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Author Topic: Long Question - Injury/Drilling/Ball Weight Advice Needed  (Read 4257 times)

Reality Check

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Long Question - Injury/Drilling/Ball Weight Advice Needed
« on: April 30, 2003, 04:48:04 PM »
For those who don't like reading long topics, apologies, but I am having some serious trouble finding a decent answer to my friends problems in my local area.

The subject of this question is my friend Daniel. Daniel is a fairly high rev player, with a normal looking release (by this, I mean that he does not have a very bizarre armswing or grip during his delivery). He bowls a 16lb ball, at medium pace, and is right handed.

About 6 months ago, Daniel began to get pains in his wrist and hand while bowling, that have intensified as time as gone on, and have been worse after bowling. He had a 6 week break and came back, but the problems have continued. He has had to stop bowling again, and does not know when he can return. After bowling, he would have trouble gripping anything or clenching his fist. As he is not bowling at the moment, the problems have gone away, but he can feel it when he tries to pick up his bowling ball and throw a ball.

Through some detective work, I have found that Daniel has a slightly stretched span on his ball. He also uses white finger inserts with the small lip on them.

Daniel wants to come back to bowling. His doctor has said to him that it is inflammation of his tendons, and that 6 weeks rest should heal it. It has stopped the problems, except when he picks up his bowling balls.

I believe that the problem may well lie in a combination of the ball weight, grip/span and release. The local shop operator has offered to drill him up a 14lb or 15lb ball to try out, but I think he needs to change his span as well. Does anyone have any recommendations or advice as to what is the best course of action to follow?
Reality Is.......Working out how to carry the 10, only to start leaving the 7.

 

Bjaardker

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Re: Long Question - Injury/Drilling/Ball Weight Advice Needed
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2003, 07:59:02 AM »
The #1 thing that causes finger/wrist pain for adult bowlers is an improper span.

A lighter ball may help, but he really should get the span & pitches on his equiptment checked.

Another telltale sign of an overextended span is "burnt" or heavily calloused fingetips. I would check that too.

Hopefully a ball fitter will be able to tell you some quick things to check first & see if it's too long a span. Something like having him put his thumb in the ball & then seeing what knuckles the finger holes line up with.

One last thing he may want to try, a wrist band. There are a lot of wrist bands out there that will help with support yet not hinder much flexing. I'm not talking about the big robo arms, but a little something for support wouldn't hurt much. And if it keeps him playing the game he loves, then why not.

Reality Check

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Re: Long Question - Injury/Drilling/Ball Weight Advice Needed
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2003, 04:07:12 PM »
Ringer, I must admit that after reading a topic posted on here about finger grips, I had thought that I could suggest that to him as well. Thanks for all your suggestions, seems like span is the answer. Will let him know today when he comes in, and get it sorted!
Reality Is.......Working out how to carry the 10, only to start leaving the 7.