wrist pain

[JodyH]

Anyone else have a lot of wrist pain?
My wrist pretty much hurts all the time now and especially after a match.
I've had to cut boxing completely out and have limited my range sessions to 50 rounds a week or so.
Even with that minimal use my wrist stays sore all week to the point I cannot use my hand for tasks that require hand gripping and rotation of the wrist at the same time (door knobs for example).
The pain is in the joint but there's no inflammation or swelling.
I'm thinking I've developed some tendonitis.
It sucks.

[GJM]

Probably different, but I had Dorsal Wrist Syndrome, and a surgical repair. That hand, my right, is still weaker than my left. I currently have terrible tendinitis in my left elbow, that has negatively impacted my shooting and is a source of constant pain. If you haven't, you might read the series of blogs posts by Hilton Yam on MSW describing his elbow problems. There are references to wrist pain, in the post by Robbie Leatham's PT, if not elsewhere.

Wonder if the hats are the common denominator?

[Lost River]

I rode bucking horses through college (rodeo team). Broke my wrist multiple times. Broke it again on a suspect's head who was doing a bang up job of fighting his way to a shotgun.

Needles to say, I limit my big bore shooting quite a bit. I primarily shoot .44 mag. Light medium and heavy loads. No 454 Casulls for me.

44 Mag:

Roughly 35% very light loads
Roughly 60% medium general purpose loads that are sufficient for up to and including big mule deer.
Roughly 5% Hot rodded 300-340 grain heavy hard cast, elk and dinosaur loads.

A few cylinders of the heavy loads and my right wrist will be swollen for days.

The punchline is, go easy on the wrists. They have a definite shelf life.

[hks95134]

That reminds me of the joke about tennis elbow and the computer diagnostic machine at the doctor's office.

[CCT125US]

Trigger finger pain and general soreness of my strong hand led me to the LEM. My dry fire and live fire had to be cut progressively shorter after about 4 years with the V3.

[RevolverRob]

Is it tendinitis or carpal tunnel? I have carpal tunnel in both wrists, it mimics tendinitis in the pain front and swelling/inflammation is minimal. I get the same way post shooting. I had to quit shooting harder recoiling guns for awhile and frankly, I still have issues and I am thinking of switching to the "softest" shooting gun I can (needless to say Doc's thread on compensated 9mms has me thinking).

Get that shit checked out by your doc, it may be reparable or controllable. I recommend sleeping in wrist braces and if you can stand it, using them daily for most tasks (I wear them in the office, but ditch them when I go outside). It helps a lot with the pain. In addition, I do a lot of wrist focused exercises to build strength in the tendons around the wrist, which helps.

-Rob

[TR675]

I have chronic wrist pain in my right wrist. Broken badly at 17, never quite healed right, plus years of recoil and (maybe worse) mouse use. I can feel it after a range day. Keeping it in non-repetitive motion helps.

Wrists really weren't designed for years and years of shooting thousands of rounds per...

[Chuck Haggard]

My issue is more with my elbows, but some in my wrists, I have found some of this very useful over the past few months;

https://www.absolutept.com/shooters-elbow/

http://modernserviceweapons.com/?p=14800

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftpm8kYx3yY&t=690jeban

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZG_9O_mAgM

[Malamute]

I limit my big bore shooting quite a bit. I primarily shoot .44 mag. Light medium and heavy loads. No 454 Casulls for me.

44 Mag:

Roughly 35% very light loads
Roughly 60% medium general purpose loads that are sufficient for up to and including big mule deer.
Roughly 5% Hot rodded 300-340 grain heavy hard cast, elk and dinosaur loads.

A few cylinders of the heavy loads and my right wrist will be swollen for days.

The punchline is, go easy on the wrists. They have a definite shelf life.

Slightly off topic, but I tore the ligaments in my right thumb in '90. It was a couple years before I could shoot right handed at all, and more years before I could shoot any centefire right handed. when I was able to, shooting a single action revolver was easier on me than a DA. When I was able to shoot bear type loads again, it was in a single action quite some time before I could in a DA. From that exerience, I think SA's are easier on the body. The gun rolling up in the hand on recoil seems to be the difference. Even with factory level 45 Colt loads are less wear and tear than similar loads in the DA Smiths for me. I dont know if that translates to similar results with wrists, I'd guess it may.

