JMH714

I got a "trigger finger" or stenosing tenosynovitis on my left index finger.

I wanted to go back riding road cycling again, but my concern about my trigger finger not being able to pull brake or got finger locked while squeeze to brake. I planned to go to Orthopedics soon.

Anyone have this similar condition and how do you handle it? What can I do to avoid it?

Koyote

I know one person who had that condition...It was repaired with surgery. I recommend you see an orthopedic surgeon ASAP.

I once had surgery for a severed tendon in my hand, and it involved a long recovery with lots of physical therapy. But without the surgery, I wouldn't have been able to properly grip a handlebar or a beer bottle -- so there was really no option for me.

Iride01 

It's usually my 3 smaller fingers that do the most work on the brakes. My index finger is too high on the lever to get much leverage.

Wish you the best for your surgery, physical therapy of what ever it is they recommend.


edit 03/39/22:
I've been riding a couple times since this post and realize now that I only use my middle and ring fingers to pull the brake levers on a drop bar road bike with STI's. It's the same whether I'm on the hoods or in the drops. My index fingers do nothing and my pinkies are on the shift paddles.

cyclic_eric

I had the same issue last year. Friends laughed when I told them my doctor said it was an overuse injury...
I wore a brace at night for 2-3 weeks and the condition went away. Pick up a brace at your local pharmacy.

JMH714

I visited my orthopedics last September for other injury (rotatory cuff on my shoulder) and asked him about the trigger finger. He said he could give it a shot, I had to decline it because I don't have insurance which I no longer employed. I told him I will be back as soon as I obtain new health insurance.

I always use all four fingers to brake. I just tried squeeze brakes before I make comment here, it didn't hurt - but I'm more concern about locking or get sharp pain when I squeeze it.

Nice finger!!!

I tried bracket when I first got trigger finger. It didn't help, unfortunately. I noticed if I put some heat on it and it seems to relax it.

Russ Roth

Switch to hydraulics and don't use that finger? I have to say with hydraulic levers on the road bike I just use my two smallest fingers in general and one of those barely works from too many injuries, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't bend at all, but stopping is always secure.

Desert Ryder

I started taking a fish oil supplement every morning, 100 mg soft gel.
I also wore a finger splint at night when going to bed.
I no longer have a problem.

seypat

I'd see a doctor and get it fixed. You don't want it to get itchy.

KerryIrons

I have something different: Depuytren's Contracture, for which surgery is often recommended. Instead I did intensive stretches for many, many weeks but I finally got it stretched out and now it is essentially gone. Slow fix but it was free and avoided surgery. You might not have gone at the stretching long enough. Modern medicine is fixated on quick cures rather than long term changes that can avoid invasive treatments.

GhostRider62

I periodically have that problem, mine originates where the nerve exits the cervical spine or so I am told. The meaty part of the thumb pad will turn black and blue. It hurts all the time. The finger does not always stick out. One reason I switched to eTap

roth rothar

Did you try it just for the Halibut?

Troul 

splint the finger to keep it from being used.

rosefarts

A plastics guy with a hand specialty can fix a trigger finger in 10 minutes. If you need a carpal tunnel, see if you can get both on the same day.

rumrunn6

Wifey had surgery

50PlusCycling

I had it from playing the guitar several hours per day. It bothered me for about a year (probably because I kept playing), and then went away by itself.

philbob57

I think I've had 4 or 5 of these. When you get insurance, find a hand surgeon, not a general ortho. Sometimes all it takes is a steroid shot in the joint below the finger. Sometimes minor surgery is necessary if the shot doesn't work. Personally, I've had the shot preventively, and it didn't totally prevent it getting worse, so I'll wait until it's painful the next time it happens to me.

I recommend asking the doc to give you the shot for the total Medicare price if you don't have insurance. Docs can charge what they want to charge. The rack rate can be $18,000, but all the doc will get for a Medicare recipient is the Medicare price (i.e. Medicare pays of 80% of the rate, and the patient pays 20%). It's common for the Medicare price t be 10% or less of the rack rate, but shots may cost more.

JMH714

Updated.

My doctor is sending me a referral to orthopedic. I only spoken to doctor through message on their website and described exact how it feel and move, etc... And then they are going to give me the referral shortly.

I doubt it will be a surgery since I can move my finger, but just feeling skipping, clicking, and sometimes got stuck. My mother have issue with her hands and she had to get surgery for it to loose some tendon (I think, I'm not expert on hand) on middle of her palms.

I hope I can get back on bike very soon!