Wrist/Hand Pain - Advice?

[myndcraft]

I just started playing golf after a twelve year hiatus and after just a couple of shots develop pain in the areas indicated on the picture I have attached.

(right hand, top, carpal area - incase people cant see the image)

I'm a right handed player btw.

The pain doesn't really come into play much on an actual golf swing, but swinging a club through the air just being held with my right hand at that point is almost not possible.

The paing eventually subsides a few days later.

Finally I'm sure this is due to many factors namely 16 years spent competitively bowling, and sitting at a computer all day for work.

So does anyone have any advice on how to ease that pain or restrenghten that area of the hand?

Thanks!

[ettsn]

BEFORE you go play, take an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) such as Advil or Aleve (not Tylenol or Aspirin). This will reduce the inflammation before it starts. Second, make sure you actively stretch your hands before your first swing. With your elbows in front of you just below shoulder height, put your hands together vertically (like classic prayer hands) in front of your face. Gently lower your wrists, keeping your palms together and fingers pointed upwards, until your forearms are parallel to the ground. You'll feel a nice stretch in exactly the area you describe. Once you are loose in that position, gently your hands forward and backward to loosen the adjacent muscles in your wrists. That should get you started.

[ClintonM3]

I had the same issue when I first started. Do you practice at a mat range? When swinging too fat and slam the club to the ground, it could be very harsh to the hands and side torso. Also, put more emphasis on moving the swing forward with the power from the forearm, rather than leading the swing with your hands. The grip pressure should be just enough that your club doesn't fly away. I am not a pro, still a beginner, but my pain went away now I can swing consistently.

[ChvyKc]

You are probably feeling the effects of a long time of bowling. I bowled seriously for about seven years in scholarship tournaments and in my highschool league. I carried about a 195 average but just those couple of years did some damage to my elbow and my right hip and I'm only 24 (quit bowling about four years ago). I've had a very bad pain in my hip for about three and a half years but my elbow is fine now. Doctor said that my hip is a soft tissue injury but it hasn't healed at all even with medication.

I do just like ettsn said, I take an Alieve before I play a round. It usually doesn't bother me just practicing but if I have to do a lot of walking it starts to bother just about when I start on the back nine. Good luck with your hand and you might want to get a doctor to look at it to make sure you don't have any kind of nerve damage.