[orionz06]

Strong wrist or other strong wrist? Or both?

[JodyH]

Only in my primary (right) wrist.
I don't think it's Carpal Tunnel because I don't have any numbness or tingling and no pain associated with my thumb or pointer finger.
For me the pain is associated with the pinkie and ring finger gripping at the same time I rotate or bend the wrist.
It's a dull ache all day and pain when I grip and rotate.
Oddly enough I don't really feel it while shooting, but gripping a water bottle and tipping it back is painful.

[orionz06]

I like these: http://www.amazon.com/Expand-Your-Hand-Bands-10-Pack-Goodbye/dp/B00083B79M

I don't know that they'll help but having had some tweaked wrists and more so fingers use of these at the desk has worked wonders. I'm an engineer and not a doctor though so my wrists and hands may be worse off than before because of it.

[Chuck Haggard]

Just using large plain rubber bands for extensor exercises with my fingers has worked really well to help keep my issues at bay.

[45dotACP]

Only in my primary (right) wrist.
I don't think it's Carpal Tunnel because I don't have any numbness or tingling and no pain associated with my thumb or pointer finger.
For me the pain is associated with the pinkie and ring finger gripping at the same time I rotate or bend the wrist.
It's a dull ache all day and pain when I grip and rotate.
Oddly enough I don't really feel it while shooting, but gripping a water bottle and tipping it back is painful.
Look up Phalens test and Tinels sign and do them....two fairly easy physical assessments that are fairly accurate indicators of Carpal Tunnel and may provide insight.

But I'd also recommend a doctor take a look.

[gringop]

Rheumatoid Arthritis for me for the last 10 years or so. Since yours is not symmetrical I doubt that yours is the same. I use sports tape on my wrists during practice and matches. That and the meds keep it under control.

[RevolverRob]

Only in my primary (right) wrist.
I don't think it's Carpal Tunnel because I don't have any numbness or tingling and no pain associated with my thumb or pointer finger.
For me the pain is associated with the pinkie and ring finger gripping at the same time I rotate or bend the wrist.
It's a dull ache all day and pain when I grip and rotate.
Oddly enough I don't really feel it while shooting, but gripping a water bottle and tipping it back is painful.

I actually have zero pain, numbness or tingling in fingers. It's strictly localized to the wrist and on rare occasions, like after shooting a bunch of magnums to the web of my hand/palm.

My doc did the Tinel's Sign test and sent me into full on numbness in seconds. It's a good diagnosis for carpal tunnel.

[Trooper224]

I'm dealing with arthritis in my strong hand wrist due to an old injury. Consequently, I've gone over to 9mm for most purposes. I'm still using .45acp for Bullseye, but that's with light target loads. Many years of shooting heavy loads and magnum type stuff post injury hasn't helped. Get it checked out by a professional soon.

[JodyH]

Passed the tests with no tingling or numbness.

I'm going to lay off shooting for two weeks and switched from a mouse to a trackpad along with a wrist cushion on the computer.
I'll see if that helps.

[PumpGunGuy]

If the pain is ring and small finger, that is the ulnar nerve distribution, and can arise from either the wrist or elbow. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the median nerve and generally comes from thickening of the ligament compressing the nerve that goes to the other fingers. Treatment of ulnar and median nerve problems are very different.

Hands are tricky to diagnose, a consultation with a hand surgeon or physiatrist who specializes in hands may be indicated.

Delaying therapy is not a good idea.

PGG

[Cecil Burch]

Anyone else have a lot of wrist pain?



Yes, constantly. From training incorrectly for about the first 20+ years of doing martial arts, I have severed the side ligaments on both sides of both wrists. I knew I was in trouble when the Doctor was looking at the CT scan with me as the die flowed through and he said "Oh wow". I took that as a really bad sign :( The best work arounds I have found are:

Regular ice massages
taping/brace/wraps for the wrist when you are stressing it a lot
heavy weight lifting with the idea of keeping a straight wrist to strengthen the wrist (and avoiding lifts that strain it in a bent position - I still front squat, but have to rest the bar across my shoulders rather than the correct on the palms and fingertip position)

One thing I am trying now and it seems to help is this:

http://www.amazon.com/WristWidget-WW005-Wrist-Support/dp/B001BVNSRO/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1430842091&sr=1-1&keywords=wrist+widget

I am wearing it as I type this and so far (with about a week of use) it has provided some apparent relief.

