Wrist pain from casting...

A question for all you physical therapist fly fishermen out there...:

Last year, I started to experience pretty significant pain in my
casting wrist after a long day on the water. It felt a lot like other
repetitive stress injuries I'd had in the past. I didn't notice it
much at the beginning of the season, but by August it would flare up
pretty good after only a few hours of steady casting, and would
especially become problematic on a multi-day trip.

Any suggestions for what I might do to prevent this, both in the
immediate future, and for the rest of my lifetime?

I'm still relatively new to the sport, and not the best caster in the
world, so I wouldn't be surprised if my form had something to do with
it. Any idea from my description what I might be doing wrong with my
cast? Also, are there exercises I can do to help strengthen / minimize
the pain? Any other thoughts?

Or, is this just part of fly fishing, get used to it?

Many thanks, Tim

wrote:
A question for all you physical therapist fly fishermen out there...:

Last year, I started to experience pretty significant pain in my
casting wrist after a long day on the water.
snip
Or, is this just part of fly fishing, get used to it?

I'm not a doctor or a physical therapist but wrist pain is *NOT*
just part of fly fishing. The best advice I could give you may
sound glib but is true nontheless, if it hurts to do that, then
*DON'T DO THAT*.

I went through a long bout of PT (personal torture) a couple of
years ago and it was no fun. Steroids, electrodes, ice cubes in
Dixie cups, a malevolent male nurse with talons of steel and an
exercise regimen involving rainbow colored rubber bands. Avoid
it, is my advice. When your wrist starts to hurt, stop hurting
your wrist.

An elastic wrist band might work, if you put it on before your
wrist starts hurting it may help prevent you from hurting it.

--
Ken Fortenberry

On 19 Feb 2005 14:38:29 -0800,
wrote:

A question for all you physical therapist fly fishermen out there...:

Last year, I started to experience pretty significant pain in my
casting wrist after a long day on the water. It felt a lot like other
repetitive stress injuries I'd had in the past. I didn't notice it
much at the beginning of the season, but by August it would flare up
pretty good after only a few hours of steady casting, and would
especially become problematic on a multi-day trip.

Any suggestions for what I might do to prevent this, both in the
immediate future, and for the rest of my lifetime?

I'm still relatively new to the sport, and not the best caster in the
world, so I wouldn't be surprised if my form had something to do with
it. Any idea from my description what I might be doing wrong with my
cast? Also, are there exercises I can do to help strengthen / minimize
the pain? Any other thoughts?

Or, is this just part of fly fishing, get used to it?

Many thanks, Tim

Go to www.sexyloops.co.uk and look up pushing and pulling. Pushers
tend to have wrist, arm, and shoulder problems. Pullers don't.
Pullers also tend to cast better. Sexyloops is probably the most
authoritative single handed casting site on the net. It's worth the
browse.

As an example, I just recently acquired a 16' - 10-12 wt. rod that
weighs in at 13 ounces without reel and line, plus even with my
heaviest reel, won't balance within 8" of the cork despite the handle
being 27" long. I'm short, advanced middle age, out of shape,
arthritis in the hands, and rotator cuff tendinitis in the shoulders
(unrelated to fishing). I can cast this rod for hours because I'm a
puller. If I was a pusher, I wouldn't get ten casts out of it before
heading for therapy (mental and physical). I can spey cast it over
100' as a puller and I doubt I'd get 50' as a pusher (before the
physical collapse).

It makes that big a difference.

Peter

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wrote in message
ups.com...
A question for all you physical therapist fly fishermen out there...:

Last year, I started to experience pretty significant pain in my
casting wrist after a long day on the water. It felt a lot like other
repetitive stress injuries I'd had in the past. I didn't notice it
much at the beginning of the season, but by August it would flare up
pretty good after only a few hours of steady casting, and would
especially become problematic on a multi-day trip.

Any suggestions for what I might do to prevent this, both in the
immediate future, and for the rest of my lifetime?

