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Pain on outside of left hand/wrist


SoundandFury
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In the last couple weeks I finally, finally started releasing the club properly.  great feeling, great ball flight.  However, since the swing change I've developed pain on the outside of my left hand near the wrist.  It's not completely debilitating (I played a full round yesterday and the range today), but it's not getting better.  It's also bad enough that I can't do any push lifts (bench, military press, etc.).

I'm guessing it has to have something to do with the swing change, i.e., a proper release through the club, as I've never had it before.  Any one have this? I'd prefer to not go to a doctor or anything.

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I've something similar. I attribute it to the fact that I have been doing a lot of practice in maintaining a flat left wrist. Probably a little tension in there too.  Not all that bad, but I did notice that it hurt a little doing push ups. Maybe an ice pack would help?  Glucosimine?

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Try stretching your wrist before you hit a golf ball. When you start hitting golf balls, hit them very softly until you feel that your wrist is warmed up. Only then you should start hitting at normal speeds.

I had the same problems before. Do you have any wrist "cracking" when you release the club through impact?

If you do...shift your left wrist to a more weaker position to where the V of your hand is pointed more towards the center of your body and then relax your hands and maintain good pressure through impact. Its hard at first but then gets better after a little practice.

Hope this helps. Let me know what happens too!

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Research has shown no joint benefits in taking Glucosamine. Some possible joint  benefits in fish oil, 3x daily for long time. But i also agree  that your problem is probably muscular/tendon related to new and strenuous usage. And  also related to age, though your's not stated. Kids can totally overuse, overstretch, overeat, etc and suffer little. If more than 30 yrs old, the physical life is slowly drifting downwards. How steep the down curve is up to  you. Rest the joint, maybe take a few days of NSAIDs, and lay off the 500 practice balls a day.

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Reread OP post and now i wonder how a guy can play to a 8 H'cap and not release the clubhead properly?  Not  questioning the H'cap or OPs ability  but to play that well , IMO, is  pretty fair and consistent golf yet he says he just now is learning to 'release'.  How can we hit the ball far enough to play that well and also have  stiff wrists at impact?  Seems contradictory.

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  • 2 weeks later...

easy: mix of a few things:

1) play nothing but fades regardless of what the shot calls for;

2) get very, very lucky over the course of several rounds (chipped in for birdie 4x in one round, and i have a very mediocre short game)

3) the handicap system calculates potential, not average...so in 10 rounds where I shot 78,79, 84, 86, 86, 85, 88, 92, 93, 91, the calculation only takes into account the best score.

Haven't come close to breaking 80 since.  so hc is probably closer to 11 or 12 now, but since switching to playing a draw (which I swear every course in LA is set up for), scores have dropped from mid to low 80's.

That explain it?

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Originally Posted by joekelly

Reread OP post and now i wonder how a guy can play to a 8 H'cap and not release the clubhead properly?  Not  questioning the H'cap or OPs ability  but to play that well , IMO, is  pretty fair and consistent golf yet he says he just now is learning to 'release'.  How can we hit the ball far enough to play that well and also have  stiff wrists at impact?  Seems contradictory.

Release isn't a proper term. If he has to feel a release that is his thing, not a thing that is standard on any golf swing. Some people might feel they have to hold off the club to get the ball shape they want. I hit draws when it feels like i am raising the handle in the follow through. No feeling of my wrist turning over, or my left wrist breaking down for a release.

I agree with the posts though, i think its probably a bit of tendonitis. He's doing something he hasn't done before, in large volume.

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Originally Posted by SoundandFury

In the last couple weeks I finally, finally started releasing the club properly.  great feeling, great ball flight.  However, since the swing change I've developed pain on the outside of my left hand near the wrist.  It's not completely debilitating (I played a full round yesterday and the range today), but it's not getting better.  It's also bad enough that I can't do any push lifts (bench, military press, etc.).

I'm guessing it has to have something to do with the swing change, i.e., a proper release through the club, as I've never had it before.  Any one have this? I'd prefer to not go to a doctor or anything.


There is a lot of good advice on the swing.

However, for the injury part try taping up around the hand. This is a standard practice for many outdoor sports. The tendons in the back of the hand are not naturally supported, so taping up will reduce the amount of outward motion the tendon can make. This is NOT a fix, but will allow you to do lighter swings while your hand heals.

I got injured a lot starting off in this sport. My current coach is teaching me to swing properly, and it has reduced injuries.

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Finally saw the ortho; turns out it's a fracture of the hook of hamate (goddamnit).  Interesting, the doc said I can theoretically keep playing as much as I want, as the structural damage is already done and not getting any worse.  It's just a matter of pain tolerance.  Tried yesterday, and while I can play, it's just no where near as fun.  Decelerating into impact, struggling to get drives past 240 where I'm normally in the 270-280 range, etc.   Probably going to get it fixed soon (minor surgery).  Anyone had this? how long was the recovery?

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Originally Posted by SoundandFury

Finally saw the ortho; turns out it's a fracture of the hook of hamate (goddamnit). Anyone had this? how long was the recovery?

I just read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamate_bone

"The hamate bone is the bone most commonly fractured when an amateur golfer hits the ground hard with a golf club on the downswing. The fracture is usually a hairline fracture ,..."

