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Location: Contrarian Island | So after a long day of fishing the other day, my wrist is not the same..I noticed on the water it was killing me but thought it would be fine..it is my left wrist, on the outside at the joint between arm/hand...I palm my reels with that hand...is it carpal tunnel? anyone got any suggestions? It has been 3 days since I went fishing and it is still sore/not right! |
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Posts: 43
Location: Kalamazoo | I can help you out my friend!! I have the EXACT same problem. I have been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome and after a day of fishing, sleeping that night is almost impossible. I am kind of a bigger dude, but I bought on of those Velcro straps used for Tennis elbow. Since it will not fit over my forearm, it fits just perfect around my wrist. They make wrist supports as well, they just don’t fit mine. I have wrists ones I use for weight lifting which are stiff, but have metal buckles on each side: so I elect not to use those. The one made for tennis elbow is real nice "soft" and padded. This had been a God send for me. Its doesn't take all the pain away, but 85% or so. Try it and I guarantee it will help you out. Go to Wally world and look in their medicine aisle. They have all the knee, ankle, elbow etc supports. Best 11 bucks will spend. Don’t tighten too much, just snug it up, Maybe just less then snug. It will help prevent the wrist from bending down all day. Good luck |
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Posts: 203
| First off, you dont have carpal tunnel.. Carpal misalignment maybe! In carpal tunnel syndrome there would be pain right over the middle of your hand where the palm meets the wrist. Is there any tingling in your pinky and the two fingers next to it?
Take the back of your hands and put them together (kind of like a reverse prayer, but your hands pointing to the ground) keeping them together raise the position as high as you can and hold it. Does it hurt? How long can you hold it?
Pay close attention to what i'm about to say, madison has a great hospital and lots of great clinics but thats not what you or your wallet need..
Call around and find a CHIROPRACTOR that specializes in extremities and go get your wrist looked at.. No matter what it costs it's still cheaper than going to the M.D.
He will probably take x-rays to make sure their is no fracture,, if he's really good he won't..
He will adjust your wrist and it will help, trust me. Musky fishing is definitely worth the cost of treatment - think of all the money you have invested in it.
anymore questions, just ask. let me know how the tests i gave you go..
Dr. Bret Johnson
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Posts: 466
Location: Pittsburgh, PA | what about downsizing your reel, if you use the 6500 size go down to 5600 (250-300 whatever). that may help. when working jerkbaits, i have to take a break quite often. old football injuries! |
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Posts: 203
| Shane,
Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common things misdiagnosed.. over 50% of carpal tunnel syndrome is unnecessary and the symptoms come back within the first three months. Dont cover the symptoms up with a wrist band, go get the source of the problem fixed. Why not be 98%-100% pain free than just 85%.
I have seen this problem a hundred times. |
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| I suggest holding the front cork, instead of the reel. You'll never have an aching wrist again!  |
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Posts: 43
Location: Kalamazoo | I can only speak for myself, but when my hand goes numb, it’s the all fingers but half of the ring and pinky, those remain just fine. I’ve had am EMG done that\ reveled the problem. As soon as I went to the neurologist and told her what was numb, she did the test and confirmed. I was then sent to and surgeon to discuss the possibly of having a procedure to I think cut a ligament that would allow for more room or something. Until it gets to bad, I elect not too. So for me ONLY, I know I have carpal tunnel. |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | I just got carpal tunnel surgery done on my right hand. If you wake in the morning with numb fingers, that is a symptom. Carpal tunnel syndrome involves the inflamation of the ligaments in your wrist that constrict the nerve tunnel. Do a Google search on the words and you'll get lots of good info. What you have most likely is tendonitis (and a chiropractor won't do you any good for that). I take Aleve or prescription Naprosin for this. Cold packs will help reduce the swelling. Best to see an orthopaedic to get it checked before it gets worse, you don't want to do unrepairable damage. Ace bandages will help to a point, but as was said, are no substitute for a cure.
There's a lot of truth to the old joke: "Doc, it hurts when I do this!"
"So, stop doing it!" good luck, m |
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Location: Contrarian Island | when I was on the water I did notice a few fingers were a bit numb..I think it was the pinky and ring finger for sure...
I am going to see an extremeties Chiropractor tomorrow morning...something has got to get fixed or my fishing days are numbered!
thanks for all the help on this...I also would try the front cork and have on occasion but it feels weird to me..but if it solves the pain in my wrist I'll get used to it quick!
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Posts: 1046
| Just get a set of those hand exercizers and squeeze them while driving your vehicle around. 2 weeks later you will have musky hands/wrists and a pain free season. Old german dude told me about that a couple years ago, really works well. |
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Posts: 42
Location: Highland, IN | Shane is correct , the best thing i've found are the neoprene type wraps. Usually i wrap my wrists prior to heading out.
My problems started over 20 yrs ago when i used to haul steel for a living. Using a cheater pipe on the binders to pull the chains tight on a load i was litterally pulling my hands/wrists away from my forearms. Many days i couldn't even go to work because of the pain. A lot of steel haulers have the same problem, many have had carpal tunnel surgery to no avail.