I'm still relatively new to the sport, and not the best caster in the
world, so I wouldn't be surprised if my form had something to do with
it. Any idea from my description what I might be doing wrong with my
cast? Also, are there exercises I can do to help strengthen / minimize
the pain? Any other thoughts?

Or, is this just part of fly fishing, get used to it?

First things first. Before you can deal with a problem effectively, you
have to know what is causing the problem. "Diagnosis", I believe this is
called. Now, assuming that ROFF is filled with MD's and physical
therapists, coming here for a diagnosis is still stupid. Go to a qualified
professional who can look at you in the flesh. Meanwhile, Kennie's advice
is good.......if it hurts when you do that, DON'T DO THAT! Any other advice
you get here in the meantime is bull****.

IF it turns out that the problem is simply weak muscles or bad technique,
THEN you might get something worthwhile from someone here.

Wolfgang
who wouldn't bet his life......or future mobility......on it, though.

On Sat, 19 Feb 2005 23:57:38 GMT, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:

wrote:
A question for all you physical therapist fly fishermen out there...:

Last year, I started to experience pretty significant pain in my
casting wrist after a long day on the water.
snip
Or, is this just part of fly fishing, get used to it?

I'm not a doctor or a physical therapist but wrist pain is *NOT*
just part of fly fishing. The best advice I could give you may
sound glib but is true nontheless, if it hurts to do that, then
*DON'T DO THAT*.

I went through a long bout of PT (personal torture) a couple of
years ago and it was no fun. Steroids, electrodes, ice cubes in
Dixie cups, a malevolent male nurse with talons of steel and an
exercise regimen involving rainbow colored rubber bands. Avoid
it, is my advice. When your wrist starts to hurt, stop hurting
your wrist.

An elastic wrist band might work, if you put it on before your
wrist starts hurting it may help prevent you from hurting it.

Had bad tendinitis in the wrist from golf and only cortisone cured it.
This sort of problem only goes away when both the source of the
aggravation is removed and treatment is applied. They don't get
better by themselves.

My tendinitis was very unusual and I was sent to the Plastic Surgery
department of the Montreal General for treatment. I was sent in to
see a specialist who yanked and banked on my hand then sent me outside
to wait. A short while later, a gaggle of interns is clustered in the
hall in front of me, yanking and banking on their hands in the same
way. "Oh neat, now I'm teaching fodder." methinks.

Sure enough, after asking for my permission, the specialist invites
the entire gaggle to cram into the small treatment room to watch the
procedure. As he fills the syringe, he giggles to one and all, "I've
never done this before!" Wonderful, just wonderful. Anyway, for
rookie, he did a marvelous job and my wrist has never bothered me
since.

Peter

turn mailhot into hotmail to reply

Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...ers/index.html

wrote:

A question for all you physical therapist fly fishermen out there...:

Last year, I started to experience pretty significant pain in my
casting wrist after a long day on the water. It felt a lot like other
repetitive stress injuries I'd had in the past. I didn't notice it
much at the beginning of the season, but by August it would flare up
pretty good after only a few hours of steady casting, and would
especially become problematic on a multi-day trip.

Any suggestions for what I might do to prevent this, both in the
immediate future, and for the rest of my lifetime?

I'm still relatively new to the sport, and not the best caster in the
world, so I wouldn't be surprised if my form had something to do with
it. Any idea from my description what I might be doing wrong with my
cast? Also, are there exercises I can do to help strengthen / minimize
the pain? Any other thoughts?

Or, is this just part of fly fishing, get used to it?

Many thanks, Tim

I'd suggest seeing a casting instructor. If you're doing something wrong
with your cast, he can help you which then you can follow Ken's advice of
NOT DOING THAT.

Darin

wrote in message
ups.com...
A question for all you physical therapist fly fishermen out there...:

Last year, I started to experience pretty significant pain in my
casting wrist after a long day on the water. It felt a lot like other
repetitive stress injuries I'd had in the past. I didn't notice it
much at the beginning of the season, but by August it would flare up
pretty good after only a few hours of steady casting, and would
especially become problematic on a multi-day trip.

