Our three-year-old son just had surgery to release a trigger thumb. As parents we're supposed to pull the thumb back and keep it moving. I just can't bear to do it. Does it really matter?
Passive thumb movement in the first two weeks is vital to the success of the operation. The thumb can start triggering again in the first week. A recent study of a group of children under age six who had this operation reported success in all but one case with sufficient mobilization.
Try to make it a game with your son playing patty-cake or the eensy-weensy spider. Put some music on and pretend to dance while holding hands and especially extending the thumb. Make up a dance and call it the "hitchhiker". Use a lamp without the shade to cast finger shadows on the wall. You can help your child make a butterfly by hooking the thumbs together in extension. Wiggle the fingers to make the butterfly fly.
Gentle motion is needed to avoid swelling or over stretching the area. Make sure you go to all the follow-up visits even if everything looks fine. The doctor may see something important that you haven't noticed in those early months to years.
« Back
All content provided by eOrthopod® is a registered trademark of Mosaic Medical Group, L.L.C.. Content is the sole property of Mosaic Medical Group, LLC and used herein by permission. Alteration of these documents in any way is a violation of the copyright.