Fortunato has it right on the stretching, and icing.

To add a little more though, I have the same type of problem from being a truck driver. Long hours gripping the steering wheel,600-800 miles a day.

The stretching should include the forearm up to the elbow, as that is where the ligaments from your fingers connect.

Icing the area on the top side of the forearm,(the hairy side), just below the elbow can help.

You may need some help in massaging that area, and the hand, as it is difficult to get the right angles and pressure yourself. I have my chiropractor work on it every couple of visits, and have gone from a non-functioning index finger to no problems with it at all.

One concern with the cortisone shots, other than the indescribable pain, is that each shot destroys about a third of the cartilage in that joint.(Ever meet a football player with bone on bone knee joint?, it's the cortisone).

I also urge you to try everything else before surgery. I like to keep all the inside stuff inside if at all possible, plus scar tissue can be a real bitch.

A good chiropractor or massage therapist can probably do wonders for you, but each case is different.

Hope this is helpful.

BHSC