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Author Topic: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??  (Read 11741 times)

700Virgin

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Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« on: December 19, 2008, 10:55:17 PM »
For the last several years, I have had a mass growing at the base of my right (bowling) thumb.  Recently, it started to hit the nerve when I bowled causing a great deal of pain.  I went to a hand specialist on Thursday who said it had to come out.  He ordered the MRI and scheduled surgery for yesterday.  

During the pre-op visit at the hospital, I asked him what the MRI showed.  He said the radioligist called it 'bowler's thumb'.  No kidding, I googled it!  I had a bunch of scar tissue that had built up over the years that was now pinching the nerve.  He said it is caused by having too small a thumb hole and pressure on the thumb right before you release the ball.  I found that interesting because I always have the holes drilled a little big so I need at least one piece of tape.  That way I can adjust for swelling.  I asked him if it may have been caused my having too big of a hole and gripping the ball too tight.  He said it was possible.

Has anyone out there had this?  Did you have surgery, and if so, how long was the recovery.  I'm wondering if I should reduce the size of my thumb hole so I don't grip so tightly and if I need a pitch change?  He mentioned some device I could use to help with this.  Is anyone familiar with that?  

Any thoughts from anyone would be appreciated.

 

leftyinsnellville

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Re: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2008, 07:29:53 AM »
Two things you might try to prevent a reoccurence:

First, increase the bevel at the top of your thumbhole.  You'll still have a snug fit deeper in the thumbhole, but it will reduce pressure in the effected area.

Second, manage your callouses.  I prefer using my old disposible razors to just shave off the dead skin.  I've seen others use nail files to "sand" them away.  Just spend a little time each week removing the build up of dead skin and you may find that your thumb will remain healthy.

Good luck with the surgery!
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Moon57

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Re: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2008, 09:04:01 AM »
Very interesting. I also am dealing with a buildup at the base of my thumb. It's a callous that I have started using sandpaper on. A veteran (84 yrs old) PBA bowler said to be careful when taking down the callous because it could start peeling like an onion if you go too deep.
I have been experimenting with something I think might work. I took an old ball and made a notch at the top of the front of the thumbhole. I then took an old finger insert, cut a piece to fit the notch and superglued it in. Put my hand in the ball and squeezed as hard as I could with the base of my thumb. No pain at all and very comfortable. I did put a smooth piece of finger tape in the front of the hole to smooth the transition from slug surface to insert surface. When I tested the ball it released fine. Next step is to get a finger grip the size of my thumb or a little bigger, drill a countersink hole at the top of the thumbhole the od of the finger insert, cut about a 1/4" slice off the insert, and glue it in. I could be on to something here.
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Gazoo

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Re: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2008, 09:24:09 AM »
Possible causes:
Incorrect Span
Hole needs more Bevel
Hole to Big
Probable cause:
Hole to Big

http://www.jayhawkbowling.com/Pro_s_Corner/Fitting_Tips/fitting.html
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icewall

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Re: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2008, 09:26:25 AM »
this is the reason why I wear tape on my thumb. it not only helps me clear the thumb easier but I dont think I should ever feel pain while bowling.

the only sports that I think should be painful is full contact sports like hockey and football.

this is just my opinion.

its one thing to have your thumb look like your a bowler... its a whole different thing when you need surgery. listen to your body... if it hurts, its probably not good for you.
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Dan Belcher

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Re: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2008, 10:58:05 AM »
My mom has a sore spot at the base of her thumb as well, and to counter it she now bevels that one particular spot more than the rest of the thumbhole, she basically kind of notches it there.  It takes the pressure off and it doesn't bother her anymore.

700Virgin

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Re: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2008, 11:38:31 AM »
quote:
I think I am in the process of getting this bowlers thumb. I had some thumb problems a little while back so I dont know if it was just a one time occurence because of that or if its constantly getting worse now. I have a small callous built up at the inside base of my thumb. It also feels like there is a little build up under the skin as well. When I press on this buildup and push it upward, I get a tingling/numbing sensation. It isnt painful at all and I dont feel it while bowling either. Its just like a little popping feeling followed by a second of numbing sensation. I just hope its not something that I will have to have surgery on in 5-7 years.

Do you bowl alot? Sometimes I can bowl up to 30 games in a week. I dont think this has anytthing to do with though. My thumbhole feels good, so I am not sure what the problem is.

Did this happen over time and you just suddenly started having pain? Or did you just notice something funny like me and years later it turned into something more?
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I bowl two leagues a week and some tournaments.  I know the buildup has been getting worse over the years, but this year it started to hurt.  All my buildup was under the skin and there was no surface callouse to manage.  A general doctor thought it was a cyst that could just be popped.

Since posting this message this morning I took off the dressing.  The incision goes from the first nuckle to the base of the thumb in a z pattern.  If it stretched end to end it would be about three inches.  If I knew how to insert a pix, I would.

The tip of my thumb is completely numb, as the dr said it may be for a while.  I saw on bowlingball.com a thumb saver.  Anyone use one of them?

JohnP

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Re: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2008, 06:14:38 PM »
Less reverse pitch than your spans and thumb flexibility require puts a lot of pressure on this area of the thumb.  More bevel can help to some degree.  --  JohnP

Cobb

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Re: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2008, 06:24:52 PM »
I have a build up of skin on my left side of my thumb (right handed). It was caused by me using a poorly drilled ball for about a year, so everytime i would bowl i would tear my thumb and increase the size of the mass. Since then i've got my balls drilled correctly and i'm not having any issues what so ever.

novawagonmaster

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Re: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« Reply #9 on: December 21, 2008, 07:41:45 PM »
I used to get this. I no longer have this problem. I went to forward pitch and a little more bevel. Now it's like butter
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nerdytoes

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Re: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« Reply #10 on: December 21, 2008, 08:10:49 PM »
i had the same problem before but then i changed driller..  problem solved..

kalannar

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Re: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« Reply #11 on: December 22, 2008, 08:42:08 AM »
I had this problem. I had surgery to remove the growth about 2 years ago. I bowled the entire following season nothumb just to keep in practice. I started using my thumb again about 7-8 months after the surgery. What I was told is that it is a scar tissue build up around the nerve at the base of the thumb right at the beginning of the webbing. They made a small incision along the webbing and scrapped away the tissue. I had that issue for a long time. It was caused by the stretched spans everyone was using back in the 80's. Now I have a better fitting span, better pitches (even though it is a lot of reverse), and a lot of bevel on the thumb. I missed about 6 weeks of bowling after the surgery completely but I also had a cyst removed from the joint of my index finger that was under a tendon.

Mike
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The SuperHitMan

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Re: Anyone ever had 'bowler's thumb'??
« Reply #12 on: December 22, 2008, 09:04:37 AM »
I got some of that liquid corn remover stuff that goes on the corns on your feet and after then I pulled the growth off.

It looked worse than it felt and from that point on it never came back.
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