What Is Diabetic Hand Syndrome?
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Diabetes Hand Complications

Diabetes Hand Complications
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Updated on February 21, 2025
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Diabetes can lead to several types of hand mobility issues. Some are unique to diabetes and some are not. But they all result in uncomfortable or painful hand stiffness and immobility, and they can interfere with daily functioning.

Some experts group these conditions together in a single broad category called “diabetic hand syndrome.” In extreme cases, these conditions can be debilitating and require surgery.

Illustrative graphic titled Diabetes Hand Complications shows Diabetic Stiff Hand Syndrome Stiffness in the fingers. Inability to extend fingers or bring palms together in a prayer gesture. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Numbness and pain in the thumb, fingers.
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Diabetic Stiff Hand Syndrome

Diabetic stiff hand syndrome, also known as limited joint mobility syndrome (LJMS) and diabetic cheiroarthropathy, causes stiffness, pain, and limited mobility in the hands.

Stiff hand syndrome may be painless at first, but if it progresses, it will become more debilitating. The condition is marked by “fixed flexion contractures,” which means that the joints become permanently bent.

Clinicians use a simple test to help diagnose this syndrome: If you place your palms flat against each other in the familiar prayer gesture, and you cannot bring both hands into full contact, you may have stiff hand syndrome.

This condition can become extremely painful as it progresses. Stiffness may spread to other fingers and to the wrist, and the hands may become weaker and less capable of precise movements. The skin may also thicken and appear waxy.

Like most other diabetic complications, stiff hand syndrome is ultimately caused by long exposure to high blood sugar levels. Older patients, those with a longer duration of diabetes, and those with a greater degree of hyperglycemia are more likely to experience the condition. It may also be associated with higher levels of oxidative stress.

 It affects people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
The best treatment for stiff hand syndrome is optimal blood sugar control. Getting blood sugars back into a safe range addresses the root cause and can help recover hand flexibility and functionality. Physical therapy can also help keep the hand limber. Doctors may prescribe corticosteroids or other medications to relieve pain or reduce inflammation, although this can worsen hyperglycemia. In rare cases, surgery may be appropriate.

 For some patients, however, stiffness or loss of mobility will be permanent.

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome doesn’t only develop in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, but it is significantly more common in people who have the disease. The reasons aren’t entirely clear, but it’s likely related to nerve damage, a common complication of high blood sugar levels.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve found in the arm gets pinched. It leads to numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in the hand. Some of these symptoms are at their worst in the middle of the night. The fingers may even become swollen and impossible to use. Clinicians use a series of simple motor tests to identify carpal tunnel syndrome, though they may use electrodiagnostic tests, X-ray, or ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis.

The condition can be caused by repetitive hand motions, especially those required by manual assembly line work. It can also be precipitated by trauma or injury. Carpal tunnel syndrome appears to be more common in patients with type 1 diabetes. It is also much more common in women than in men.

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome and diabetes, you will be advised to pursue the same treatments as any patient without diabetes. Treatments may include rest from repetitive motions, wrist splinting, and surgery.

 If diabetes did help cause your issue, however, good blood sugar control is likely to help your recovery.

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Trigger Finger

Trigger finger is a condition in which a finger gets stuck in a bent position. Sometimes, when the finger is straightened, it painfully pops back into place. In severe cases, the finger can’t be straightened at all. The medical term for trigger finger is stenosing tenosynovitis.

Trigger finger occurs when the tendon that controls the finger’s motion gets stuck in place, typically due to swelling or inflammation. It most commonly affects the ring finger and thumb, though it can happen to any finger. It happens most frequently in older women.

People with diabetes have a significantly enhanced risk of trigger finger, and the risk increases at higher blood sugar levels. It appears to be more common in type 1 diabetes.

Trigger finger is also considered a warning sign for more serious complications in people with diabetes.

The treatment for trigger finger is somewhat similar to carpal tunnel syndrome: Rest from any repetitive motion is key. A splint may be worn overnight, and hand exercises can improve the range of motion. Steroids injected directly into the inflamed tendon sheath can sometimes resolve the condition completely, though success is less likely for patients with diabetes. Surgery is a final option, though recovery may be affected by the quality of glycemic control.

Dupuytren’s Contracture

Dupuytren’s contracture, also known as Dupuytren’s disease, seems similar to trigger finger but has a different cause. In this condition, the fingers naturally curl toward the palm and can get stuck in that position. It most commonly affects the pinky and ring finger.

