In plain words
The Finkelstein test is a simple hand test. A provider tucks the thumb into the palm and close the fingers over it. Then the wrist is gently bent toward the little finger. If this brings sharp pain on the thumb side of the wrist, it can point to a tendon problem at the base of the thumb. This is common in late pregnancy and after birth, when holding a baby can strain the wrist. The test is one clue, and it is not a diagnosis by itself. Your provider will look at the whole picture, including numbness and where the pain sits. Numbness, swelling, or pain that keeps getting worse are worth raising with a provider.
The deeper version
The Finkelstein test stretches the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendons within the first dorsal compartment. A positive test, with radial wrist pain on ulnar deviation with the thumb flexed, supports . Diagnostic accuracy data are limited, and the test can also cause pain in people without the condition. Differential diagnosis includes cervical radiculopathy, , and thumb basal joint arthritis, which the clinician distinguishes through history and examination. Hormonal laxity and repetitive lifting are proposed contributors in pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Where it comes up
- Wrist and thumb pain from holding the babyPostpartum: Your Body
- Numb or tingling hands (carpal tunnel)Pregnancy: Your Body
- Swelling: feet, ankles, hands, facePregnancy: Your Body
What mothers here say about Finkelstein test
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Sources
- Finkelstein H — Stenosing tendovaginitis at the radial styloid process. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 1930