BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: mr300ny on February 04, 2014, 10:24:30 PM
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Lately, I've been experiencing a blister on the inner side of my bowling thumb and it hurts like a b**** to throw shots. Last night I was bowling fine and had to change balls to one with a much larger thumbhole to numb the pain (I ended up shooting 300 that game lol). But how would I decrease the pain so I can throw a ball that fits my thumb properly? Wearing tape over it? Nu-skin? All opinions are welcome. Anyone who has faced the same issue, what did you do? (And please don't say use the ball with big thumbhole since you shot 300).
Thanks in advance!
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I'd find a new pro shop! You shouldn't have hand issues if the fit is right!
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Definitely have the fit and pitches checked. As Track_Fanatic mentioned, you really should not be running into hand issues.
In the meantime, Nu-Skin and/or Turbo/Storm skin tape can help with protecting the skin where the blister is.
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I recently bought a new ball, and in the first game with it, I ripped off a piece of skin from the thumb on the left side at the first joint below the nail. I was not knuckling or squeezing the ball; the thumb hole was too tight. After some trial and error experiments with the size and shape of the thumb hole including a new insert, my local pro solved the problem. It was not a pitch or span issue. My release is OK with no blisters or ripped skin.
I did use Nu Skin for a couple of series with another ball in my arsenal while we were working on the grip issue. Nu Skin forms a hard shell over the damaged skin and protects it very well. However, I stopped using Nu Skin because I wanted the thumb to heal, and I thought that Nu Skin would slow the healing process. So I used tape (Vise hada patch blue) over my thumb which eventually did heal in a couple of weeks.
The tape worked alright.
I hope that this post helps you. Let us know how you are doing. Good luck.
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Super glue is a bowlers best friend in my area. Liquid skin burns like hell, where as super glue does not. It is great for filling in holes in a thumb, or forming a durable shell over a rub spot. I have found that liquid skin does not last through a whole set, but super glue will last a couple days.
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Do you grip with your thumb?
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Blisters happen at the spot your thumb is rubbing. Too many bowlers have their thumb joint bent inside the hole, thus causing the rub and blister. That assumes your span and pitches are correct, which is an unknown factor by us on the site.
If span and pitches are correct then you need to determine why you are rubbing. Do you need to snug up the hole with tape? There are several factors in play here.
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try tiering your thumbhole tape!
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Thumb blisters are caused by several things. Too large a hole causes "knuckling" or bending the thumb to grip the ball. Or the wrong pitch. A thumb hole that is not beveled enough on the inside (toward the fingers). This seems to be your problem. A thumb hole that is not shaped to your thumb. Most thumbs require an oval shape to properly fit. Your thumb should touch all sides of the hole equally. A span that is too long for your hand. This could also be your problem since the blister is on the inside of your thumb. Find a ball driller who will take the time to properly fit YOU.
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I would agree that you most likely have a bad fit and are gripping because of it.
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1. It only takes about 2 days of not bowling for a broken blister to heal enough for it not to hurt. Cover it with Neosporin and a band-aid for those 2 days and you'll be shocked at how fast it heals.
2. While Turbo 2-N-1 and Vise-Grip, the tape companies with the largest selection of tapes for all bowling purposes, have great selection I found the best way to cover a blister is with a medical tape, called Hypafix. It is a very thin cloth but sticks very well. The thinness and the cotton fee make it perfect for covering & protecting blisters. It can be cut small to just cover the area. It is very smooth and thin and hardly interferes with the grip or the feel.
http://www.allegromedical.com/wound-care-c541/hypafix-dressing-retention-tape-2-x-10-p191526.html (http://www.allegromedical.com/wound-care-c541/hypafix-dressing-retention-tape-2-x-10-p191526.html)
"Hypafix Dressing Retention Tape is an adhesive, non-woven fabric for dressing retention.
- Retention of post-operative wound dressings
- Retaining gauze and absorbent pads"