title: Radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy for the treatment of finger tenosynovitis (trigger digit).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stenosing tenosynovitis that is characterized by the inability to flex the digit smoothly, usually leads to prolonged rehabilitation or surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  This case series is a retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this case series was to evaluate the effectiveness of radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (rESWT) for the treatment of stenosing tenosynovitis of the digital flexor tendon (trigger digit).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of 44 patients (49 fingers) treated with an individually adapted rESWT protocol was conducted. Trigger digit pain and function were evaluated at baseline and 1-, 3-, and 12-months posttreatment. Recurrence and pretreatment symptom duration were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant reductions in pain scores and functional improvement were found between baseline and all follow-up assessments (P<0.001). Pretreatment symptom duration was significantly correlated with the number of rESWT sessions required (r=0.776,P<0.001) and 1-year posttreatment pain score (r=0.335,P=0.019).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides initial evidence that rESWT is an effective treatment for trigger digit, but randomised controlled trials are required to provide further evidence of this effect.
authors.affiliation: Sports and Exercise Medicine, Thessaloniki Musculoskeletal Clinic; Thessaloniki National Track and Field Centre, Sports Medicine Clinic of S.E.G.A.S., Thessaloniki, Greece; European Sports Care; Department of Rheumatology, Sports Clinic, Barts Health NHS Trust; Centre for Sports & Exercise Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malliaropoulos
authors.affiliation: Sports and Exercise Medicine, Thessaloniki Musculoskeletal Clinic; Thessaloniki National Track and Field Centre, Sports Medicine Clinic of S.E.G.A.S., Thessaloniki, Greece; Centre for Sports & Exercise Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jury
authors.affiliation: European Sports Care; Department of Rheumatology, Sports Clinic, Barts Health NHS Trust; Centre for Sports & Exercise Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Debasish
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pyne
authors.affiliation: European Sports Care; Centre for Sports & Exercise Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Padhiar
authors.affiliation: Healthcare Group Guernsey, Guernsey.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: European Sports Care; Aspetar, Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Vasileios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Korakakis
authors.affiliation: Sports and Exercise Medicine, Thessaloniki Musculoskeletal Clinic.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meke
authors.affiliation: European Sports Care; European SportsCare Network (ESN), Zentrum für Sportorthopädie, Wiesbaden-Nordenstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lohrer
keywords: conservative treatment; non-surgical therapy; physiotherapy; shockwave therapy; tendon; trigger finger; trigger thumb