ARES Kinesiology Tape: Thumb Tendinitis

Requires;
1 piece of long I tape1 piece of short Y tape
Self-taping is available

Step 1.

Anchor long I tape over the tip of the thumb and apply the tail towards the lateral side of the elbow while bending the wrist outward.

Step 2.

Anchor the base of Y tape at the thumb side of the wrist and apply one tail around the wrist and another tail over the lower arm as shown.

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Thumb Tendinitis

Tendon is the tissue that connects bone with muscle. The condition of an inflamed tendon is called tendonitis. It most commonly occurs as a result of physical trauma and inflammatory rheumatic diseases like gout and reactive arthritis. Tendonitis is also spelled as tendinitis. In this present article, the discussion is restricted to tendonitis of the thumb.

Thumb Tendonitis SymptomsThe symptom of thumb tendonitis that easily catches your attention is pain. It is mostly felt on the thumb side of the wrist. The pain in the thumb due to tendonitis generally appears gradually. However, in many cases, it is reported to have appeared almost suddenly. If case tendonitis is severe, the pain can radiate up and affect the entire hand. Another finger tendonitis symptom is swelling in the thumb side. It is sometimes accompanied with a fluid filled cyst. Because of the pain and swelling, you will no longer be able to move your thumb comfortably. This further makes you unable to carry out simple daily activities like holding and grasping.

Thumb Tendonitis CausesThe main reason behind thumb tendonitis is new repetitive activity. It is generally noticed in new mothers who frequently have to position their thumb awkwardly while nursing their babies. Secondly, the hormonal changes occurring in the bodies of expectant and nursing mothers is a possible reason behind thumb tendonitis. Thirdly, fracture, serious strain, etc can make you move the thumb abnormally. This gives rise to tendonitis.

Thumb Tendonitis TreatmentA tendonitis affected thumb is swollen and tender. To confirm the presence of tendonitis in thumb, a doctor generally conducts a finkelstein test. In this test, the doctor will ask you to make a fist with your fingers over the thumb. You will find it very painful and uncomfortable if you are suffering from thumb tendonitis.

The aim of the treatment is to alleviate the symptoms of tendonitis. The doctor may suggest you to rest the affected thumb as much as possible. He may recommend you wear a splint to provide support and comfort to the thumb bearing tendonitis. Since the basic reason behind all the discomfort is inflammation of the tendon present in the thumb, medical treatment includes anti-inflammatory medication. Most of them are administered orally. Taking sufficient rest and medication relieves pain, swelling and other discomfort to a great extent. The secret to how to prevent thumb tendonitis is to avoid performing those movements frequently that hurt your thumb. If you wish to know how to heal tendonitis at home, you may try the following remedies.

Take a cube of ice and rub it gently on the affected thumb for a few seconds. Do it 2-3 times a day to relieve pain.
Prepare a solution of epsom salt and soak your thumb in it for 5 minutes.
Wrap a hot compress around the thumb affected with tendonitis. Keep it on for about 10 minutes.
Visit a physical therapist to learn about some of the effective thumb tendonitis exercises. Perform them as directed.

There may be a few instances where the use of medicines for inflammation and giving rest to the thumb do not cure tendonitis. In such cases of thumb tendonitis, the doctors consider the option of surgery. It involves opening the compartment or covering such that the irritated tendon gets enough space to accommodate itself well. The patient is able to perform all the activities comfortably after surgery. However, he may take a couple of weeks to recover and gain strength back.

By Kalpana Kumari
Published: 2/16/2010