With one phone in hand, you can communicate with the outside world, watch videos and play games. Just walk around the street and you will see that most of the people on the street are bow-headed people. According to reports, Hong Kong people spend an average of 6 hours online every day, and more than half of that time is spent on mobile phones. Dr. Nee Siling, an orthopedic specialist, pointed out: “In recent years, there has been an increase in cases of slingshot finger between the ages of 20 and 30, especially on the thumb. It is believed to be related to Hong Kong people’s repeated use of fingers to swipe mobile phones for a long time.”
Housewives and patients with metabolic diseases need to pay attention to high-risk groups
Trigger finger, also known as slingshot finger, refers to the continuous friction between the flexor tendon and fascia (A1 pulley) located above the palm when the finger is repeatedly flexed, causing inflammation and swelling, which in turn causes tissue thickening. Make your fingers “stuck”. Because the initial symptoms of slingshot finger are mild, patients may not be aware of the seriousness of the problem, so many cases have worsened by the time they seek treatment. Clinically, slingshot finger is divided into 4 levels. Level 4 is the most serious, and the finger may be permanently deformed and cannot be straightened.
Repetitive use or bending of fingers is the main cause of slingshot finger. People at high risk include women, people who frequently use computers and mobile phones, and people with diabetes or gout. Dr. Ni gives an example: “Housewives and cleaners need to hold utensils, such as floor mops, brooms, cleaning utensils, etc., for a long time, which are high-risk.” In view of this, Dr. Ni recommends that high-risk people should rest their fingers more, massage and stretch regularly. Fingers to avoid slingshot fingers caused by prolonged activities.
Symptoms appearing in early childhood may be due to congenital factors
In addition to acquired factors, slingshot finger is also affected by congenital factors. Most of these patients develop the condition before one year old. In addition, many children nowadays also frequently use electronic products, which may worsen the problem of slingshot finger. Dr. Ni pointed out that for young patients, doctors usually recommend conservative treatment first, such as physical therapy. At the same time, parents can also massage the A1 pulley position for their children and wear finger guards for their children before going to bed. If the child still does not improve after one to two years of conservative treatment, surgical treatment may need to be considered to avoid affecting future learning.
Slingshot finger surgery has low postoperative recurrence rate
Regardless of whether it is an adult or a child, during the operation, the doctor will make a small incision on the upper part of the patient’s palm and release it. The doctor will ensure that the fingers can be straightened and flexed freely before making stitches. This can immediately relieve the trigger finger problem and prevent recurrence after surgery. The chances are also relatively slim. “However, patients should be aware that if they do not move for a long time after surgery, the fibrous adhesions in the postoperative wound may make it impossible to straighten the fingers, so stretching exercises after surgery are very important.” Dr. Ni explained.
Do not ignore minor symptoms and seek medical treatment as soon as possible
In addition to being “stuck”, the slingshot finger is also unable to bend. Dr. Ni shared that a 40-year-old male patient who worked as a clerical worker did not need to reuse tools during his daily work. However, one day he woke up early in the morning and sought medical attention because his thumb could not be flexed for 30 minutes. After careful questioning, the doctor learned that he It turned out that the symptoms had appeared two months ago, but at first I just thought it was a sore finger and ignored it, which made the condition worse. After a doctor’s examination and medical records, it was believed that he fell ill due to excessive swiping on his mobile phone. Therefore, the doctor told him to rest his fingers more and gave him local injections of steroids and prescription anti-inflammatory painkillers. The condition was relieved and there was no recurrence. Dr. Ni reminds the public that if you find any abnormalities in your fingers, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible. If you get treatment as early as possible, you will have more treatment options, and surgery may not be necessary.
The above information is provided by Dr. Ni Siling
Orthopedic Specialist Dr. Nee Siling
2024-01-22 23:30:00
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