[NEPAKevin]

I intermittently get this intense pain in my left wrist. Kind of feels like someone is jabbing a rusty knitting needle though it. I ice it down and support it with an ace wrist wrap (http://www.amazon.com/ACE-Wrist-Wrap-Size-Fits/dp/B001ACU11K/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1430841720&sr=8-10&keywords=ace+wrist).

[JodyH]

I'm thinking poor right hook technique was the final straw (my coach tried correcting me multiple times but I kept going back to my bad form).
Too much computer mouse time lately hasn't helped either I'm sure.

[GJM]

I'm thinking poor right hook technique was the final straw (my coach tried correcting me multiple times but I kept going back to my bad form).
Too much computer mouse time lately hasn't helped either I'm sure.

If you think punching did it, I would check into Dorsal Wrist syndrome.

[JodyH]

I convinced work to get me a Surface Pro in lieu of my laptop to get away from a mouse for a while. I rarely type but can use the stylus and touchscreen in place of a mouse easily.
Maybe that'll help.

[MAP]

Do yourself a favor and see a competent hand doctor. What started as hand pain for me was actually torn ligaments. It took three (3) orthopedic surgeons to figure out what was going on. Little problems that go unchecked can develop into something significant. You don't want the end result to look like this:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a89/MAP1911/IMG_0544_zpsgkmb7cbu.jpg

[HRL]

I fractured my scaphoid bone in my wrist playing football when I was 18. Continued to lift and do martial arts for 6 months because I was told by trainers and PTs that it was a wrist sprain and I figured using it the way I did meant that it would heal slowly. Finally got an x-Ray and was told it was a non-Union fracture which may have healed on its own if it had been immobilized early. Symptoms were shooting pains opening jars and doorknobs.

Had to get a bone graft and bone growth stimulator which somewhat helped though I can't do heavy lifting and even time I spent renting .40s and .45s causes lingering pain after a box or two. This is 10 years later.

Get it checked out by a specialist now, there's no harm. I went to a physicians assistant originally while getting the x-Ray and they had never heard of injuries to that joint before...


Just wanted to add that you may need an MRI to detect small fractures in the scaphoid and you won't notice anything really abnormal around the joint by eye. They can occur if you really bend your hand backwards with enough force.

[Mr_White]

Well I got nothing on you guys. Sorry for all your ills. Mine are quite minor in comparison.

Had some tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) in both arms a few years ago when I was dry practicing like a madman. Tendinitis came from the draw I am sure.

That lightened up through a strategy of continuing to practice, but less, so I would hopefully neither continue overdoing it, nor let it get stiff and weak from disuse. Plus a lot of stretching and massage. Seemed to work. Also tried a tennis elbow strap - didn't seem to do much.

At some point, I hurt my strong hand with the Captains of Crush and laid off those. Hand recovered within a week or two, but the elbows still got aggravated by the Captains so I've never gone back to them in earnest.

Since then, tennis elbows stay at bay. If I hit an hour plus of dry practice for several days in a row, I might wake it back up a little but not bad as long as I don't sustain that quantity and frequency of practice. Doing more 'random' and less 'block' practice plays nicely into avoiding overuse but still making gains.

For several months now I have been using the Thera Band Flex Bar (green, the one I am told is for little kids and seniors.) Most of that time I did both the Tyler Twist and Reverse Tyler Twist the recommended three sets of 15, with both arms. Lately, doing it more like every other day.

I credit the TBFB with my arms, wrists, and hands feeling about as good as they have since I started overusing them. Not 100%, but not too far off I'd say. They will get pains but they are nothing compared to what I am reading other people describing. My wrists feel a little crunchy when I rotate them around.

My current strategy is to keep using the TBFB intermittently as a light overall elbow/forearms/wrist/hand exercise, do lots of stretching and massage, make practice frequent but a little on the shorter side and focus on whatever doesn't aggravate the current pain, and especially LISTEN TO MY DAMN HANDS, WRISTS, AND ARMS AND STOP WHEN THEY TELL ME TO STOP. Preferably before they tell me to stop.

