Bad News

[Guest avid]

I have been fishing hard the past two weeks and I think I over did it.

I have SEVERE elbow pain.  I have been feeling it coming on, but I just took some tylenol and ignored it.  Well, yesterday I woke up and could barely move my arm.  I iced it and took some advil and fished for a few hours but this is seriously painful.  I did some research on the net and it sounds like "tennis elbow".  Made an appointment with the doc for next week.   The wife is insisting I stop fishing till it's healed, but thats not going to happen. Bass fishing. It's what I do.

I put on a wrist brace (tennis elbow actually is an overuse injury caused by the wrist) and will cut back, but I won't stop fishing unless the doctor orders me to.  Fortunately he is a successful amateur body builder so he knows about obsessions.

So, a word to the wise.  Listen to what your body is telling you.

God Bless,

avid

[FALCON]

I FEEL YOUR PAIN, LITERALLY. I'VE HAD TENNIS ELBOW BEFORE, IT'S PAINFUL. THE DOCTOR SAID THE ONLY CURE IS REST AND TAKE ANTI-INFLAMITORY MEDS. FORTUNATELY FOR ME MINE WAS IN THE WINTER AND DIDN'T HAMPER MY FISHING.

I HOPE EVERYTHING WORKS OUT FOR YOU. REST AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AND WEAR THE BRACE IT DOES HELP.

GOOD LUCK,

RICK

[BD]

Just don't overdo anything either avid. I love to fish too, but screwing your elbow up is not a good idea.

[basser89]

Sorry to hear that Avid!

Have you ever thought about tryin to learn to cast with your opposite hand?

That may help to keep you fishing! Heal up soon so you can get back at that

big one!

[Captain Cali]

That sucks! I hope you feel better soon Avid. Keep us posted...

[FlyRod]

Avid,

Learn to cast "other-handed"!

I wish you a speedy recovery.

F.Rod

[directlink]

Hey Avid,

The same thing happened to me! My mom took me to the doctor and he said I did infact have "tennis elbow." I wear an elbow brace now everytime I go fishing, if I don't I'll wake up with such horrible elbow pain, that I can hardly move my arm. :'( Hope it feels better soon!

[Guest avid]

thanks for the support and encouragement.  I do cast with both hands.  Two of my outfits are leftie and two are rightie.  Part of the problem is that I use canoe with oars, so I have to row.  I know I have to rest it as much as I can, but that's easier said than done.  

Even the computer is painful.  I'll still be posting but probably not quite so much.

I'll be talkin to y'all.

Spring is here so go get em

thanks again

avid

[FlyRod]

Avid,

If one of these is affordable, problem solved.

I test "drove" one in '03, at the Texas Coast. WOW!

These things will flat move! 'You can use double-ended paddles as well with them.

http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/

Mebbe yew kin find one used.

Best wishes,

F.Rod

[Minuteman]

Years ago I would get shooting pain in my left wrist so bad that I would actually drop my rod and reel sometimes. I only used a spinning rod and usually spinners and crankbaits. I would then put on a soft plastic or a jig and take a break from non stop reeling. When I switched to baitcasters and mostly bass fishing the problem went away. I did start using spinning gear again, but only for worm and tube fishing and I do start getting pain again if I use it to much.

So you could just be one of us unlucky people with creaky joints and have to make some equipment changes. It had nothing to do with age either, it happened to me in my very early 20's.

[hookset]

Very sorry to hear that, avid.  I wish you a speedy recovery, but i bet those florida bass dont!

[5bass]

Avid,tennis elbow is when your tendon is ripped/torn partially from your elbow.Its the tendon that starts on the outside of the elbow and runs down the top of your forearm,straight down to in between your two middle fingers.(You will be able to tell where its at if you get a cortisone shot)My doctor did some easy tests and everytime he turned or moved my forearm/wrist/elbow a certain way I felt the pain in my elbow.If you extend your arm straight out and feel the small indention in your elbow,that is where the tendon starts and where you will feel most of the tennis elbow pain.You will also feel pain in your forearm but the elbow is the worst.

I honestly feel your pain.I have tennis elbow as we speak.I got a cortisone shot in mid-January.I havent fished much yet so far but will put the cortisone shot to the test tomorrow.I hope it sticks because spring is approaching fast and tennis elbow will ruin a season.

I wear an elbow brace now pretty much all the time and especially when fishing.If you dont let it rest,it will not heal,trust me on that.

Now it's back,came back last October and I couldnt effectively set a hook for the last 2 months of the year.A hookset on a crankbait I could handle,a hookset with a jig or worm felt like my arm was going to break off.I had to go to spinning gear for anything other than cranks/spinnerbaits.

I wish you well man......I'm in the same boat as you.

[dink]

I hear you Avid.  Believe it or not, I had tennis and golf elbow on the same arm simultaneously (both sides quite tender).  I remedied both of them by wearing a brace that goes over your forearm and is adjustable.  That was about three years ago.  I'm done with the brace, but I stretch out my wrists and forearms before I fish now.  Get better soon, man.....they are bitin'!

