Are you one of these who wake up in the morning and your fingers are stiff, you cannot bend or straighten them.
Are you wondering if it’s a medical condition and What to do?
I will rely on my educational knowledge as a diagnostic radiographer and of course medical studies to answer some of your questions.
Happy reading!😀
Any questions? remarks? Let’s meet in the comments section at the end of this article.🙏
Last updated: Jan 2025. Written by Juliet Semakula, a diagnostic radiographer.
Disclaimer: Amazon affiliate links, disclosure in the legal notice.
Summary: Many conditions, including arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, Dupuytren’s syndrome, scleroderma, trigger finger and medication can cause morning hand stiffness. Also, natural wonders such as age, lower temperature upon waking up can help alleviate this feeling more quickly.
▶️What do we mean by the term ‘stiff fingers’
The term “stiff finger” refers to a decline in the range of motion in the finger.
When your finger is in motion, all your finger bones, joints, muscles and tendons will be stable, functional, reliable, gliding and flexible with a full range of motion.
Stiff fingers can be divided into flexion and extension deformities, which are in four categories according to the involved joints, capsule and tissues.
Here are the four categories:
1️⃣Skin and fascia related problems.
2️⃣Muscle and tendon injuries or lesions.
3️⃣Capsule and ligament of joint contractures.
4️⃣Damage of articular bone.
Yang, 2014
▶️What causes pain and stiffness in the hands and fingers especially when you wake up in the morning related to disease?
Almost all finger injuries and certain diseases can cause finger stiffness more expressed in the morning.
Here are some of the conditions that can cause finger stiffness.
⬛Arthritis is a disease that can cause your fingers to swell, caused by inflammation in the finger joints.
⬛Osteoarthritis which occurs when cartilage covering the joints begins to wear away over time.
⬛Rheumatoid arthritis is another autoimmune form of arthritis in which the hands and wrists are commonly affected.
⬛Diabetes mellitus
⬛Stenosing tenosynovitis is when connective tissues in your finger become inflamed affecting tendons responsible for bending your fingers which are enclosed in tunnels called sheaths.
⬛Dupuytren’s contracture is when the layer of tissue under the skin becomes fibrous and thick which affects the palm and base of the fingers leading to worsening stiffness in the hands.
⬛Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that causes overproduction of collagen which makes up your skin, muscles, bones and connective tissues.
which leads to inflammation and thickening of the skin and other tissues. At this stage your fingers will swell over time and the skin will become hard, tight and hard to bend.
⬛Carpal tunnel syndrome is when the median nerve which travels through the carpal tunnel in the wrist becomes compressed or inflamed, when this happens your fingers will feel numbness, tingling and stiff.
⬛Gout is a disease that causes inflammation due to an accumulation of crystals in the joint.
⬛ Some medications can affect the normal function of muscles and tendons that can lead to finger stiffness.
▶️Why is it harder to bend your fingers in the morning than in the evening?
There are different non medical reasons that can make your fingers to feel stiffer in the morning then in the evening
🟡When a sheath becomes inflamed and swollen, the tendons are restricted from movement causing the fingers to stiffen or lock particularly in the morning.
🟡Being inactive when you are sleeping your joints can remain immobile for long periods which can cause sensation more in the morning.
🟡Accumulation of joint fluids which can be caused by osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis overnight in some people can cause stiff fingers more in the morning.
🟡Lower body temperature: the body temperature in medical is usually lower in the morning which can affect the joints and tissues by reacting to colder temperatures causing stiff fingers.
🟡The older you get, the fluid in the joints, muscles and tendons tend to decrease. Also, the joint cartilage tends to naturally wear down making movement less.
These are some of the reasons why you may feel stiffness without specific disease. Remember some people are more affected by others.
▶️What symptoms will you experience when you have stiff fingers in the morning?
🔵Catching, popping, or locking of the fingers
🔵Loss of grip strength
🔵 Inability to fully extend your fingers
🔵 Progressive loss of joint mobility
🔵Joint deformity
▶️What are the symptoms that will indicate an illness?
Here are they are:
🟣When your symptom are severe, persistent, or worsening throughout the day or if it calms down but reappears at certain times of the day.
🟣When you experience hot, red, and swollen joints.
