Finger movement function after ultrasound-guided percutaneous pulley release for trigger finger: effects of postoperative rehabilitation

Objective: To develop and test a postoperative rehabilitation protocol for use by individuals with trigger finger undergoing ultrasound-guided percutaneous pulley release.

Design: Nonrandomized controlled trial.

Setting: Hospital and local community.

Participants: Individuals suffering from trigger finger with joint contracture (N=21) were recruited and grouped into an intervention group (n=9) or a control group (n=12).

Interventions: All the participants underwent the same surgical procedure performed by the same surgeon. A 4-week postoperative rehabilitation program was designed based on the wound healing process. The intervention group received postoperative rehabilitation after the surgery, whereas the control group received no treatment after the surgery.

Main Outcome Measures: The finger movement functions were quantitatively evaluated before and 1 month after the surgery using a 3-dimensional motion capture system. The fingertip workspace and joint range of motion (ROM) were evaluated while the participant was performing a sequential 5-posture movement, including finger extension, intrinsic plus, straight fist, full fist, and hook fist.

Results: The intervention group demonstrated significantly more improvements than the control group in the fingertip workspace (49% vs 17%), ROM of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint (16% vs 4%), ROM of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint (21% vs 5%), and total active ROM (17% vs 5%).

Conclusions: This pilot study evaluated a postoperative rehabilitation protocol for trigger finger and demonstrated its effects on various finger functions. Participants who underwent the rehabilitation program had significantly more improvements in the fingertip workspace, ROM of the DIP and PIP joints, and total active ROM.