New guy, pain question

[backahead]

Hi all,

I just became serious about bowling in the last two months. I love it! However I am getting a lot of pain in my elbow just outside the knuckle. It's become serious enough that after just buying a beautiful new ball I am considering getting another one drilled for my left hand. I'm semi-ambidextrous. I use the fingertip stroker style. Prior to two months ago I was using the 2 finger grip for recreational bowling a couple times a year.

I've looked around the net and a little here on this site for the cause of the pain. My buddy has taken videos of my technique and the only obvious thing we can see is that I tend to pull the ball behind my back on the backswing. So I'm working on that and getting the pendulum action going but that doesn't solve my immediate problem of searing pain. I have to put in my fingers and thumb in the ball with my elbow completely locked or I might drop the ball. 20% of my throws feel fine, the other 80% cause discomfort.

I'm not too keen on braces or pain relievers as that might cause more problems. Any thoughts? Thanks!

[billf]

See a doctor. By description alone it could be ulnar nerve entrapment or even a strained ligament. The pain sounds severe enough to rule out a muscle pull and if it was a torn muscle you would notice the atrophy. If it is ulnar nerve entrapment the procedure used these days is pretty simple and the recovery time is fast.

[TheSheibs]

See a doctor. By description alone it could be ulnar nerve entrapment or even a strained ligament. The pain sounds severe enough to rule out a muscle pull and if it was a torn muscle you would notice the atrophy. If it is ulnar nerve entrapment the procedure used these days is pretty simple and the recovery time is fast.

x2. If you have a searing pain, you should consult a doctor who can determine what causes the pain. Could be a nerve that is getting pinched due to how your throwing the ball or it could be something very serious.

[backahead]

Crud. I really don't have time for that. League night is Tuesday so I guess I'll go back to a house ball this wk and do my best lefty. Outside of bowling and the following day I don't notice the pain except when I turn the key to start my car. I'm going to try to rest it for a couple weeks first.

Thanks for the advice though, I'm sure you guys are right.

[billf]

Can you use your ball left-handed? I do and even will the drilling be reversed, it just goes long and then hooks mildly. Not the vicious hook I can get right-handed. Of course the ball speed is less but the revs about the same.

[bowl1820]

Crud. I really don't have time for that. League night is Tuesday so I guess I'll go back to a house ball this wk and do my best lefty. Outside of bowling and the following day I don't notice the pain except when I turn the key to start my car. I'm going to try to rest it for a couple weeks first.

Thanks for the advice though, I'm sure you guys are right.

1-If your in a sanctioned league, I you'll have to get league approval to switch hands and reestablish average.

2-As for the elbow possibly it's just tendonitis (tennis elbow), go into the pro shop (or Walmarts etc.) and get a Elbow Guard.
Keep wearing till it clears up. then keep wearing while bowling to prevent it. Worked for me, I have the black Pro Elbow Support its best.

[backahead]

Can you use your ball left-handed? I do and even will the drilling be reversed, it just goes long and then hooks mildly. Not the vicious hook I can get right-handed. Of course the ball speed is less but the revs about the same.

I assumed it wouldn't work but I just checked. Ring and thumb are okay, middle finger only goes about 3/4 of the first knuckle. You think that's better than a house ball?

[backahead]

1-If your in a sanctioned league, I you'll have to get league approval to switch hands and reestablish average.

2-As for the elbow possibly it's just tendonitis (tennis elbow), go into the pro shop (or Walmarts etc.) and get a Elbow Guard.
Keep wearing till it clears up. then keep wearing while bowling to prevent it. Worked for me, I have the black Pro Elbow Support its best.

Didn't know that. Last week I asked our top bowler and he said I couldn't switch mid-game, nothing about re-establishing an avg. Yes it is a sanctioned league.

I didn't want to use a brace but I suppose I should give it a shot seeing as my other options are not good. Are you saying I should wear the elbow guard 24/7? Or just a few hrs/day plus when bowling? Thanks. If that works expect a christmas card

[bowl1820]

Didn't know that. Last week I asked our top bowler and he said I couldn't switch mid-game, nothing about re-establishing an avg. Yes it is a sanctioned league.

The USBC Rule
118e. Establish New Average due to Change in Delivery
If because of injury or disability a bowler finds it necessary to change delivery from right- to left-handed
or vice-versa, the league board of directors, by majority vote, may permit the bowler to change delivery. If
approval is obtained, the bowler must establish a new average.
118e/1 May a bowler switch his/her delivery after the start of the season due to injury?
Yes. However, the bowler is required to obtain permission from the league board of directors.
If the bowler were later able to return to their original hand delivery, permission would again
have to be obtained from the board. No combination of scores bowled both right- and
left-handed can be used in computing an average. Therefore, two separate averages would
have to be maintained. A bowler who switches without permission forfeits those games.

I didn't want to use a brace but I suppose I should give it a shot seeing as my other options are not good. Are you saying I should wear the elbow guard 24/7? Or just a few hrs/day plus when bowling? Thanks. If that works expect a christmas card

It's not a brace in that it has any metal in it like a bowling wrist brace and there's no stigma attached to using one like there is with a wrist brace.

Its just a nylon strap and will help relieve the pain due to stress on the tendon. Also it can help prevent the injury from ever happening in the first place.

No you don't have to wear it 24/7 only when you are bowling. When I first started using it I wore it some at home when I was doing something and I felt some soreness till it cleared up.

I wear mine every time I bowl now as a preventative and My elbow hasn't bothered me since.

[backahead]

@1820: Good stuff man, thanks. I will absolutely try the guard. Just curious though, what was the pain that caused you to add the elbow guard?