Tenis Elbow

[davestocker]

The following letter appeared in the December 2006 edition of the UK’s ‘Fly Fishing and Fly Tying’ magazine. The author Dr. Vernon Wood is a retired GP who specialized in sports injuries, including Repetitive Strain Injury. Dr. Wood is a keen fly fisher, and is now a qualified fly casting instructor.

"Further to my comments about the importance of rod handle design in relation to tennis elbow (“All in the Wrist”, Sept issue) and David Stocker’s letter (“Pistol Grip Rods”, Oct issue), I have had the opportunity to look at the Maniform rod handle more closely.

Tennis elbow is caused primarily by excessive or strenuous gripping and my original reservations about this handle centered on the fact that it slopes away like the reverse half wells, which necessitates a tighter grip in order to prevent the hand slipping up the rod. However, although lacking the end thumb stop that the full wells provides, the Maniform does have a prominent bulge on top of the handle. I found that the thumb bends naturally over this, which has the effect of stabilising the hand and resisting any tendency for it to slip. In addition, the “pistol grip” is deep and very comfortable so that overall the Maniform is probably even better than the full wells in terms of discouraging too tight a grip, although this would be difficult, if not impossible, to prove.

Although other factors will almost certainly be involved when it comes to avoiding a potentially harmful tight grip, nevertheless the choice of a suitable rod handle is important and the Maniform would certainly seem worth considering, particularly if tennis elbow is a problem. Sufferers from other hand conditions such as arthritis, deformity or scarring should also derive considerable benefit from such an ergonomically designed handle. " Dr.Vernon Wood

[Flybye]

I don't play tennis much these days but when I was keen I only got tendonitis when putting lots of topspin on shots at the time. I could play on without topspin (relying on slice etc) without pain until it got better. I was told that I was straining the joint by putting strain by twisting through two planes as I straightened the arm. Would this suggest a tracking issue with casting? Genuine question.

[slack]

All advise above is excellent.This group has spent many hours discussing the no stop distance cast. I am over 70 and once I quit hard dead stopping, all my problems at least with a sore elbow were gone. In MHO dead stops are killers for elbows or any joint .Before, I always had to take several days off to rest my elbow. I never ,ever get a sore elbow or sore joints anymore. Take a couple weeks off then go no stop. good luck
slack

[Michal Duzynski]

Hi Slack
This is what I did, after the injection I took few days (cannot stay weeks with out casting) off.
The pai Is gone.
The main thing Ive changed in my casting,is the setup of my casting practice, and thegood results are comming on its own, no pain, better loops, better distance, less power, less stress on my joits.
Everybody learns differently, Ive learned to be a better caster, by doing misteakes and in result having elbow problem.
cheers
mike

[Malik]

Hi Michal,

Pay attention with the cortisone injections. I had one chronicles TE a few years ago: the injections relieved me for a while, I continued to train and 3-4 months after the injection... the pain returned. Pay especially attention not to hurt you without noticing it, because the injection can prevent you from feeling the pain. For me all this lasted three years and ended under the bistoury of the surgeon with impossibility of casting for 2 months...

According to my experience, If I had an advice to give you, it would be not to stop training to cast, but to make a 1-2 months break in your distance casting sessions.

All the best

Malik

[Michal Duzynski]

Hi Malik, and thank you .
I'll keep it in mind
cheers
mike

[Marc Fauvet]

You must take into account an important point: the tennis elbow comes from repetitive motion of the... Wrist!
Reduce wrist motion as much as possible.

it's a shame no-one is picking up on this.

[Malik]

You must take into account an important point: the tennis elbow comes from repetitive motion of the... Wrist!
Reduce wrist motion as much as possible.

it's a shame no-one is picking up on this.

Not sure that it is absolutely correct, Marc... There is several type of TE and the causes, according to what I remember of the explanations I received, can be multi-factorial. But I am not a medical doctor...

Bye !

[slack]

Michael just one last thought. If you are addicted to casting and I know someone suggested changing hands. Fly fishing is not about casting with only one hand,thats where it starts.A great mind said for every adversity there is the seed of equivilent or greater benifit. This could be a opportunity of a lifetime to start cating with that other hand. Someday you will start on it anyways or wish you did. Just a gentle thought. slack

[Will]

You must take into account an important point: the tennis elbow comes from repetitive motion of the... Wrist!
Reduce wrist motion as much as possible.

it's a shame no-one is picking up on this.

Not sure that it is absolutely correct, Marc... There is several type of TE and the causes, according to what I remember of the explanations I received, can be multi-factorial. But I am not a medical doctor...

Bye !

I agree. Lots of possible causes - you need to find out what caused your specific TE and address that.