[abelfisher]

Avid, for good temporary relief forget Tylenol and Advil.  Try Aleve!  I had a pain in my shoulder for years, finally went to the doctor.  He told me to take Aleve.  Problem solved forever!  Read the directions, though.

[Rebbasser]

Funny you should mention this.  Today I bought a neoprene elbow wrap.  My left elbow started hurting around Christmas, and the pain comes and goes depending on the use.  I, too, did some research and determined it is most likely tennis elbow, except in our case it is fishing elbow .  Literally, I feel your pain.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Tendonitis-Yuk!

heal well, heal fast, wear that brace, next time you cast,lol.

[cart7t]

Avid,tennis elbow is when your tendon is ripped/torn partially from your elbow.Its the tendon that starts on the outside of the elbow and runs down the top of your forearm,straight down to in between your two middle fingers.(You will be able to tell where its at if you get a cortisone shot)My doctor did some easy tests and everytime he turned or moved my forearm/wrist/elbow a certain way I felt the pain in my elbow.If you extend your arm straight out and feel the small indention in your elbow,that is where the tendon starts and where you will feel most of the tennis elbow pain.You will also feel pain in your forearm but the elbow is the worst.

I honestly feel your pain.I have tennis elbow as we speak.I got a cortisone shot in mid-January.I havent fished much yet so far but will put the cortisone shot to the test tomorrow.I hope it sticks because spring is approaching fast and tennis elbow will ruin a season.

I wear an elbow brace now pretty much all the time and especially when fishing.If you dont let it rest,it will not heal,trust me on that.

Now it's back,came back last October and I couldnt effectively set a hook for the last 2 months of the year.A hookset on a crankbait I could handle,a hookset with a jig or worm felt like my arm was going to break off.I had to go to spinning gear for anything other than cranks/spinnerbaits.

I wish you well man......I'm in the same boat as you.

I echo all this advice. Originally got it from weight lifting in my younger days, the fishing only aggravated it.

You must stop casting, rowing, etc. with the bad arm for it to heal. Period.  Continuing to use the appendage only prolongs the problem.

You'll probably need to fish with a elbow brace for a few years. One thing for certain, even after it heals you're more prone to suffer a relapse if you strain it too much.  The tendon will reheal but unfortuanately, scar tissue is part of the healing.  Scar tissue is not only not as good as the original tendon connection tissue, it's not very flexible either, thus the reason why you're more prone for relapse.

I've not only suffered from that but seriously messed up the tendons within my right forearm and wrist.  I have some issues casting now and I can barely roll cast anymore.  Nothing seems to work right and I've lost a great deal of grip in my right hand.

Let it heal,  a few days missed fishing now is better than a lifetime of a messed up right arm.

[Vyron]

sorry 2 hear about that

u said ur doctor is bodybuilder which is very good, he ll help u much better than any other doctor

i would recommend u 2 rest and avoid fishing till u revocer,unless u want 2 continue fishing and cause bigger problems ==> no more fishing

also always do some warming and streching before fishing

hope u recover soon

peace

[Tenka]

I could always come down and let you be my guide, i'll fish for the both of us

j/k Get better soon

[paparock]

Hey, Avid. I too have experience with tennis elbow. I went to an orthopedist who gave me a shot of cortisone and for me at least it worked great. I also got a special brace that was just a strap that had a small bladder on it which put pressure on the tendon in just the right spot. It would take the pain way down. So between the shot, brace, and some exercises the specialist showed me I have been fortunate in that it has never reoccurred. Hope you have as much relief as I had!

[GobbleDog]

RIP Avid

Avid's tombstone: "I'd rather be fishing."

:'(

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Hey Avid when I was playing drums full time I had a simalar problem in my right elbow(Hittin that big Zildijan ride] My girlfriend at the time turned me to a product TIGER BALM it comes in patches to Cant use it when you fish SMELLS LIKE BENGAY but overnight it increases blood flow to the area and helps the body anti inflamation response It worked for me

[bixbybasspro]

I have had buddies that have had elbow surgery, just put the rod down and get it over with. I had a buddy last year that really started bothering him in teh middle of the season and it was hard for him to stop for awhile but he had too to get surgery...

[Madhouse27]

Avid while you're resting that arm maybe you could figure out a setup to put an electric trolling motor on that canoe of yours. Be careful of the bait monkey while you're on the mend. He likes to strike when a guys got extra time on his hands.

[AFC]

Not that I'm a doctor but does your pinky and the finger next to it go numb or feel tingly? I was a pitcher in baseball all the way through college when I couldn't even pick up a ball anymore. Even worse I couldnt even grab a reel. My elbow would hurt for days or even weeks if i tried to cast or throw a ball once. Come to find out my Ulnar Nerve was inflamed and getting pinched everytime I did the throwing/fishing motion. After my surgery I am 1000% better than I thought possible. I actualy think im better now than I was before I was hurting. Although i do have an 11" scar on the inside of my arm. Incedently I was amadextris(sp?) and had to get it done on both arms. As i did not relize that my other one was hurt due to the pain of my main throwing arm. Best of luck. Any more info you need just let me know and ill be glad to point you in the right direction.