Question about wrist pain....

[bubba809]

So I have tendinosis located by the base of my thumb that travels half way up my forearm. Needless to say it is very painful and cannot bowl. I already have some carpel tunnel in that hand and elected not to have surgery as it is not always bad. It was actually the doctors suggestion that cutting was NOT recommended due to the mildness of the condition. I want to bowl but realize that is not possible right now as I can barely turn a doorknob or use a can opener.

I will wear my splint for awhile and try to rest it as much as I can. I do not want to go down the road of cortisone shots and surgeries--if at all possible.

I really do feel that bowling has brought this tendinosis on & elevated it so bad to the point I can't lift the ball. Just the turning of the wrist like when your delivering your ball makes me cringe right now. That motion in particular is where I experience the most pain. And this is the first time in 30 years of bowling I've experienced any kind of wrist pain like this to make me stop.

Just curious if anyone else has had this problem and what their road to recovery entailed.

[Hot_pocket]

i had carpel tunnel. I would actually recommend a cortisone shot because it helped and most of the time people only need one. Seeing as you also have tendinitis, that i don't know much about. Depending only how bad you want to bowl you can always start from scratch with the opposite hand.

[Tony]

Sorry to hear you are having trouble, I am a primarily right handed bowler , I have had a detached bicep tendon, rotator cuff and carpal tunnel surgery all on my right arm.
I bowled left handed for a year and a half but normally throw right handed with a 14 lb ball.

When the muscle pad at the base of the thumb is wasting away, you know it's time to look into treatment.

A good friend of mine is a psychiatrist and having suffered a number of sports related injuries I have seen him at clinic quite a few times, in his opinion cortisone shots are highly detrimental in most cases and repeated use should be avoided .

Of course even with the expert advice of a trusted friend I have had many cortisone shots and have come to the conclusion that trying a single shot to relieve the inflammation in a joint is a reasonable attempt to find the easy solution but repeated cortisone shots in the same area is detrimental to future recovery of the area.

If you haven't had one, the most definitive test for carpal tunnel is an EMG, it's a somewhat painful test where electrodes are inserted into the nerves on your arm/hand and a shock is applied to measure the response of the nerves.

Once the surgery was performed (carpal tunnel) recovery happens quite rapidly and if you have the surgery at the end of the season you will be healed and ready to go at the start of the new season in fall !

Bicep tendon and rotator cuff surgery is a little more complicated and would usually take a little longer to heal.

I am currently looking toward the end of the season and having a carpal tunnel release on my left wrist ......fun !

[bubba809]

Tony, I had the EMG test done about year and a half ago and it was determined I did have carpal tunnel. I elected not to have surgery due to the fact it was not as severe as some and having been dealing with it. I bowled and besides a little numbness afterwards, it was not painful. Now the tendinitis is a different pain. This is a pain where your cant even slightly turn your wrist in a certain direction or you will feel like you're being electrocuted through your thumb traveling up your arm. Whole different ball game than my carpal tunnel.

[bubba809]

Oh and I failed to mention, I DO cup the ball I try to crank it. Just my 30 year style. When I don't, my scores show it.

This I know is a contributing factor to the wrist pain.

[Timmyb]

Have you given any thought to using a wrist brace? I started using one when my carpal set in. The one I use (Master Wrist-Mate) has a removable pad under the fingers that gives you a lot of lift back that you can lose by straightening out your wrist. I not sure it'll help with the tendinosis aspect, but I know the one I have has given me a LOT more years to my game. Something to think about.

[Amyers]

Bubba I've face this exact same thing I have carpel tunnel and I have a tendency to cup the ball also. First off it's most likely not tendonitis in the thumb but the evolution of the carpel tunnel in the wrist. Mine has effected me from thinking I had shoulder problems to the tips of my fingers. I do heavily suggest the cortisone shot the procedure is simple and helps and the sooner you do it the more likely that it will work. You may have a tendency to chicken wing the elbow with your style also I know I did. This adds additional stress on the wrist.

1st get the shot and get it over with. It won't cure it but it makes it better.

2nd you may want to change your release from a cupped style to more of a cocked style. It seems to stress the wrist much less and for me has cut down on the chicken wing which helps too. It's not easy to change but it's manageable.

[JasonNJ]

I'm 44 and been on a computer or playing videos games all my life and I've developed mild carpal tunnel and these stretching exercises really helped alleviate pain and never let my carpal tunnel get worse.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2088363_use-exercises-carpal-tunnel-syndrome.html

[Tony]

Tony, I had the EMG test done about year and a half ago and it was determined I did have carpal tunnel. I elected not to have surgery due to the fact it was not as severe as some and having been dealing with it. I bowled and besides a little numbness afterwards, it was not painful. Now the tendinitis is a different pain. This is a pain where your cant even slightly turn your wrist in a certain direction or you will feel like you're being electrocuted through your thumb traveling up your arm. Whole different ball game than my carpal tunnel.

Yes, the pain can be quite severe, given the pain shoots up your arm when the wrist is moved in a certain way indicates it might be nerve related.
The carpal tunnel (CT) blockage usually gets worse over time if the conditions that caused it remain the same.

