I'm in the early stage of arthritis on my hands. Over 20 yrs of Martial arts, frequent hand/finger injuries (not from punching), bad diet, inactive for 12 yrs, and severe weight gain may have played a major roll in my OA.

It's my middle finger which is sore/stiff during and after bowling. It's affecting my roll. My span is a relaxed span with cut to cut at 4.5". My ring finger had been shorted years back and it doesn't bother me, just the middle finger.

What have you done as far as your grip? It's been over 2 yrs and it's time to recheck my span soon anyway. I'm just wondering what You've done to help w/ your arthritis.  (my wrists are okay, just my finger joint)

Take the finger inserts out.  That will make a bigger difference than any pitch change.   

hahaha...that's what a buddy from WA just told me, thanks Mike....btw, is Tiger going to blame his back if he has another bad outing this week? He's behind 6 right now....

Seriously, try a ball with no inserts.  You will feel like you're fanning on the ball at the bottom for a while but there will be way less strain on your fingers.  Once you get used to the feel you will realize that you aren't fanning on it.

I'll give it a try without inserts then go from there. I still have a few more months till the season starts. Hopefully when I head overseas this summer I can bowl in the places I visit.

Artimust - man I'm 9 yrs your junior, I really did bad to my body. lol

Going without grips is a good suggestion, because if it doesn't work, grips can always be added later just by enlarging the holes, while pitch changes would require plugging. 

I'd still suggest reverse in the fingers.  Reverse in the thumb will make you squeeze, but reverse in the fingers won't, or it shouldn't as long as you don't go crazy.  I have 3/8ths reverse in my fingers and I find I squeeze less because I'm not trying so hard to wrap my fingers under to contact the front side of the holes.  There's a good balance there.  The right amount of reverse in the fingers fits how your fingers naturally want to lay in the first place without any negative side effects.  We have a guy here in town that has no physical problems, but he used to tear his fingers and grips up like crazy.  Ended up at 1/2 reverse in his fingers, now he's fine and he hasn't lost a single rev, but he has increased his stamina dramatically.  I feel like it takes more effort repeatedly to throw a ball with 0 in the fingers than some amount of reverse, it's about fitting the way the hand naturally wants to lay.  I really think you would be surprised. 

Arthritis flare ups in my right ankle is what I am going through now.  A little in the hand as well.  Product of getting old    I played a lot of basketball and volleyball in my youth and I can remember a doctor telling me after my latest severe sprain that when I get older, it would be a pain.  Who listens to doctors when you are 20 

I belong to an old school/traditional Martial Arts dojo from overseas. And during my time in the early 80's to 2002 there was NO pads, NO mats, NO crying. Intense training at a young age - State siders will say it's child abuse if they saw how we trained   broken bones, joints, or whatever injury were common place.

Anyway, our sensei said..... training after so many years in any martial art/boxing, one should not stop. Once we do, we will become fragile, break easily. The hard (bones) will be soft and the soft (joints/soft tissue) will be hard. I guess I'm stupid for not listening.....

I have not yet read all the replys but l use a liniment called VOLTARIN, l live in Canada so not sure if it is available in U.S...but IT WORKS..just rub in in nothing noticeable immediately but within 3 to 5 days the pain is gone.