I recently got back into bowling over the summer.  I injured my knee in the summer of 2011, in my first league back after not bowling since 2008.  Essentially I haven't bowled a full season since 2008. 

After such a long break, I decided to have my span remeasured, and bought 3 new balls (med/light/spare).  However since getting the balls, my wrist hurts after a few games.  The outside/pinky side of my wrist hurts right at the joint for a few days after bowling.  Imagine unlocking your front door, the wrist hurts when I do a key turning motion.  Bowling with my old gear for several weeks didn't cause any pain, and this started the week I had the span remeasured.

A few things changed.  First, the middle finger span remained the same, but they shortened the ring finger by an 1/8".  Now both fingers are the same length.  I also switch from urethane thumb slugs to the sized vinyl thumb inserts.  I love the thumb change, as all my balls feel exactly the same now.  I also dropped from 15 to 14 pounds.  With the old gear.. no wrist pain.  With the new gear... wrist hurts for a few days each time I bowl. 

Is this just coincidence that my wrist started hurting now, and several weeks of no pain with the old balls?  Or is the span, thumb, or weight change to blame?  Leagues start in 2 weeks, and I would like to have everything fixed before then.  Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks.

While the pitches and the span do need to be re-checked (they must work together), I wonder about the reduced ring finger span. I had to do that because of tendonitis in my ring finger knuckle. If this reduction is now necessary, then the stretched ring finger in your older balls SHOULD have hurt your hand in some way (like stretched tendons, causing tendonitis). Unless your hand changed rather drastically since 2008, I'd wonder about this reduced span. I need to tuck my pinky to cause the ring finger and those muscles & tendons slightly tighter to insure I don't drop the ball. You could be doing something similar to damage tendons in your wrist.

The ring finger and pinky finger's tendons go down the outside of the wrist. (The tendons for all other fingers go through the wrist, through the carpal tunnel. That's why most damage is to those central tendons causing "carpal tunnel" syndrome.) This is why I suspect you're damaging the ring finger tendons with this this new span change. I can't guarantee this, but my personal experience is in this same area, having had carpal tunnel surgery on both wrists and now using the dropped ring finger span to ease my tendonitis in the ring finger.

While the pitches and the span do need to be re-checked (they must work together), I wonder about the reduced ring finger span. I had to do that because of tendonitis in my ring finger knuckle. If this reduction is now necessary, then the stretched ring finger in your older balls SHOULD have hurt your hand in some way (like stretched tendons, causing tendonitis). Unless your hand changed rather drastically since 2008, I'd wonder about this reduced span. I need to tuck my pinky to cause the ring finger and those muscles & tendons slightly tighter to insure I don't drop the ball. You could be doing something similar to damage tendons in your wrist.

The ring finger and pinky finger's tendons go down the outside of the wrist. (The tendons for all other fingers go through the wrist, through the carpal tunnel. That's why most damage is to those central tendons causing "carpal tunnel" syndrome.) This is why I suspect you're damaging the ring finger tendons with this this new span change. I can't guarantee this, but my personal experience is in this same area, having had carpal tunnel surgery on both wrists and now using the dropped ring finger span to ease my tendonitis in the ring finger.

It doesn't feel like my ring finger is stretched in my old gear.  The old span gave both fingers an even amount of pressure, and the new ball leans towards more pressure on the middle than on the ring.  If anything I would say the ring feels more relaxed, not noticeably short, but relaxed in the new balls.   The main thing I notice is that now, with equal spans on both fingers, is that the thumb feels somewhat forced being directly under the fingers.  Whereas on the old balls, the thumb sat more to the left, and felt more natural.  When I put my hand a new ball, the pinky side of my palm can't lay down on the ball.  With the old layout, the pinky side palm did lay out the surface of the ball.  Maybe that is why the wrist is taking such a pounding on that side?

If the old layout allows you to bowl without pain and feels comfortable,  I would go back to it and not worry too much about why if works and the new layout does not.

Took my stuff into the pro shop after work today.  Had everything measured, and he said the old and new stuff were almost identical.  Ring finger was 1/16" shorter cut to cut, but exactly the same from grip to grip.  The middle finger was exactly the same.  And the old balls had 1/8 more reverse pitch than the new balls.  He didn't think the layout was enough different to cause the problems.

The pro also told me, that based on his experience, it sounds like I have some minor tendinitis.  Recommended I take a few weeks off, and to wear a compression style wrist wrap when bowling.  I am going to make a doctors appointment to get the wrist looked at. 

Can anyone recommend a good wrist wrap to use while bowling?

The Mongoose supports the whole wrist incl the fingers, which helps keep them from hyper-extending...tendinitis generally results in the attempt of the cupping the wrist
If you are having issues with the side of your pinky, it's regarding your ring finger...

I agree 100%. That's what I said above.

Quote from: ccrider on August 25, 2014, 08:23:02 AM

If the old layout allows you to bowl without pain and feels comfortable,  I would go back to it and not worry too much about why if works and the new layout does not.

Took my stuff into the pro shop after work today.  Had everything measured, and he said the old and new stuff were almost identical.  Ring finger was 1/16" shorter cut to cut, but exactly the same from grip to grip.  The middle finger was exactly the same.  And the old balls had 1/8 more reverse pitch than the new balls.  He didn't think the layout was enough different to cause the problems.

The pro also told me, that based on his experience, it sounds like I have some minor tendinitis.  Recommended I take a few weeks off, and to wear a compression style wrist wrap when bowling.  I am going to make a doctors appointment to get the wrist looked at. 

Can anyone recommend a good wrist wrap to use while bowling?

Horse manure!!

If you have pain and ache and discomfort 2 - 3 days later, it is NOT minor. See a doctor or another driller. PLEASE believe me, this is nothing to fool with if you'd like to be able to keep bowling for 10 or 20 more years.

I use the Mongoose, as Rico recommended. It does work well.

The main focus should be to keep pressure on the wrist, as in a wrap such as thecMongoose provides...also, the support the backing gives from the fingers hyper-extending which is another factor on wrist pain