Have the doctors made a connection between the tendinitis and CT? In my case the shooting pains were cured when I had the procedure to release the nerve, even if yours is unrelated it would allow some time for the tendon to heal.

If the CT is mild a cortisone shot might be enough to relieve the problem, but in your case where the pain is shooting up the arm the Dr might suggest surgery soon to prevent any further permanent damage. They might want to rerun the EMG and see how in compares with the last one.

Sorry to say, but based on what you have said and my experience it seems like it would be a good idea to consider that CT is the source of your problem.

[jab5325]

Stretching and braces are extremely important to minimizing the effects of CT--each can really help greatly.

Also, it might sound crazy.....but try chiropractic. A good chiro can also make a difference.

Surgery and drugs, to me, are a last resort.

Bowling wise, absolutely get a brace. If you don't, you run the risk of CT getting much worse much quicker.

[bubba809]

So went to doctor as I could not even function on a day to day basis lately. Could not even put my hand in my pocket or hold a pen. Had a couple x rays of hand and it was tendinitis along the base of thumb by wrist. This has nothing to do with my carpal tunnel. Nothing torn as he said if it was torn, you would not be able to move your thumb. There was a lot of inflammation in there and gave me the cortisone shot. He said you can get up to 3 shots there before surgery may be needed. But some get the shot and never have to go back.

Two days later and I'm 95% better. Just happy I can change my son's diapers with two hands now! Doctor said I may return to bowling when I am pain free, which I basically am now.

I just got a new wrister and plan to bowl next Wed. If you ever experience pain this bad I highly recommend getting the shot. Within 24 hours I could not believe the relief.

[Amyers]

So went to doctor as I could not even function on a day to day basis lately. Could not even put my hand in my pocket or hold a pen. Had a couple x rays of hand and it was tendinitis along the base of thumb by wrist. This has nothing to do with my carpal tunnel. Nothing torn as he said if it was torn, you would not be able to move your thumb. There was a lot of inflammation in there and gave me the cortisone shot. He said you can get up to 3 shots there before surgery may be needed. But some get the shot and never have to go back.

Two days later and I'm 95% better. Just happy I can change my son's diapers with two hands now! Doctor said I may return to bowling when I am pain free, which I basically am now.

I just got a new wrister and plan to bowl next Wed. If you ever experience pain this bad I highly recommend getting the shot. Within 24 hours I could not believe the relief.

Glad it was a simple solution and you'll be back soon.

[Tony]

So went to doctor as I could not even function on a day to day basis lately. Could not even put my hand in my pocket or hold a pen. Had a couple x rays of hand and it was tendinitis along the base of thumb by wrist. This has nothing to do with my carpal tunnel. Nothing torn as he said if it was torn, you would not be able to move your thumb. There was a lot of inflammation in there and gave me the cortisone shot. He said you can get up to 3 shots there before surgery may be needed. But some get the shot and never have to go back.

Two days later and I'm 95% better. Just happy I can change my son's diapers with two hands now! Doctor said I may return to bowling when I am pain free, which I basically am now.

I just got a new wrister and plan to bowl next Wed. If you ever experience pain this bad I highly recommend getting the shot. Within 24 hours I could not believe the relief.

Good to hear the shot relieved your pain ! The thumb really takes a beating from normal use and bowling puts some more stress on it.
Depending on your age another condition is common in the thumb and is usually diagnosed with a CT or in some cased ultrasound is a problem with the actual joint. It gives the same symptoms that you had and I was told is caused by some sort of mix of repetitive use and/or arthritis.

Hopefully that's not it.
The shot would probably help for a short time but the pain would come back in a little while\

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/orthopaedics-rheumatology/diseases-conditions/arthritis-thumb-base
If it does come back and sounds like they describe you might want to consider seeing a hand hand specialist ....

[jab5325]

Doctor said I may return to bowling when I am pain free, which I basically am now.

You know your own body....but...."basically am" is much different than "am".

Don't rush back--it's not worth it and only going to be detrimental in the long run. Taking an additional week to rest is always better than coming back a week too soon.

I've learned this from personal experience, and have seen it this year on my own team. Our anchor is headed for surgery within the next couple of weeks because he tried to come back when he thought he was "basically pain free".

[fokai73]

I hope you get well quick.

I have a similar problem with my wrist/thumb base plus OA. I had my grip redone and moved away from any cocky/cupping of the wrist. When I roll the ball, it's Pain free. I also stop hitting up on the ball, for that causes stress on my joints.

In short, the ball holds my hand and not my hand holding the ball throughout my swing. I have very little grip pressure.

[bubba809]

Taking an additional week to rest is always better than coming back a week too soon.

HAHAA..I got the shot last Tues and wanted to bowl the next day in my Wed league, that's how good it felt. I decided to wait another week and bowl tomorrow. I got my wrister ready and hand feels 100%. After 4 weeks off, I'm chomping at the bit!

I seriously cannot believe the relief that shot gave me. I know there is a possibility the pain could return after a few months but I will cross that bridge when I come to it. Many have only needed the one shot. The doctor even said hearing the way I bowl, it is definitely an age thing combined with my desk job. I'm not in my 20's anymore and it's starting to show!