Recently, media reports have highlighted a new trend among elementary school students: playing with bead strings. Parents of elementary school children are likely familiar with these toys, which consist of an elastic string and multiple colorful beads that can be freely connected to make bracelets, necklaces, rings, or simply played with in the hand, producing a clicking sound that helps relieve stress.
According to Deputy Director Wang Sheng, an orthopedic surgeon at Jiaxing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital in Zhejiang Province, playing with bead strings can relieve stress and improve manual dexterity. However, excessive play or overexertion can cause finger and joint pain, and even lead to tenosynovitis.
What is Tenosynovitis?
The tenosynovium is a semicircular structure near the joints that surrounds the tendon tissue, helping to fixate the tendons. When joints move, friction occurs between the tendons and the tenosynovium. If this friction becomes excessive, such as from activities like playing the piano, knitting, using smartphones, or playing with bead strings, it can cause non-infectious inflammation of the tenosynovium.
In the early stages of tenosynovitis, symptoms include pain, a sense of friction, and local swelling at the affected site, with symptoms worsening during movement. Sometimes, small pea-sized nodules may be palpable. In later stages, there may be difficulty flexing or extending the joint, accompanied by a snapping sensation, and in severe cases, the joint may lose its ability to flex or extend. If these symptoms appear in a child, parents should be vigilant and seek medical attention promptly.
Treatment for Tenosynovitis
The first step in treatment is rest, particularly avoiding activities that excessively strain the joints, such as playing with bead strings. For patients with mild conditions, topical traditional Chinese medicines or herbal soaks or moxibustion can be tried. Patients with more severe conditions can receive shock wave therapy or acupuncture, which together can significantly alleviate discomfort.
Topical Medications
Topical medications such as Yunnan Baiyao Tincture or other traditional Chinese medicines that promote blood circulation and relieve pain can be applied. Heat application or fumigation for about half an hour can be effective in treating tenosynovitis, quickly relieving pain and improving symptoms. For some mild cases, this method can even be curative.
Shock Wave Therapy
Shock wave therapy is a non-invasive treatment that can be used not only for kidney stones and bone diseases but also for chronic injuries and pain caused by chronic inflammation. The painful area is typically targeted for treatment. This method is relatively safe and has a pronounced analgesic effect, often providing significant relief after just one session.
Acupuncture
Based on the principle that “acupoints along meridians can treat conditions related to those meridians,” acupuncture can be performed at specific acupoints such as Yangxi (located on the posterior side of the wrist, in the anatomical “snuffbox” depression distal to the radial styloid process), Lieque (on the lateral side of the forearm, 1.5 cun above the transverse crease of the wrist on the radial side of the short extensor muscle of the thumb and long extensor muscle of the thumb), Taiyuan (on the anterior side of the wrist, between the radial styloid process and the scaphoid bone, on the ulnar side of the long extensor muscle of the thumb), Sanli (on the posterior side of the forearm, 2 cun below the elbow crease, on the line connecting Yangxi and Quchi), Hegu (on the back of the hand, between the first and second metacarpal bones, approximately at the midpoint of the radial side of the second metacarpal bone). Acupuncture can also be applied to local tender points or moxibustion can be used until the skin feels slightly warm.
Needle Knife Therapy
Needle knife therapy is highly effective for this condition, offering precise treatment that combines traditional Chinese medicine with modern anatomical medical advantages. It uses fewer acupoints and is relatively safe, making it widely used in clinical practice.
Three Preventive Measures
Firstly, parents should pay attention to keeping their children's joints warm, especially by having them wear gloves in winter, to reduce the risk of prolonged exposure to cold wind, thereby minimizing injury.
Secondly, appropriate finger exercises can be done, but overexertion should be avoided.
Thirdly, since children are still growing and developing, and their hand development is not yet complete, if symptoms such as joint pain appear, medical attention should be sought early for prompt diagnosis and treatment to prevent aggravation of symptoms and potential impact on hand function.