Anyway the kind of wraps or braces that do not have the metal supports are the best because you still have some flexibility when necessary and the support that is needed. |
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Posts: 43
Location: Kalamazoo | When the problem fist started getting bad, it freaked me out. After I went to the doctor, they really only offered splints or surgery. My chiropractor said he could help, but for 50 bucks a week, I’ll go with the wrist band. I type all day at work, weight lift and musky fish on the weekend. I have found that the wrist band to be the cheapest, and livable treatment for now/ I wear it at work when I type and a when I sleep. So prior to this, I had bad bad pain, it would wake me up numerous times at night. I'm sticking with my doctors diagnose cuz I have done my own research and found what they said the parallel what others say about CTS My symptoms are hallmark that the median nerve is being compressed. Until I decide to pony up for the surgery, I’m sticking with my wrist band approach. thanks for the advice anyway |
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Posts: 203
| Hey mikie, do a google search on chiropractic.. what do you think controls that pain and numbness in the wrist, why is that tendon (connected to a bone in the wrist might i add) inflammed? think about it? Nerves control everything in your body, the nerves in and around that wrist that go up the arm into the spine and to the brain. Chiropractic has endless possibilities. Ever see someone dump in there pants after a month of constipation - i have( after a chiropractic adjustment) Cure the source not the symptom
Bret |
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Posts: 43
Location: Kalamazoo | I believe the chiropractor would work, our insurance no longer covers chiropractic care, so I've have to pay out of pocket. Currently an extra 200 bucks a month is not in the budget. My brother goes once a week it helps his very much. He feels like cream corn when he leaves. I'm not telling going against any type of care, just telling what has helped me and cost very little. |
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| Casting all day, year after year, will take its toll on your hands. I use left and right hand retrieve reels to give my hands a break during the day. It doesn't take long to learn how to retrieve with your opposite hand |
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Posts: 8840
| I've had problems with my wrists as well, years of working on cars combined with years of playing guitar and piano, followed by my current job doing computer drafting holding a mouse 10 hours a day -- all repetitive stuff your hands just aren't designed for. I'm 35, and my hands and wrists feel 135.
Last time out last year I couldn't even hold onto the steering wheel driving home. So this year, I'm trying two things:
1. I bought a right handed reel (I fish lefty, and between casting and palming the reel with the same hand I make it about 4 hours before the pain gets bad)
Now, I work all my jerkbaits right handed (the normal way that most of you guys) and use my left handed setups for bucktails, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. Switching hands only took a day to get used to, but my left arm gets sore. By the end of the day both wrists hurt and my fingers start to get a little numb, but it's half on each side instead of all on one, if that make any sense.
2. I was fishing with a guide on my last trip last year and I noticed he didn't palm the reel. Instead he holds the grip in front of the reel. (????) So I asked him, and he said:
"Man, I'm out here guidin' 6 days a week, 260 days a year. If I held the reel like that I'd have to retire after this year. It took some getting used to, but holding the rod like this is 10 times better, you're in close to your body, you can get better hook sets, you're reeling here instead of out here <demonstrating both ways>
So I tried that, too. It took a while to get used to, I felt like I may as well have been trying to fish with my feet first time out, between switching hands and holding the rod funny, but you know what, at the end of the day my wrists felt better than they usually do at noon!
Jeff
Edited by esoxaddict 5/13/2005 11:59 AM
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Posts: 8840
| I went to specialist at the rehabilitation institute in Chicago when I woke up and had lost all feeling in my fingers one day. Total waste of time. Supposed to be THE PLACE for musicians with RSI, made me drag my guitar and a synthesizer down Michigan Av in downtown Chicago only for them to basically tell me I needed to stop playing, and/or get a different job. no X rays, no MRI, nothing but a 10 minute visit with so called "specialist" who charged me $1400 to tell me I should stop doing whatever made my hands hurt.
bastages
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Posts: 621
Location: Seymour, WI | I will second that holding the rod with the foregrip is much better for your wrists than palming the reel. It's a much more natural way to hold a reel and will give you better control of the rod, retrieve, figure 8 and hookset.
Grass, |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | Sorry, you won't get me near a chiropractor again. Here's a fact sheet I found on carpal tunnel which may help answer your questions:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/carpal_tunnel/detail_carpal_tunn...
I've had a real good recovery thanks to a good surgeon and physical therapist. Hope you get well. m |
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Posts: 203
| I'm glad you've had a good recovery.. not all people do..
I see you follow bob weir.. I've gone to a couple "Ratdog" concerts.. not bad
I started holding the grip in front of the reel about to years ago.. not only did it feel better it also kept my hand from getting all wet. I felt like an idiot wearing womens yellow cleaning gloves on the water..got to do what you got to do |
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Posts: 43
Location: Kalamazoo | I have been experimenting with gripping the rod above the reel. Its feel awkward, but I have been getting used to it. I suspect after a few more times, it will feel just fine. I know for a fact that gripping the rod up higher causes less flex in the wrist. I can feel the difference almost immediately. |
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | At a glance I thought this post was about the WORST Problem. I was going to say waiting until the middle of June for musky season to open on Lake St Clair.
Take some asprin and go fishing in the morning. |
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Posts: 462
Location: Antioch, IL | I'm also dealing with carpal tunnel in my left hand and had to have a tendon surgically released in my right hand to correct a trigger finger (would make a fist and my little finger would not open back up. The tendon on the inside of my hand was so frayed and swollen I would have to use my other hand to open it. Talk about freaky and painful). Anyway, regarding the carpal tunnel, the Doctor told me, as with alot of nerve problems, the problem is not always the location of the discomfort. It is commonly caused by the nerve being pinched at the inside of your elbow. If you lean on your arms while sitting or talking on the phone at work alot like I do, that may be the root of your problems. Along with the wrist supports try avoiding any pressure on your elbows plus, like some of the guys have said above ice your hand and wrist after you abuse it with a day on the water. If I know I'm going out multpile days in a row I also use heat or icy hot before I go fishing to loosen my hands up.(more for the tendon problem than the nerve issues). Let's face it. We ain't crappie fishin, our hands really take a beating.
Let's not even talk about what burning a big ass bucktail all day does to your back. |
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| Just hand onto the front cork...no more problems...honest guys!! |
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Wrist problem!!!???