After your surgery · Nicholas Genovese, M.D.
Home exercises after trigger finger release
Move early but gently, 3–5 short sessions a day. Warmth for 15 minutes before the exercises can make them easier; ice for 20 minutes afterward if the hand feels sore. Keep the hand above heart level when resting.
Exercises
Finger motion (open and close)
Start: day 1
Open your hand fully, then slowly close it into a comfortable full fist. 10 times every 1–2 hours while awake. Move within the splint or dressing; do not force it.
Tendon gliding
Start: day 1
Move slowly through five positions, holding each for 3 seconds: straight hand, hook fist (knuckles straight, middle and tip joints bent), tabletop (knuckles bent, fingers straight), straight fist, full fist. 10 rounds, 3–5 times a day.
Finger blocking
Start: day 1
Support the finger just below the joint you are working. Gently bend and straighten only that joint, first the fingertip joint, then the middle joint. 10 times each joint, 3 times a day.
Wrist motion
Start: day 1
With your forearm resting on a table, gently bend the wrist down, back to straight, and up, then side to side. 10 times each direction, 3 times a day. Only when your surgeon says the wrist may move.
Scar massage
Start: after the stitches are out
Start only after the stitches are out and the incision is fully closed, with no scabs or drainage (usually about 2–3 weeks). Use a fragrance-free moisturizer such as Aquaphor. Press firmly enough to move the skin and massage in small circles, then side to side and up and down. 2–3 minutes, 2–4 times a day for 6–8 weeks. Protect the scar from the sun for several months.
Desensitization
Start: after the stitches are out
If the skin around the scar is very sensitive, rub it with a soft material (cotton ball, soft cloth) for 1–2 minutes, then slowly progress to rougher textures such as a towel or denim. Light tapping around the tender spot and moving the hand through a bowl of dry rice or beans also help. 3–6 short sessions a day. Mild discomfort is fine; stop if it causes sharp pain or a flare that lasts hours.
About these instructions
These instructions are general guidelines for patients of Nicholas Genovese, M.D. Your surgeon may change your plan based on your surgery and how you are healing. If anything here differs from what your surgeon or therapist told you, follow their instructions, and call the office before changing any activity, splint use or therapy.