Wrist issues

[Bowlingfan313]

Hey there, I’m a left handed bowler. I have some questions about using your wrists and also wrist strength.

I have carpal tunnel in my left wrist and hand, for which I had surgery several years ago. I’ve been trying to strengthen my wrist, but it seems like whatever I do doesn’t help. I’m not sure what kind of exercises would work if any. Is it possible that there is no way to strengthen the wrist due to the carpal tunnel?

I use a wrist brace but I’m not sure if it’s much help. I use a 13 pound ball, because I have better control with that. I find the lighter balls are too light. One of my biggest problems is that I seem to either turn my wrist or body when throwing it. The ball tends to go too far to the right, missing the target. Sometimes I can get it to hit the target but most often not. There isn’t much hook to the ball. I typically stand at the second dot on the left. I’ve tried moving but it doesn’t help. I’d like to practice more but the bowling alley I go to is only open one or two days per week, and that is only for league bowling. Being out in the country the nearest bowling alley after that is an hour away.

Any tips or ideas?
Thank you 😊

[Bowlingfan313]

I forgot to add… I’ve tried to use my right hand instead but I am partly autistic and my coordination is terrible in my right hand and arm.

[J Anderson]

I forgot to add… I’ve tried to use my right hand instead but I am partly autistic and my coordination is terrible in my right hand and arm.

Do not feel bad about not being able to switch to your other hand. I’ve been bowling over 40 years and personally know only three who have switched hands. Jeff is actually better as a lefty than he was right handed. Bob went down by about 30 pins but he was in his sixties when he switched. I went lefty at 50 years old while recovering from hand surgery. I still switch back and forth. Some times I feel like I can bowl equally well from either side, other times I’m just way more comfortable playing right handed. Many who have sen me switch while practicing have told me they could never throw with their opposite hand.

[J Anderson]

Hey there, I’m a left handed bowler. I have some questions about using your wrists and also wrist strength.

I have carpal tunnel in my left wrist and hand, for which I had surgery several years ago. I’ve been trying to strengthen my wrist, but it seems like whatever I do doesn’t help. I’m not sure what kind of exercises would work if any. Is it possible that there is no way to strengthen the wrist due to the carpal tunnel?

I use a wrist brace but I’m not sure if it’s much help. I use a 13 pound ball, because I have better control with that. I find the lighter balls are too light. One of my biggest problems is that I seem to either turn my wrist or body when throwing it. The ball tends to go too far to the right, missing the target. Sometimes I can get it to hit the target but most often not. There isn’t much hook to the ball. I typically stand at the second dot on the left. I’ve tried moving but it doesn’t help. I’d like to practice more but the bowling alley I go to is only open one or two days per week, and that is only for league bowling. Being out in the country the nearest bowling alley after that is an hour away.

Any tips or ideas?
Thank you 😊

My first question is does your wrist hurt when you bowl with the brace?

Have you tried bowling without the brace? If you have, did it hurt?

The brace may not be helping but it probably isn’t hurting anything, although if your ball was drilled before you started using a brace you might need the ball plugged and redrilled since the brace effectively shortens your span. Not hitting your target can be a matter of your timing or the way you swing the ball. When I pull the ball it’s usually that my feet have gotten ahead of the swing and subconsciously try to pull on the ball to catch up. The other likely cause would be that your swing loops around your hip.

P.s. I will ask my friends, one of whom is a physical therapist the other a lefty bowler and personal trainer, about wrist exercises.

[Bowlingfan313]

Hi John… My wrist doesn’t hurt when I use the brace. It doesn’t hurt at all. I just thought it might be week from the carpal tunnel. I had it in my left hand for many years before I was finally able to have surgery. In fact, some of the tingling has returned but only in my first finger and thumb. I bowled today without the brace and I had no problems. In fact I bowled above my average. I found that when I get tired I tend to overthrow the ball. Also when I’m making my throw, I now swing the ball back more just before release which I think might be giving me more power. I found myself making more strikes and getting spares easier. My average is only 83 but I had scores of 115 and 120, with a dismal 64 game. But at least I was above average.

[Bowlingfan313]

Oh yes I forgot to ask, is there a way to edit a post? I use voice to text and sometimes it misspells words

[J Anderson]

Oh yes I forgot to ask, is there a way to edit a post? I use voice to text and sometimes it misspells words

You should be able to edit.
I added this sentence after posting the reply. For your posts there should an “edit post” icon just to the left of the “reply” icon at the bottom of the post. After editing you hit save.

[Phonetek]

You should be able to edit.
I added this sentence after posting the reply. For your posts there should an “edit post” icon just to the left of the “reply” icon at the bottom of the post. After editing you hit save.

It seems to depend on what you’re using if edit is there or not. On my laptop it is but on my cell phone it’s not there.

[J Anderson]

It seems to depend on what you’re using if edit is there or not. On my laptop it is but on my cell phone it’s not there.
Good to know, I’ve only used a desktop and a tablet to post.