🟣When you see changes in the texture or colour of your skin.
🟣When your everyday tasks are affected by not being able to fully extend or flex your fingers.
🟣When you are experiencing numbness or tingling which interferes with your quality of life or well-being.
▶️How can you prevent your fingers from being stiff in the morning?
There are certain home remedies that may provide temporary relief for stiff fingers in the morning.
Anything that moves your fingers or warms them up is beneficial. But remember these may work better for some people based on the underlying cause.
♦Using painkillers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that help ease inflammation and swelling.
♦Heat application: Place a warm pack or hot water bottle on your fingers
♦Gentle hand massage and keep your fingers warm by wearing woollen gloves.
♦Night time bracing or splint can help ease joint swelling in extended joints so that they are less stiff in the morning. Different night splint can be found on Amazon or any store of your choice.
♦Perform simple finger exercises to bend and help bend them.
♦Have a diet rich in fresh vegetables, fruits, fish and virgin olive oil, they are known to ease inflammation and symptoms of arthritis.
▶️When can you consult a doctor about morning finger stiffness
When home remedies fail to provide relief, you may need to seek more specialised medical treatments.
The above symptoms may be experienced by anyone, but certain individuals may be at a higher risk of complications
Morning hand stiffness is often one of the earlier symptoms of many joint diseases, if left unaddressed it can lead to more complications.
Especially when you are an older adult, with uncontrolled diabetes, who smokes and drinks heavily with a family history of arthritis.
You may need to see a doctor for advice and proper management.
Here are some of the proposed remedies to treat stiff fingers.
Treatment options:
Treating stiff fingers can be a challenge for many reasons because stiff fingers may occur in fingers that are not directly injured. For example, an avulsed index finger may result in a stiff small finger.
Here are some of the precautions taken to treat stiff fingers.
♦️Non-operation options:
Physical therapy: You may need physiotherapy to help with finger exercises to help with joint mobilisation.
You may need a cast or splint on the affected finger to provide stress to ligaments and capsule of the shortened stiff joint which will improve range of motion.
Prescription drugs to help with inflammation, pain and stiffness
Cortisone injection is a steroid that helps to reduce stiffness, inflammation and swelling, allowing tendons to move more freely.
♦️Operation options.
Surgery to help improve joint mobility is considered only when you do not respond to a long term of a non-operative treatment.
One of the methods used is a dorsal approach to the MCP Joint extension Contracture because it is direct and provides adequate exposure of the joint.
The MCP extension contracture release. (A) Dorsal curvilinear incisions over the MCP joint were made. (B): image (Yang 2014)
Full return of function was achieved within 21 days following operation in 85 percent of the cases in which finger contractures were present before operation
Summary: having stiff fingers is very common and it is usually something not serious that should prompt you to see a doctor. But you can always seek advice if you think it could be caused by a disease.
We have come to the end of this article, wishing you a quick recovery!🙋
📚Source:
Yang G, McGlinn EP, Chung KC. Management of the stiff finger: evidence and outcomes. Clin Plast Surg. 2014 Jul;41(3):501-12. doi: 10.1016/j.cps.2014.03.011. PMID: 24996467; PMCID: PMC4124823.
Selva-O’Callaghan A, Alvarado-Cardenas M, Pinal-Fernández I, Trallero-Araguás E, Milisenda JC, Martínez MÁ, Marín A, Labrador-Horrillo M, Juárez C, Grau-Junyent JM. Statin-induced myalgia and myositis: an update on pathogenesis and clinical recommendations. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2018 Mar;14(3):215-224. doi: 10.1080/1744666X.2018.1440206. Epub 2018 Feb 23. PMID: 29473763; PMCID: PMC6019601.
Davis TR. Surgical treatment of primary Dupuytren’s contractures of the fingers in the UK: surgeons’ preferences and research priorities. J Hand Surg Eur Vol. 2013 Jan;38(1):83-5. doi: 10.1177/1753193412467170. Epub 2012 Nov 14. PMID: 23151352.
Oosterhoff TC, Nota SP, Ring D. Finger Stiffness. J Hand Microsurg. 2015 Jun;7(1):13-7. doi: 10.1007/s12593-014-0151-5. Epub 2014 Nov 13. PMID: 26078497; PMCID: PMC4461595.