 Diabetes may double the risk of Dupuytren’s.

This condition is caused by the thickening of the fascia, a layer of tissue underneath the skin. As this tissue thickens and stiffens, it pulls the fingers toward the palm.

Early in the progression of Dupuytren’s, you may feel lumps underneath the skin of the palm. As the fascia tightens, it may feel like there are thick cords underneath the palm. These cords stiffen and pull the fingers inward. This progression may take place slowly over a number of years. The earlier Dupuytren’s is treated, the better your chances of making a full recovery.

For most people, Dupuytren’s appears to strike somewhat randomly. It is more common in old age, in men than in women, in habitual alcohol drinkers, and in people of Northern European ancestry. The condition can run in families.

Like other hand issues discussed in this article, Dupuytren’s is generally treated first with nonsurgical methods, including physical therapy, splinting, and steroids. In severe cases, when the contracture creates a serious handicap, surgery can significantly alleviate the symptoms of Dupuytren’s, though it does not address the root cause.

 For people with diabetes, glycemic control will likely be of paramount importance to maintain good hand health.

Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that can occur because of chronically elevated blood sugar levels. It can cause numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, burning, and pain. It typically affects the feet and legs, but it can also impact the hands.

People who have diabetes have a greater chance of developing this condition as they grow older and have had the disease for a longer amount of time. It’s diagnosed by a healthcare provider with a physical exam and various tests that check nerve function.

Diabetic neuropathy is typically treated with careful blood sugar management. Pain may be lessened with prescription medications such as pregabalin and gabapentin. Physical and occupational therapy can also improve your ability to perform daily tasks, and some people find relief using topical treatments such as capsaicin and lidocaine creams. There’s no cure, but the earlier it’s treated, the more likely it is that the progression of symptoms can be slowed.

The Takeaway

  • Diabetes dramatically increases the likelihood of a variety of hand issues, all of which lead to stiffness and immobility and can make daily manual tasks difficult.
  • Hand issues associated with diabetes include diabetic hand syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, Dupuytren’s contracture, trigger finger, and diabetic neuropathy. In severe cases, complications can be extremely painful and debilitating, and may require surgery.
  • Early detection and treatment gives you the best chance to retain flexibility and strength in your hands and fingers. Good glucose control can help treat and prevent these conditions.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
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  5. Persad-Paisley EM et al. Understanding Diabetic Cheiroarthropathy: A Focus on Clinical Presentation. Journal of Surgical Case Reports. March 2024.
  6. Zimmerman M et al. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Diabetes — a Comprehensive Review. Journal of Clinical Medicine. March 17, 2022.
  7. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. December 2023.
  8. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Mayo Clinic. February 6, 2024.
  9. Trigger Finger. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. October 2022.
  10. Trigger Finger. University of Michigan Health.
  11. Rydberg M et al. High HbA1c Levels Are Associated With Development of Trigger Finger in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: An Observational Register-Based Study From Sweden. Diabetes Care. August 25, 2022.
  12. Mineoka Y et al. Trigger Finger is Associated With Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes: A Retrospective Cohort Study. BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care. April 7, 2021.
  13. Dupuytren’s Contracture. Mayo Clinic. September 28, 2023.
  14. Rydberg M et al. Metabolic Factors and the Risk of Dupuytren’s Disease: Data from 30,000 Individuals Followed for Over 20 Years. Scientific Reports. July 19, 2021.
  15. Dupuytren’s Disease. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. May 2023.
  16. Diabetes-Related Neuropathy. Cleveland Clinic. August 28, 2024.
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Anna L. Goldman, MD

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Anna L. Goldman, MD, is a board-certified endocrinologist. She teaches first year medical students at Harvard Medical School and practices general endocrinology in Boston.

Dr. Goldman attended college at Wesleyan University and then completed her residency at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, where she was also a chief resident. She moved to Boston to do her fellowship in endocrinology at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She joined the faculty after graduation and served as the associate program director for the fellowship program for a number of years.

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Ross Wollen joined Everyday Health in 2021 and now works as a senior editor, often focusing on diabetes, obesity, heart health, and metabolic health. He previously spent over a decade as a chef and craft butcher in the San Francisco Bay Area. After he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 36, he quickly became an active member of the online diabetes community, eventually becoming the lead writer and editor of two diabetes websites, A Sweet Life and Diabetes Daily. Wollen now lives with his wife and children in Maine's Midcoast region.

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