Finger insert expansion?

[Phonetek]

I notice when I first pick up my ball it's rather difficult to get my fingers in the inserts (white) all the way but after about 5 or 6 balls I get them in comfortably. It was like that with my 16# ball too before I switched. Do these things expand or soften up after a few shots or is it that my finger tips are swollen and go down some? I'm wondering if I should go up a size or maybe change to a softer insert? It's rather uncomfortable during warm up, even a tad painful at first. Once I'm warmed up I'm fine.

[fordman1]

It is your fingers shrinking not the hole growing. That is mostly because of hyperlongation.

[Phonetek]

It is your fingers shrinking not the hole growing. That is mostly because of hyperlongation.

Hyper-elongation meaning finger stiffness, yeah that makes sense hence the discomfort. Probably caused from still using some lift on my release. That and a rough 46 yrs on my hands. They've been burnt, cut, smashed, twisted and broken multiple times over the years in addition to soft tissue damage and a separated bone on my pinky I still haven't had treated. I guess I shouldn't be shocked. My hands look pretty rough for my age.

I didn't really mean the holes were actually growing, I figured the inserts just softened up making it easier to slide my finger tips in. Bad choice of words

[bowl1820]

I notice when I first pick up my ball it's rather difficult to get my fingers in the inserts (white) all the way but after about 5 or 6 balls I get them in comfortably. It was like that with my 16# ball too before I switched. Do these things expand or soften up after a few shots or is it that my finger tips are swollen and go down some? I'm wondering if I should go up a size or maybe change to a softer insert? It's rather uncomfortable during warm up, even a tad painful at first. Once I'm warmed up I'm fine.

Your fingers are swollen and are going down, First watch what you eat/drink before bowling, like lots of salt, liquids etc.

Some Options:
1: Before bowling put your fingertips in a cup of ice to help shrink them.
2: Take a wood dowel and wrap a piece of sand paper around it and sand the backside of the hole to open the insert up "a little" (Don't do the front side or it shortens the span)
3: Go up a half size in grips.
4: Use Vacu-grips (or do the fake vacu-grip)

[Phonetek]

I think I'll probably go up a half size. When I was at the PSO my fingers slid right in when he was sizing me but once inserted in the ball the tightness of them being in the hole lowered their size a tad. If they are still tight I can always go with option 2. I will definitely do option 1 as well as maybe take a couple ibuprofen an hour before and see if that helps. Now that I bowl as much as I do swelling is expected. I also need to get my butt back to that hand doctor and get the other issues taken care of once and for all, I sort of dropped the ball on that. (no pun intended) Thanks Bowl. =)

[boatman37]

I heard years ago that wrapping your fingers in newspaper in between frames will help keep your fingers from swelling. I used to do it years ago but not sure if it really worked...lol.

My Brunswick grips are definitely tighter than my BWG grips. Is that bad? They are a little snug and not sure I could bowl 3 games with it without being in discomfort at the end. Probably should get those changed to match the BWG.

[Phonetek]

I heard years ago that wrapping your fingers in newspaper in between frames will help keep your fingers from swelling. I used to do it years ago but not sure if it really worked...lol.

My Brunswick grips are definitely tighter than my BWG grips. Is that bad? They are a little snug and not sure I could bowl 3 games with it without being in discomfort at the end. Probably should get those changed to match the BWG.

Newspaper? LOL I think someone sold you a bill of goods on that cure. It sounds like something recommended back in the great depression days. I'd sooner recommend high doses of laxatives as a cure at a hospitals allergy ward. If your grips are too uncomfortable to get through 3 games without discomfort then YES replace them. Once I'm warmed up I can bowl all night without discomfort, it's just those first few shots that bother me. After that I'm golden.

[bowl1820]

I heard years ago that wrapping your fingers in newspaper in between frames will help keep your fingers from swelling. I used to do it years ago but not sure if it really worked...lol.


Newspaper? LOL I think someone sold you a bill of goods on that cure.

there may have been a little more to it than that, So Maybe not necessarily a bill of goods.

