Why Does the Stiffness of the Fingers Occur in the Mornings?
Morning stiffness of finger joints is the most common symptom in people with arthritis. They usually last for a few hours after waking up. The reason may be the inflammation of the joints that causes swelling. When this swelling persists in the immovable joints overnight, the surrounding tendons and muscles of the joints get tight and cause stiffness and pain in the morning. The other reason may be inflammatory arthritis where the immune system attacks the joint lining called synovium. During the night time when the joints are not in motion, the synovial fluid is collected in the surrounding structures of the joints which results in swelling and in turn results in pain and stiffness of the joints in the morning.
What Are the Causes of Stiff Fingers?
There are several causes for the stiffness of finger joints. When stiffness happens the person may feel discomfort and be unable to move their fingers and perform daily activities. Many causes of stiffness of fingers are accompanied by medical conditions that affect the joints and connective tissues of the hands.
1. Arthritis - It is the primary cause of stiffness in fingers, especially in the morning. Arthritis can affect any joint of the body. The most commonly affected part is the hands, especially the fingers. It is characterized by pain, swelling, and stiffness of the joints.
- Osteoarthritis - It affects the surrounding structures of the joints. It is described as breaking down the cartilage of the joints that are found between the bones. The prolonged immobility of the joints during sleep causes them to tighten up, resulting in stiffness after getting out of bed. The other symptoms of osteoarthritis are swelling, tenderness, reduced range of motion, decreased flexibility, and pain ranging from mild to severe. It commonly affects the thumb joint's base, joints that are very close to the fingertips, and the finger's middle joint.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis - It is an autoimmune inflammatory condition. The stiffness of fingers caused by rheumatoid arthritis can last for several hours. In this condition, the fingers will drift away from the thumb which is a unique symptom. They also cause changes in the shape of the fingers like overexerting and bent middle fingers. People with rheumatoid arthritis find it very difficult to bend their fingers. The other symptoms of the condition are tenderness, swelling, fatigue, fever, weight loss, and weakness.
2. Trigger Finger - It is also called tenosynovitis. It is described as the inflammation of fluid that is found in the protective sheath around the tendons of the affected fingers. It can be caused by rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, staphylococcus infections, and repetitive strain injury. It commonly occurs in the thumb and ring finger joints. The symptoms include pain on straightening and bending movements of the fingers, swelling, flushing, stiffness, popping, and catching sensation on moving the fingers.
3. Dupuytren Contracture - It is a condition that affects the connective tissue surrounding the bones called fascia. It commonly occurs in the pinky fingers and rings fingers.
What Are the Physiotherapy Exercises for Stiff Fingers?
The stiffness of the fingers can be reduced by simple exercises and stretches. These stretches and exercises can be performed daily after getting out of bed so that it helps to reduce stiffness and make a person perform day-to-day activities easily. The stretching exercises are:
1. Gentle Fist - This exercise helps to promote motion in the fingers and hand. The instructions are:
The person should open their hand and spread their fingers as far as possible. Then they should make a gentle fist by pressing the thumb over the rest of the fingers.
The person should not clench the fingers too tightly. The position should be held for 45 seconds and repeated 5 times.
2. Flex and Bend - This exercise helps to promote a range of motion in the muscles and tendons. The instructions are:
- The person should place the hand and arms flat on the table with the palm facing up and the wrist straight. Then the fingers should slowly move towards the palm and again the fingers should slowly release until those fingers lie flat on the table.
- These procedures should be repeated 10 times.
3. Fingertip Stretch - This exercise helps to promote the range of motion in the fingertips. The instructions are:
- The person should hold their hand vertically with their palms facing towards their body. Then the fingertips should be brought down to touch the top of the palm.
- The position should be held for about 30 seconds and repeated five times.
4. Finger Touches - This exercise helps to promote a range of motion in the thumb. The instructions are:
- The fingers should be brought straight up and the palm should face up. Then the thumbs should be bent across the palm to touch the pinky fingers' base. Then the position should be held for five seconds and move the thumb back to its starting position.
- Then, likewise, the thumb should touch the base of the other fingers and repeat five times.
5. Finger Stretch - This exercise stretches all the fingers at the same time and helps to improve the range of motion. The instructions are:
- The person should start by placing their hand flat on the table with the palm facing down. Then a small amount of pressure is applied so that the fingers lie as flat as possible and as straight as possible against the tables.
- The position should be held for about 60 seconds and repeated five times.
6. Pinch and Grip Strengtheners - This exercise requires springy softballs or putty. The instructions are:
- The person should pinch that pinch strengthener between all five fingers as hard as possible without creating pain. The pinch should be held for about 30 seconds and relaxed. Then it should be repeated 15 times.
- With a grip strengthener, the person should squeeze it for 30 seconds as hard as possible without creating pain. Then the same should be repeated 15 times.
7. Finger Sliding - This exercise promotes the range of motion. The instructions are:
- The person should place their palm down on the table and spread the fingers apart. Then the index finger should slide towards the thumb without bending it. The sliding should be continued for each finger towards the thumb. Repeat it 10 times.
Conclusion
There are several treatments for stiff fingers which include medications, injections, splints or casts. Simple finger stretches help to improve the range of motion and flexibility of the fingers. Getting suggestions from the physical therapist may be beneficial.
