Should I upgrade my wrist guard to deal w/ wrist pain?

[morgothaod]

Hi all,

After not bowling for awhile, I joined a league and I hurt my wrist pretty bad after my first game. I have finished the league and have taken 2 months of rest (No bowling at all) but my wrist still hurts about the same. I wrap the top part of my hand and wrist with boxing wrap and then wear a Robby's leather wrist guard. For the most part, my wrist pain is minimal once I bowl a few times but I would like to eliminate the pain if possible. Having said that, I'm considering buying one of those $50+ aluminum wrist guards (Such as a Brunswick Power Koil). I've never worn one so I don't know if they will provide better wrist support over the 2 items that I use. Any insight would be appreciated! Thanks!

[Tampabaybob]

First of all, with that much pain, did you consult a Doctor? I know from my own experience that it usually takes my wife a few days of nagging to go get things checked out. If your regular GP kinda blows it off, check in with a sports doctor. They deal with these sort of injuries all the time. Because you haven't bowled in a while you always should start off slow.

As far as a wrist support, yes, absolutely. Try someones else's in the league to get a feel for them, as they all have a different feel, and before you drop a bunch of money, make sure it's ok. Every once in a while, I'll pull mine out when my wrist is a little sore, or I get the feeling I'm breaking my wrist. I'll wear it for a couple of games and then put it back. Good luck.

Bob

[eugene02]

I personally do use wrist guard previously when i'm first learning how to hook a ball.. but i felt that it has restricted my wrist movement too much.. so now, i'm bowling without a wrist guard already.. :)

[morgothaod]

I personally do use wrist guard previously when i'm first learning how to hook a ball.. but i felt that it has restricted my wrist movement too much.. so now, i'm bowling without a wrist guard already.. :)

I ideally don't want to use a wrist guard for the reasons you've mentioned. Being free of restriction, allows you to angle your wrist in different directions to alter the hook on your ball. Most pros don't even use wrist guards. However, I would be in pain without one. It's weird, I bowled often in high school and I never had wrist pain (I still bowled with a wrist guard). I then came back to bowling after a few years of not bowling and now my wrist is screwed up.


First of all, with that much pain, did you consult a Doctor? I know from my own experience that it usually takes my wife a few days of nagging to go get things checked out. If your regular GP kinda blows it off, check in with a sports doctor. They deal with these sort of injuries all the time.

Do you think a doctor would really be able to help me? I would hate to pay $100 for someone to tell me to give it rest or just to be told about certain wrist strengthening exercises.

[Tampabaybob]

I ideally don't want to use a wrist guard for the reasons you've mentioned. Being free of restriction, allows you to angle your wrist in different directions to alter the hook on your ball. Most pros don't even use wrist guards. However, I would be in pain without one. It's weird, I bowled often in high school and I never had wrist pain (I still bowled with a wrist guard). I then came back to bowling after a few years of not bowling and now my wrist is screwed up.



Do you think a doctor would really be able to help me? I would hate to pay $100 for someone to tell me to give it rest or just to be told about certain wrist strengthening exercises.

Well, again speaking from experience, if you've torn something up in your wrist and continue to bowl with it in pain, you might be throwing your last games. I know in this economy no one wants to cough up $100 bucks, but if it keeps bothering you and you're in as much pain as you say, a sports doctor may find something.

As far as the wrist brace goes, sure they will restrict your movement of your wrist, but I'd rather wear one and not be thinking about the pain as I release the ball. I want to concentrate on throwing the ball correctly, not pain. I'd rather adjust my shot to the roll, rotation and speed, than take a chance on having to sit out for a couple of months.

Any "good coach" would probably give you the same advice. If one of my team members were in the same position, I'd give him the same advice. I just had a 13 year old junior bowler, last year hurt her shoulder on one shot and pull up in pain. We iced it down right away, her Mom brought her to a doctor who then referred her to a sports doctor. 2 months later she had surgery on her shoulder and we're hoping she'll be back this season. Her doctor say's she should be as good as new. We're hoping so.

Bob

[The German Shepherd]

Pain in your body's way of telling you that something is wrong. You need to see your doctor...

Jay

[billf]

When you talk to the doc be sure to let them know that you have rested it. It's not just a strain after 2 months.

[Ball99999]

Learn how to use the ball gravity for you instead of against you. Practice the push away with no fingers in your ball and you'll see how to hold the ball correctly

[billf]

Learn how to use the ball gravity for you instead of against you. Practice the push away with no fingers in your ball and you'll see how to hold the ball correctly

What?!?!? This deals with the current pain HOW? Bowl without fingers and you won't hurt your wrist?
Push away? The 90's are over stop using the push away altogether and learn to hinge it.

[MICHAEL]

[QUOTE=The German Shepherd;48671]Pain in your body's way of telling you that something is wrong. You need to see your doctor...

Jay

If pain is the way of telling the body something is wrong, then I need a new body!
I don’t know what it feels like not to have back, hand, neck arm, feet, and even tongue pain!
I have learned to accept pain as normal, the only pain I get is going to the doctor!
Even doctors say patient, heal thy self!! I bowl through the pain! Not recommending it to you,
That’s the Iron Worker creed!! Pain is my Friend, I will not surrender!!

[Ball99999]

I said practice not bowl without fingers. If you push away the ball with your fingers out your hand will catch the ball and gravity will work for you instead of against you. This teaches where your hand needs to be in the push away so your wrist doesn't break in the backswing. This is straight from Norm Duke

And why no push away? You just want the arm to fall at the elbow and that's it?

[billf]

I said practice not bowl without fingers. If you push away the ball with your fingers out your hand will catch the ball and gravity will work for you instead of against you. This teaches where your hand needs to be in the push away so your wrist doesn't break in the backswing. This is straight from Norm Duke

And why no push away? You just want the arm to fall at the elbow and that's it?

Hinge it.... http://bowlingknowledge.info/images/stories/slowinskifeb09.pdf

Using your no finger as a drill makes more sense than how I first understood the post.

[Zothen]

If you still have wrist pain after not bowling for 2 months,you may be suffering from repedative motion syndrom or you may possably have a cyst(broken blood vessel that swells causing pain in the joint area). I had a cyst that swelled in between the joint and eventually needed to have the cyst removed as I could'nt bend my wrist. Doctor said I made it worst by bowling. I now wear a scorpian adjustable brace.

I would suggest a wrist specialist and have it properly diagnosed to make sure you didn't cause any damage that may require surgery.

Zothen