Fingers Starting To Hurt

[MFein]

So lately, I've been practicing very hard with my bowling. I bowl about 6 days a week averaging over 30 games. I shoot 3 on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays for my leagues and the others consist of practice. Saturday is a more fun league whereas the others have a bit more competitive edge to them. Anyway, my middle finger is starting to hurt to the point where I feel it every time I place it in the ball. I'm being told a couple things like "ball might be drilled wrong" or "improper release" or "pressure" and something known as a "cuticle problem." I'm not a high rev bowler and I feel like I do place some emphasis in my front swing. I've been getting some help from a bowler around here who is fairly experienced with the game and it's been helping my form a lot. My release is fairly good and I have become much cleaner. I wish I had a video of me bowler, but just picture a 140 lb bowler, about 5'9", and is a tweener / stroker. I'm 21 years old and I'm very much in shape. Not brawlic but not skinny. I live in NY, so the air is kinda dry in the winter. Any tips or suggestions would be great. Possibly drilling changes, etc. I'll take a picture of my ball if requested.

[bowl1820]

It's hard to diagnose a fit issue in a online setting. I'll take guess it's span and/or pitches, you don't have the finger pressure evenly distributed. The middle finger is basically doing all the work.
I'd go into the pro shop and have him take alook.

[DaveAyotte]

you have any blood under your nail? I think I know what you mean - and I found that after a few games I would get some dried blood under my middle finger. If that's the case, you can almost assure that it's fit.

[striker12]

ok the problem is the fitting and for bowling to many games u should bowl your leauge then the next day take the day off dont ever bowl back to back cause your figures will change thats why u should only bowl 3 games anight and then next day take a break i use to be the same way the fitting was my main problem with bowling that much too soo u just have to relax your fingers and and ice them

[MFein]

Well I've been to many different pro shops for my stuff to be drilled and the only one I guess I've never had problems with was Buddies Pro Shop. Paterno's Pro Shop is the one I go to now and I love his work, but it's just this time. I've had stuff drilled by him before and everything is the same as my other ball.

[DanielMareina]

If the problem is pain on the fingernail, it is most likely a pitch issue. If the ache is on the joint or the front of the finger, it is usually a span issue. If it hurts all around, it is probably your finger swelling a bit and creating drag. Sometimes, if the ring finger isn't a full span, but the middle finger is, it makes the middle finger working harder and can cause some pain. Best of luck to you!

[MFein]

So should I pitch my ring finger a little higher than my middle finger? My middle finger is the one that is hurting and always has been.

[DaveAyotte]

Check your span first - put your fingers in, then your thumb. As you're seating your thumb see if your fingertips open up and press against the top of your finger grips. If this is happening, you are putting pressure in that area during your push-off and downswing - which would in turn be the cause of your pain.

[DaveAyotte]

I say this only because you can do it at home, for free, without going to the proshop. That wasn't to knock any other advice, because I'm no expert - I can only speak from my experience.

[MFein]

Well I'm friends with most of the Pro Shop guys around here. Just went down and went to oval grips over forward pitch grips. I feel smoother with them but I lost a little bit of hand. I think it's primarily because my finger was hurting a lot today and I couldn't hold the ball. I'll be resting up tomorrow and icing it. I have a Kegel Tournament on Thursday so I need to be ready.

[10-in-the-pit]

If you are hurting, take a break. You might have also worn out the the inserts forcing you to grip a bit more.

[K3ntFIN]

The more you have to squeeze the more your fingers are going to hurt. Another issue, seen mostly in young men, is that they are trying to "make the release happen" too much, i.e accelerating in the downswing and using a lot of muscle force. Quite often this can be attributed to a timing issue somewhere at the start of the approach, but without video it's very hard to draw any real conclusions.

[striker12]

mfein gl in the turnny and hope your finger is feeling better but remember take abit of pressure off it so dont squeez the ball too much and 1 thing dont just ice it that only brings down swelling if you got a icey hot patch put that on first ice your finger for awhile the make it hootand worm it up to make your fingure back to normal then try not to bowl for awhile untill your leauge and try it and if it still hurts let your fingers relax