Classification of Finger Posture in Drop Finger Due to Cervical Foraminal Stenosis: A Mini-Review

Abstract

Few reports have been published examining cervical foraminal stenosis as the cause of drop finger. This mini-review, therefore, will provide a summary of the findings of articles published on this topic, written in both English and Japanese. Cervical foraminal stenosis is difficult to diagnose from imaging findings alone; thus, physical examination findings are often needed to make a firm diagnosis. Numbness of the fingers, the extent of interscapular pain, and finger posture can be used to differentiate drop finger due to cervical foraminal stenosis from other diseases. It is crucial to provide sufficient explanation to the patient before a decompression surgery is performed because the recovery of muscle strength is often incomplete and the improvement may be small.