A temp. fix for a swollen thumb was taking a piece of paper (Like a dollar bill), napkin or handkerchief. Putting it over your thumb and then jamming it into your thumbhole for awhile. Then when ready to bowl, you pulled it out and your thumb was compressed a bit smaller and would be looser in the thumbhole for awhile.

The same principle would work for your fingers.

[boatman37]

there may have been a little more to it than that, So Maybe not necessarily a bill of goods.

A temp. fix for a swollen thumb was taking a piece of paper (Like a dollar bill), napkin or handkerchief. Putting it over your thumb and then jamming it into your thumbhole for awhile. Then when ready to bowl, you pulled it out and your thumb was compressed a bit smaller and would be looser in the thumbhole for awhile.

The same principle would work for your fingers.

So you're saying there may be a chance.....lol (Dumb and Dumber quote)

[bowl1820]

So you're saying there may be a chance.....lol (Dumb and Dumber quote)

There's all kinds of old school tips and tricks for quick fixes, Maybe not the most recommended things to do but in a pinch they could get you by.

Like Chapstick on the thumb is a old school trick for a sticky thumb, that's been around for years. I have some in bag right now, Just use it sparingly a little goes along way and remember to clean your thumbhole out once in awhile, it can build up in the hole.

[Phonetek]

Yep, I do the cover the thumb hole thing usually with a bowling towel and try to jam it in. It does work. I doubt I would do the Chapstick trick although I have heard it. I don't like putting foreign substances on my thumb like goops or powders. New Skin is about the only thing but that's only if I REALLY have to. Surprisingly since I've came back to bowling I haven't had any callus issues on my thumb. Swelling yes so I've resorted to the towel trick a few times.

What I've done to get by with my fingertips is just dampen them slightly so they slip into the grips during warm up. It's worked but it's still uncomfortable.

[fordman1]

If your fingers only hurt for 5-6 balls you should try manning up! Or try a 1/2 size larger insert.
Now an admission, I was trying to be funny when I made up the hyper what ever it was. Who knew it was real malady?

[Phonetek]

Nice! You had it close. You just forgot the "e" LOL It's not a matter of manning up though. I definitely have issues with my hand, it hurts all the time and I have problems simply opening twist off beer bottles. Not good for a bartender but we have bottle openers so no biggie. It just REALLY hurts the first 5-6 balls much more than normal, it's tolerable after that. Bowling isn't the cause, I'm sure it doesn't help.

The cause is my pinky finger bone is separated from my hand bone, just held together by basically a rubber band of cartilage. Then I have two soft tissue benign tumors on my palm below my ring finger which causes a pulling when I stretch the ring and middle fingers. It was more about the inserts being too tight when I first started. I didn't really think about my fingers tips shrinking, I thought it was the insert expanding.

[chip82901]

It's usually fingers swelling. However, with softer grips, I usually don't have any issues. I used to use Vise and I would have to get some ice water and soak my fingers (especially come tourney season). But ever since I switched to Ultimate's this season, I haven't had any issues.

[Phonetek]

Tomorrow I'm gonna head to work early to throw a few so I'm gonna try the ice water bit to see if that helps. I may try going to the clear grips, from what I understand they are the softest ones. They wear out quicker....meh...so I have to replace them more often, it's worth the trade off. I gotta call that hand doctor in the morning and get moving on that too, it's not going to get better with age.

[boatman37]

I have the clear ones in both balls. Can't say for sure how soft they are compared to others but feel pretty soft. I had yellow ones in my old ball 20 years ago but I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday so there is that....lol

[chip82901]

Tomorrow I'm gonna head to work early to throw a few so I'm gonna try the ice water bit to see if that helps. I may try going to the clear grips, from what I understand they are the softest ones. They wear out quicker....meh...so I have to replace them more often, it's worth the trade off. I gotta call that hand doctor in the morning and get moving on that too, it's not going to get better with age.

Usually color does make some difference, but brand does as well. I was swapping Vise and Turbo inserts far too often (about 50-60 games). I've gotten around 100 games out of my Ultimates and they are still like new. Not to mention, I used to get a split in my finger from the turbo's and vise where my finger would rest. With the Ultimates, I don't. Hands down the best grips I've found so far.