[JodyH]

10 years of rock climbing had my hands and fingers pretty well screwed up by age 35.

[NEPAKevin]

"If I knew I'd live this long, I would have taken better care of myself." Mickey Mantle

[Malamute]

"If I knew I'd live this long, I would have taken better care of myself." Mickey Mantle

It used to be funny when older guys would say that.

[dgg9]

10 years of rock climbing had my hands and fingers pretty well screwed up by age 35.

Ganglion cyst, maybe? If not carpal tunnel or tennis elbow, that's always a candidate.

[UNK]

What weight gloves are you hitting the bag with and are you wrapping correctly every time? I won't let my kids touch the bag without at least 8oz gloves on. I would look at training gloves specifically.

[Slavex]

do you have elbow pads for long computer sessions? I went to a track ball last year due to similar issues, but I was also experiencing issues with my ulnar nerve. So now, if I have to lean forward I make sure my elbows are on gelpads. That combined with the trackball have made huge improvements in how my hands feel. I don't get the sudden weak hand thing very often anymore, and can fight through it now, whereas before trying to fight it seemed to make it worse.

[JodyH]

I have some really nice 16oz. Hayabusa gloves and full wraps when I hit the bags.

I'm trying out several office ergonomic options, trying to convince work it's their fault. ;)

[Clobbersaurus]

I had problems with my right wrist a few years ago, which I self diagnosed as too much computer use at my workplace. I switched my mouse use to my left hand. It took a few days to get used to it, but eventually I got as good with my left as I was with my right. The pain in my right wrist went away in a couple of weeks. After a few months of left hand mousing I went back to my right, and can switch between both right and left easily now. It's also awesome to be able to mouse with my left and key with my right when I need to enter data on large spreadsheets. :D

[StraitR]

I have carpel tunnel, mild, and fight bouts with tendonitis every so often in my right elbow/wrist/forearm. Typing all day at work and using a mouse certainly makes it worse. I have mouse set up for right hand, and a trackpad for my left. I try to alternate regularly, and focus on trackpad when the tendonitis rears it's ugly head.

Believe the hype, getting older sucks.

[StraitR]

Looks like I'm too late to edit my last post, but I wanted to add that this has helped me with wrist/forearm issues associated with what I've been told is tendonitis...

https://www.painscience.com/articles/spot-05-forearm-extensors.php

[fasttraveler]

Old shooter here. Been at it over sixty years. And still shoot 150-250 reds a week. Time tells and I have had to lay up my old friend (a Colt 1911, 45) and go over to a 9mm... Shooting hand just couldn't take it any more. Time tells and things change. Guess ya just gotta go with the flow.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[VegasHK]

I, like so many others here, have been shooting for about 30 years. I have been an adjunct F/A instructor for 10 years, and have shot heavily for about the last 15. I finally hung up the .45 and have gone to a 9mm. I have to be honest, it has made a huge difference. I can now shoot a full session (300-500 rounds) and not have the elbow/wrist/hand soreness I was getting with the .45. I figure I'd rather shoot well, and not hurt for the rest of the day, than continue on being stubborn.

An old cowboy once told me:this gettin' old ain't for sissys. ��

[JAD]

Believe the hype, getting older sucks.

This forum is largely dedicated to prevention of the alternative.

[GJM]

Quick update, to my elbow pain. I have had it since February.

I have been doing the exercises described in this blog post, by a guy who is Robbie Leatham's physical therapist, and they seem to be helping a lot. If you have elbow issues, check out the video in the article. I am integrating the elbow specific stuff into a general weight work out.

https://www.absolutept.com/shooters-elbow/

[45dotACP]

In strength training, the fastest way to injury includes improper technique and an inappropriate workout regimen conducted without supervision by an expert. It may very well be that unless you have a program specifically designed for you, you're playing mumblety peg. Maybe the knife hits you, maybe you get another turn, but the passage of time will guarantee you pay the price,

Im still going to suggest you see a doc.

Not terribly related, but in my experience on a cardiac floor, the people I interact with professionally who try to tough out pain or self diagnose/medicate courtesy WebMD end up either dead or with permanent organ damage.

Just a thought and a gentle suggestion....People go to school for years for this stuff, and it ain't to learn how to party and hook up. Thinking you can work on a similar plane without the same education is the very definition of veering outside ones lane.