<p>The Effect of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in the Treatment of Patients with Trigger Finger</p>

Abstract

Introduction: Trigger finger disorder is a sudden release or locking of a finger during flexion or extension. Regarding the complications and disadvantages mentioned for the methods used in the treatment of trigger finger disorder, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of patients with trigger finger. Methods: This study was an interventional study recruiting 19 patients with trigger finger disorder. Evaluation of pain severity, severity of triggering, and functional impact of triggering was carried out using the Visual Analogue Scale, Trigger Finger Score suggested by Quinnell, and Quick-Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, respectively, before intervention, immediately after intervention, and in 6 and 18 weeks after intervention. Each patient was treated with extracorporeal shock wave therapy in three sessions with a 1-week interval. Data were analyzed in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software using ANOVA to monitor changes in pain severity, severity of triggering, and functional impact of triggering during follow-ups. Results: There were statistically significant differences with regard to reduction of the pain severity, severity of triggering, and functional impact of triggering before intervention, immediately after intervention, and in 6 and 18weeks after intervention (P<0.01). However, the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on reducing severity of triggering immediately after intervention did not yield a statistically significant difference compared to before intervention (P>0.01). Conclusion: It seems that extracorporeal shock wave therapy leads to a reduction in pain severity, severity of triggering, and functional impact of triggering. These effects persisted until the 18th week after the intervention. It is recommended to use extracorporeal shock wave therapy in terms of a non-invasive intervention with no significant complications for patients with trigger finger.

The Effect of Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in the Treatment of Trigger Finger

“…The severity grade may be an alternative for a non-invasive method such as steroid injection [28]. Another study found similar results in pain on the effectiveness of ESWT in trigger finger treatment [29].…”

Physical therapies for the conservative treatment of the trigger finger: a narrative review

“…Any papers were selected in PEDro and Cochrane Library Databases. Of the four total papers one is an interventional study, 13 one is a retrospective cohort study, 14 and two are prospective RCTs. 7 , 15 …”

“…Two types of physical therapies were found to be used in the conservative management of trigger finger: external shock wave therapy (ESWT) in three papers, 13-15 and ultrasound therapy (UST) in one papers. 7 …”

“…The recent interventional study of Vahdatpour et al . 13 recruited 19 subjects with trigger finger disorder. Each patient was treated with ESWT in three sessions with a 1-week interval.…”

“…About the total number of shocks of each session, it ranges from 500 to 2000 shocks. Two studies 13 , 14 performed 1000 shocks instead, and one 14 used a number of 2000 shocks. Only in Vahdatpour et al study 13 has been specified the number of impulses related to the type of device: 1000 shocks for rESWT and 500 shocks for fEWST.…”