Pain In Wrists And Fingers

[CountBassula]

Hi Guys!

I have a question regarding sore wrist and fingers when using baitcasters. I've noticed that after a long day of fishing my left wrist and last two fingers in my left hand are sore and hurt. I think this might be due to me sometime casting with both hands for greater distance, I can feel the strain on my wrist when casting, and end up in pain later. It was especially bad yesterday, my fingers felt numb and very sore, and my wrist was hurting. It's all fine today, but I wonder if any of you experience the same?

 

M.

[CountBassula]

One other thing, I cast with right hand and then hold the rod in left hand. Sometimes I'll add left hand to the cast by grabbing the end of the rod and giving it an extra whip and force...

[derekxec]

i used to get this with short butts now i use longer butts to take the weight off my hand and its stopped maybe your butts are too short?

[Diggy]

I have pain when I cast one handed, 2 handed casting solved this for me. It took lots of stress off of my hand trying to balance everything on its own, especially with a heavy bait. I had tons of pain in my knuckle and wrist initially (right hand). 

 

I can cast one handed with no probs using my carbonlite combo and light baits but I still usually use 2.

[Oregon Native]

Do a few stretches....helps

Still got pains...not as many

[TiNuts]

i used to get pains in my hand and wrist too after a couple few hours of fishing.  I switched to carbonlite rods and and took effort to balance it out.  It has helped alot.

[georgeyew]

I get that pain sometimes. I added weight to the butt end of my rod to make the tip light and it helped a lot. And I try to case with both hands to take the pressure off my right wrist. For some reason, I only get that pain with my casting rod and not with the spinning.

[Bama55]

I would guess the numb feeling in your fingers is from some sort of wear on the ulnar nerve.  It's the nerve that goes through your "funny bone". I would do what others have suggested to take any pressure off that nerve that I could if I were you.   I had to have surgery a few years ago to have it relocated due to being pinched in my elbow.  My symptoms were numbness in my pinky and ring fingers and loss of grip strength that made it difficult to play my guitar. My grip is fine now, but I still have problems with some numbness every once in a while... mostly while fishing or playing my guitar.

[Nitrofreak]

The best thing that worked for me was to slow way down between casts, start using your baits with much slower presentations, especially if you are coming up empty handed, if you get one of those days where it's fish after fish, then enjoy the pain, it's worth it lol !!

 

Working a new bait like a crank bait can be exhausting, but one that you will get used too, matching the right rods and reels to your approach will also help, a slow speed reel on a crank bait when you need fast action will wear on you and your equipment in a days time.

[Dyerbassman]

Repetitive motions and grips with your hands can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. After years of working in the trades, pulling on wrenches, and gripping a fishing rod, my hands/fingers were numb all the time. Last summer I couldn't take it anymore and had surgery on my right hand. Much better now! If it continues, try wearing a wrist brace while fishing. It may not be fashionable, but it will keep you from bending your wrist, compressing the nerves in your wrist, causing the pain and numbness.

[CountBassula]

I would guess the numb feeling in your fingers is from some sort of wear on the ulnar nerve.  It's the nerve that goes through your "funny bone". I would do what others have suggested to take any pressure off that nerve that I could if I were you.   I had to have surgery a few years ago to have it relocated due to being pinched in my elbow.  My symptoms were numbness in my pinky and ring fingers and loss of grip strength that made it difficult to play my guitar. My grip is fine now, but I still have problems with some numbness every once in a while... mostly while fishing or playing my guitar.

 

yes same fingers you mention! i also realized that part of the problem is my large wedding ring that presses against my finger and gets pushed up when i hold the bait caster in my left hand. the rod trigger gets in the way (i have the trigger between pinky and ring finger) as i'm working the lure (i was using top water frogs yesterday all day). i'll have to try taking the ring off when fishing :-(

[Bama55]

You may have the same problem that I had. Read this webpage when you have the time.  You may want to see a doctor if it doesn't get any better.

 

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00069

[CountBassula]

You may have the same problem that I had. Read this webpage when you have the time.  You may want to see a doctor if it doesn't get any better.

 

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00069

 

i hope not :-( this only started to happen recently when i started to fish a lot on weekends (half day long boat trips) using topwater lures that require a lot of action/motion of the rod etc... i'll read up on it.

