafeBC.
This page is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Individual presentations vary — assessment findings and treatment plans differ from person to person. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, neurological changes (numbness, weakness, bowel or bladder changes), or a significant trauma, contact your physician or emergency services. Physiotherapy at Medstar Sport Physio & Health is provided by physiotherapists registered with the College of Physical Therapists of British Columbia (CPTBC).
Related reading
- De Quervain's tenosynovitis — the thumb-side tendon problem, often confused with this →
- Carpal tunnel syndrome — the other common hand complaint, driven by nerve compression →
- IMS dry needling — release the forearm and hand tension loading the flexor tendons →
- Sport physiotherapy — the splinting, gliding, and load-management plan behind recovery →