Conservative Treatment of Adult Trigger Finger: Orthosis Versus Exercise in Two Randomized Trials

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who treat adults with trigger finger in outpatient orthopedic, hand therapy or primary care–adjacent settings, and who want a plain-language account of what the current randomized evidence on orthoses and finger gliding exercises actually shows. Physical therapist assistants participate under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist; evaluation, diagnosis and plan-of-care decisions remain with the physical therapist.

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. The material is also relevant to occupational therapists and certified hand therapists who share these caseloads.

Intended audience

Physical Therapy

Level

Intermediate

Delivery format

Online, asynchronous, self-paced course: interactive reading with audio or video, and a scored post-test.

Based on

This course reports the findings of two randomized clinical trials. Every number and claim in the course traces to one of them, and each finding is attributed to the trial that reported it.

Nadar MS. Orthosis vs. exercise for the treatment of adult idiopathic trigger fingers: A randomized clinical trial. Prosthet Orthot Int. 2024;48(6):713–719. DOI: 10.1097/PXR.0000000000000294. PMID: 37870373. PMCID: PMC11623375.

Choi YK, Sit RW, Wang B, Cheuk C, Lee MK, Leung KWM. Clinical effectiveness of Finger gliding Exercise for patients with trigger fingers receiving steroid injection: a Randomized Clinical Trial. Sci Rep. 2025;15(1):5141. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-89436-9. PMID: 39934311. PMCID: PMC11814069.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe what the randomized trial of a proximal interphalangeal joint-blocking orthosis reported for triggering grade, pain and daily hand function in adults with idiopathic trigger finger, compared with hand therapy alone.
2. State what the randomized trial of a finger gliding exercise programme added to usual care after corticosteroid injection found for pain, triggering grade, recurrence and repeat injection at twenty-four weeks.
3. Distinguish the populations, comparisons and conclusions of the two trials, and explain where their findings agree and where they diverge on resting the flexor tendon versus moving it.

1. Start Here: The Clinical Question and How This Course Answers It
2. Part One: PIP Joint-Blocking Orthosis for Idiopathic Trigger Finger
3. Who Entered the Orthosis Trial, and Who Was Kept Out
4. Immobilizing One Joint: How the Trial Was Run
5. Triggering, Pain and Daily Function After Six Weeks
6. Holding at Three Months: Recurrence, Dropouts and Limits
7. Part Two: Finger Gliding Exercises After Steroid Injection
8. Who Was Enrolled After Injection in Hong Kong
9. Twice a Day for Twenty-Four Weeks: The Exercise Protocol
10. What Changed, and What Did Not, at Twenty-Four Weeks
11. Compliance, Missing Pieces and What the Authors Could Not Rule Out
12. Bringing It Together
13. Where the Two Trials Agree
14. Where They Diverge, and Which Trial Found What
15. What the Two Trials Together Support Offering First
16. Open Questions the Trials Leave at the Treatment Table
17. Key Takeaways
18. Post-Test and Course Evaluation

Quinn Millington, PT, DPT, ECS is the instructor of record: the licensed clinician who reviewed this course and signed off on it. The name and credentials print on the certificate.

Disclosures. This course was developed by The ConEd Solution, which has a financial interest in its sale. No outside funding or sponsorship was received. The instructor of record has no affiliation with the authors of the source publication or their institutions.

This course awards 1.0 contact hour (60 min). How you earn them:

1. Complete the course. Every lesson, in order.
2. Pass the post-test. Score 80% or higher. Retakes are allowed.
3. Complete the evaluation. A short form rating each learning objective and the course.
4. Download your certificate. It is issued on completion and stays available in My Account.

The episode time is its measured length. Reading, post-test and evaluation times are estimates.

This course is designed to satisfy the quality requirements state boards set for continuing education. Requirements vary by state, and confirming that a course fits your renewal is up to you. Each state’s own acceptance statement is in the credit panel on this page.

1. Nadar MS. Orthosis vs. exercise for the treatment of adult idiopathic trigger fingers: A randomized clinical trial. Prosthet Orthot Int. 2024;48(6):713-719. DOI: 10.1097/PXR.0000000000000294
2. Choi YK, Sit RW, Wang B, Cheuk C, Lee MK, Leung KWM. Clinical effectiveness of Finger gliding Exercise for patients with trigger fingers receiving steroid injection: a Randomized Clinical Trial. Sci Rep. 2025;15(1):5141. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-89436-9