[webertime]

Bama55 nailed it, sore wrist and tingling ring & pinkie fingers are your ulnar nerve.  I have similar damage from Mountain Biking and Weight Training.  Lots and lots of ice and stretching.  Make sure the grip on the rod (where you put your hand) isn't putting too much pressure on the "fat part" of the outside of your palm...  The nerve ends there and just holding a set up that puts the grip against it "Just so" OR  a grip that is too thin will set it off (my experience).  I used Handle bar tape from a bike shop to build up grips that I found caused this reaction and it helped a lot.

[CountBassula]

Bama55 nailed it, sore wrist and tingling ring & pinkie fingers are your ulnar nerve.  I have similar damage from Mountain Biking and Weight Training.  Lots and lots of ice and stretching.  Make sure the grip on the rod (where you put your hand) isn't putting too much pressure on the "fat part" of the outside of your palm...  The nerve ends there and just holding a set up that puts the grip against it "Just so" OR  a grip that is too thin will set it off (my experience).  I used Handle bar tape from a bike shop to build up grips that I found caused this reaction and it helped a lot.

 

so could this be a symptom of an underlying problem i didn't realize i have, or normal reaction to something my body is not used to doing?

[webertime]

so could this be a symptom of an underlying problem i didn't realize i have, or normal reaction to something my body is not used to doing?

 

normal reaction, don't schedule the amputation...  yet.  It's your left arm, do you lean on your left elbow when you sit in a chair or are on the phone?  It's that sort of thing that stresses nerves sometimes.  Add a new stimulus (holding a fishing rod for a while) and that might be a tipping point.  Pay attention to what you do with your elbow and wrist on both arms and you'd be surprised to see the strains you put on that nerve.  Do you give the rod/reel a "Vulcan death grip"?  I catch myself getting so amped up that I am squezing the heck out of my reel.

 

Try different grips on the combo.

go spend a few $ on some tape to build up the grip

Ice

Stretch

relax your grip a bit.

 

 

Then amputate...

[BassinLou]

I have been dealing with another orthopedic issue not related to yours, however related to the elbow. After doing therapy for several weeks now, the culprit of my issue has been poor biomechanics. Listen to the suggestions given to you. Your issue sounds acute, so dealt with immediately will not bring long lasting effects. Ice, rest, massage. If the underlying problem persists and it turns into chronic issue, then that is were problems begin. Use the b/c for a little while then switch to the a spinner for a while until you build up the endurance on the b/c. Good luck.

[merc1997]

since your issue is in the left wrist, casting has nothing to do with it. it would help you quite a bit to hold your baitcasting rod, while fishing, in front of the reel, instead of palming the reel, or fishing holding behind the reel. you will stress your wrist less setting the hook. the advantages are better feel because you are directly on the rod. you can or should run the live underneath your thumb resulting in being able to even feel a slight change in line pressure. and, you have much more leverage setting the hook because you have the weight of the reel behin your hand.

bo

[SirSnookalot]

I'd try changing equipment, sounds like the way you are holding and gripping is putting pressure on your wrist and fingers.  I personally feel nothing is more comfortable to fish with than spinning tackle, and for me any rod without a foregrip is rod I wouldn't own.  I cast with my hand on the foregrip, not only is it more comfortable but I can set the hook with more power and less effort that way.  I can understand why one would get sore gripping a b/c reel, especially with a larger fish when the reel can torque a bit, that doesn't happen with spinning gear.  I don't own a b/c and I don't get sore or tired, I fish the same Florida canals as well as saltwater.

[OkobojiEagle]

I had similar symptoms a number of years back... went to the doctor for treatment. He fixed the problem.

oe

[WRB]

Without knowing anything about how you hold your rod/reel during the cast or what type of rod you have your problem may be due to your casting mechanics. There are some vedio's on site that demo the proper way to hold your rod and reel during the casting motion. The big issue is the reel handles should start out paralell to the water and you rotate the reel so the handles end up pointed up at 12 o'clock at the top of the casting motion and remain close to the position throughout the cast, casting right handed.

I agree with Bo on holding the rod in front of the reel during the retrieve, if your rod has a foregrip and it should!

Otherwise take 2 Advil and see your doctor.

Tom