Casting injuries 3

Walter & Group...

[GH] I have attached an article on casting injuries including hand numbness, by Gary Eaton. He has spent years studying and treating these injuries. His flycasting and teaching expertise has contributed a great deal his understanding of them. In addition, this new message from Gary:

Gordy,

My LOOP article on elbow injuries gives a pretty good overview of the common stuff seen and reported here. While too tight of a grip may contribute to a preexisting epicondylitis, I doubt it actually initiates a new case all by itself - the whole arm movement and at-risk elbow positions MUST contribute.

I have treated over a dozen cases of aggravating wrist injuries and CTS with mere expansion of the grip/handle diameter -usually doubling the diameter at a minimum for man-sized hands and at least 33% for smaller paws. The methods are outlined in my LOOP article on the subject, too. *

The tackle makers apparently have no advisers regarding these issues and only use the criteria for an aesthetic radius of the cork. Another pet-peeve is the filing flat of the thumb position for key grip. This places the thumb in a "flat", unbent position which contributes to joint shear as it diminishes in-line distribution of forces through the cartilage caps of the thumb bones (phalanges). This flat is especially injury risky for people with underlying connective-tissue disorders and Sero-positive Arthritides, like Rheumatoid, Sjogrens, Psoriatic, Gout, Systemic Lupus, CREST syndrome, etc. I have generated an unpublished grip modification for this, too.

I probably have in me, a book on the subject. If only there was return for the time invested.

Gary Eaton, MCI

[GH] * Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (Compression and/or irritation of the median nerve in the wrist leading to hand/finger numbness and thumb muscle weakness as well as pain.)

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[GH] Gary,

Some custom rod makers do recognize the problem of cork radii which are either too great or not sufficient for folks with different size hands. Joan Wulff has designed handles with smaller than average cork dimensions for one major rod manufacturer with women casters in mind.

Gordy

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[GH] Gary Davison considers the topic of fly casting injuries in the light of the Master Performance test:

Gordy this speaks volume to Task # 2, 14, 15 & 16 on the Master Test!

I particularly took note of one statement:

"Those casters who used a variety of styles (overhead, sidearm, elliptical) had the least overall incidence of pain in total. This may be traced to reducing overuse injury, as well as the concept of using the least stressful style for a given angling situation."

Gordy

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[GH] Good thoughts to consider, from Jim Gill :

Gordy, When I present a coaching course part of the syllabus is considering a healthy lifestyle, mental & physical fitness . Taking a holistic approach the potential for injury is not just with casting but the whole game-angling expedition can be fraught with harm if personal fitness is less than satisfactory and a healthy lifestyle is not followed. I wouldn't for one minute start preaching but not having a basic level of physical fitness, including a sensible particular diet, can provoke injury and perhaps importantly delay the healing process and eventual recovery.

Regards, Jim.

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[GH] Additional reading and references on Fly casting injuries :-

From Spey pages:

http://www.speypages.com/speyclave/showthread.php?t=14852

By Tamara Mitchell, Univ. of Montana, including many references:

http://www.working-well.org/articles/pdf/Fishing.pdf

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[GH] Question from George Foster :

Gordy

At lot of good discussion re elbow tendonitis however I am aware of many shoulder related injuries, some from casting technique but more from the aging process.

Can anyone of the medical profession in the group advise shoulder injuries, in particular rotator cuff - supraspinatis tearing - frozen shoulder or other tendon tearing also, how can we maintain weakened shoulder muscle and tendons as we grow older other than exercise, diet, etc.

Regards

George Forster

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