Any suggestions for what I might do to prevent this, both in the
immediate future, and for the rest of my lifetime?
-----------------------
May I suggest spey casting to relieve your wrist issues? When spey casting,
I notice that my wrist doesn't hurt and if done right neither will your
shoulder.

Chris

Your casting wrist malady reminds me of a situation that occurred on BART
several years ago as I was riding into Frisco. This guy got on with another
guy and he said that he had been given several boxes of golf balls and he
had opened them up. All of a sudden he noticed he was late and he had
nothing to put them in so he just stuffed all of them in his pants pockets
and jumped on BART. He looked weird!

About then a blonde lady sat down opposite us and REALLY looked him over -
up and down. The guy noticed her and he just pointed down and said, "Golf
balls". She had this funny look on her face and said, "Do they hurt as bad
as tennis elbow?"

Good luck.
John

--
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wrote in message
ups.com...
A question for all you physical therapist fly fishermen out there...:

Last year, I started to experience pretty significant pain in my
casting wrist after a long day on the water. It felt a lot like other
repetitive stress injuries I'd had in the past. I didn't notice it
much at the beginning of the season, but by August it would flare up
pretty good after only a few hours of steady casting, and would
especially become problematic on a multi-day trip.

Any suggestions for what I might do to prevent this, both in the
immediate future, and for the rest of my lifetime?

I'm still relatively new to the sport, and not the best caster in the
world, so I wouldn't be surprised if my form had something to do with
it. Any idea from my description what I might be doing wrong with my
cast? Also, are there exercises I can do to help strengthen / minimize
the pain? Any other thoughts?

Or, is this just part of fly fishing, get used to it?

Many thanks, Tim

What size rod are you casting with and for how long?
If I cast a 10 footer over 6 weight for an hour I get tennis elbow,
but I can use a 9ft 6 inch 6 weight all season.
It took me 25 years of my 60 years fishing to find this out!
so you may be lucky to learn so early--
A Yorkshire Lad

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wrote in message
ups.com...
A question for all you physical therapist fly fishermen out there...:

Last year, I started to experience pretty significant pain in my
casting wrist after a long day on the water. It felt a lot like other
repetitive stress injuries I'd had in the past. I didn't notice it
much at the beginning of the season, but by August it would flare up
pretty good after only a few hours of steady casting, and would
especially become problematic on a multi-day trip.

Any suggestions for what I might do to prevent this, both in the
immediate future, and for the rest of my lifetime?

I'm still relatively new to the sport, and not the best caster in the
world, so I wouldn't be surprised if my form had something to do with
it. Any idea from my description what I might be doing wrong with my
cast? Also, are there exercises I can do to help strengthen /
minimize
the pain? Any other thoughts?

Or, is this just part of fly fishing, get used to it?

Many thanks, Tim

Hey Ken -- What was the elastic wristband that you mentioned?

What about one of those grip-strengthening balls that I've seen
advertised in fly flishing magazines? Anyone ever tried that?

As to the advice about seeing a doctor... well, if it comes to that,
sure. But I've dealt with two separate repetitive stress issues
before; in both cases, the first step was to try to address the
mechanical problem that was obviously causing the pain, something which
the doctor was of little help, whereas an expert in the mechanics - in
this case, fly fishermen - would have much more to speak to. (In one
case, addressing the mechanical problem fixed it; in the other, I had
to resort to a cortisone-like shot.)

Reading my first post, maybe I was overstating the pain a bit. It's
not acute. It just feels, at the end of a long day, like maybe I've
been casting too much. Or, perhaps casting not entirely properly.
Which yes, a casting instructor will help. But in the meanwhile, I
wanted to see what else might help address the problem, or if people
had experienced anything similar.

I'd thought about the suggestion of getting a slightly shorter rod. I
use a 9' 5 weight now, which I know is not that big, but I am a little
guy. I've been eyeing an 8'6" for my next rod, so perhaps that will
help...

Thanks again for the input, Tim