Wish you the best for recovery.

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I haven't had this, but I have worked with a few athletes that have. The surgery is quite simple (as far as surgery goes). Generally the surgeon makes a small incision in the palm of the hand over the fracture, removes the bone fragment, and closes the incision. Recovery, in the absence of any complications, is quick and activity may resume once the incision is fully healed. The incision site may be sensitive for weeks/months after, but that is generally the only limitation.
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  • 2 months later...
Finally saw the ortho; turns out it's a fracture of the hook of hamate (goddamnit).  Interesting, the doc said I can theoretically keep playing as much as I want, as the structural damage is already done and not getting any worse.  It's just a matter of pain tolerance.  Tried yesterday, and while I can play, it's just no where near as fun.  Decelerating into impact, struggling to get drives past 240 where I'm normally in the 270-280 range, etc.   Probably going to get it fixed soon (minor surgery).  Anyone had this? how long was the recovery?

[quote name="Lihu" url="/t/68911/pain-on-outside-of-left-hand-wrist#post_887156"] I just read this: [URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamate_bone]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamate_bone[/URL] "The hamate bone is the bone most commonly [URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fracture_%28bone%29]fractured[/URL] when an amateur [URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf]golfer[/URL] hits the ground hard with a [URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_club_%28equipment%29]golf club[/URL] on the downswing. The fracture is usually a [URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairline_fracture]hairline fracture[/URL],..." Wish you the best for recovery. [/quote]Hmmm ... I think I may have this now. Wasn't sure if it was golf or keyboard related, but the descriptions above, in my dummy (ie not expert) opinion, sound dead on. Ice feels good right now.

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  • 3 months later...

GolfingDad,

- Hook of Hamate Fracture:
- frxs of the hook may result from athletic activity (swinging golf club, etc) but may occur from direct blow;
- hook of the hamate is particularly at risk in batters and golfers;
- avascular changes may follow fracture of hook in hamate, and these may lead to hook necrosis and non union;
- pattern of vascular supply suggests that most acute hooks frx should have adequat blood supply to heal if well immobilized immediately;
- exam:
- pain is accentuated w/ axial loading of ring and little finger metacarpals;
- dx is usually confirmed by point tenderness over hook 1 cm distal and radial to the pisiform;
- almost all patients complain of pain and tenderness on ulnar side of palm or on the dorsoulnar aspect of the wrist;
- most common symptom is pain in the palm aggravated by grasp;
- diminished grip strength, dorsal wrist pain, ulnar nerve paresthesias or weakness, and mild carpal tunnel syndrome are frequent.

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  • 2 months later...
GolfingDad,

- Hook of Hamate Fracture:

- frxs of the hook may result from athletic activity (swinging golf club, etc) but may occur from direct blow;

- hook of the hamate is particularly at risk in batters and golfers;

- avascular changes may follow fracture of hook in hamate, and these may lead to hook necrosis and non union;

- pattern of vascular supply suggests that most acute hooks frx should have adequat blood supply to heal if well immobilized immediately;

- exam:

- pain is accentuated w/ axial loading of ring and little finger metacarpals;

- dx is usually confirmed by point tenderness over hook 1 cm distal and radial to the pisiform;

- almost all patients complain of pain and tenderness on ulnar side of palm or on the dorsoulnar aspect of the wrist;

- most common symptom is pain in the palm aggravated by grasp;

- diminished grip strength, dorsal wrist pain, ulnar nerve paresthesias or weakness, and mild carpal tunnel syndrome are frequent.

Very good information.

I injured my hand last fall, buy over gripping the club with my left hand and playing 63 holes in 36 hours.

Did not help to return home and not let it rest by holding a video game remote, or my cell phone for extended period of time.

The only difference I have is most of my pain is either in my middle finger or on the muscle part of the palm by the pinky.

I have used this opportunity to learn how to grip the club lighter with less pressure and not try to swing for the fences.

( aggression does not equal power)

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I have had similar pain in the area, except mine is near the ulna. I felt fine one minute and next painful a minute later with lateral flexion. The only activity that could have started this was my daughter pushing down on my hands as I was holding steady. Strangely painful and hurts during the golf swing. The pain goes away after playing for a while though. I am veering towards tendonitis or bursitis in my case. Unfortunately it only hurts with use so I forget to ice it regularly.

"My ball is on top of a rock in the hazard, do I get some sort of relief?"

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  • 8 months later...
Just about a month ago I was on top of some hard pack and tried to get on the green with a wedge. Made the shot but hit the ground with no divot and after it was sore. Now my left hand at grip is very sore threw the swing. Went to the chiro yesterday and he played around and shook my hand and arm . Said to stretch like a reverse push up and hold for about a minute right at the point of pain. Should loosen up or get better with time and a few more visits to the chiro .
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I posted some info on CTCream in the thread on elbow pain. Works great on tendonitis etc. Also, I always carry some eucalyptus oil in my bag. A little squirt and most pains go away. I have a sore neck from a rear-end crash. Whiplash. Just a squirt and 90% of the pain is gone. I'd probably give up golf without it.

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