Hand/wrist problems...could use advice

**bill_nye68** · Posted On: 8/04/2011 12:19am

Ease OFF or you'll go BLIND!!

**Evergrey** · Posted On: 8/04/2011 2:40am

Ease up a bit, wrap on the bag, take a week off, ice your wrists, and then do more knuckle push-ups and work the makiwara, but make sure you get taught how to work it properly or you'll do more harm than good.

**RWaggs** · Posted On: 8/05/2011 2:33pm

@Judoka UK

Yes, it has come to my mind that the years of Aikijutsu could have damaged my wrists. The only reason I don't think so is because before I started other things my wrists had become increasingly limber through Aiki and I never really experienced much in the way of pain. Also, as I mentioned, my hands are experiencing the same problems along with the wrists, and Aiki very rarely isolates the hands, so they wouldn't have been damaged.

I guess it is possible that all the cranking damaged the tendons unbeknownst to me and the impact is just exposing it. It's pretty much moot, however, as the pain is there now and I'm trying to work through it. Right now, I'm just giving it a week with no impact, then I'll see how it feels.

Sucks not to train, but considering what Evergrey is going through with knee recovery, I'm not going to complain much.

**Evergrey** · Posted On: 8/05/2011 7:22pm

My advice is to take it easy for sure, and maybe see a sports medicine doctor about it. Prevention is better than a more serious injury down the line... OSU!

**nifoc** · Posted On: 8/06/2011 11:30am

Without examining you I'll offer the following advice (I am a licensed Physical Therapist). Limber wrists also mean that the ligaments supporting your wrist are worse at holding it stable, thereby increasing the chance of injury when the joint is exposed to stress/preassure.

When working the bag, learn to ease into it. I am assuming that you are no longer a teen/early twenties guy, and as such your healing ability, and therefore your wrists adaptability, is getting worse with every year. Firstly wrist support is a must when working the bag, secondly learn to listen to your body. If your wrists get tired or sore during practice, it's better to end your bag routine there if you are experiencing problems after practice. Before and after practice you should move your wrists, this pushes synovial fluid through the joint and helps healing and recovery. Do this every now and then, no need to push it to extremes, just make sure to excercise the joint.

Icing is great for instant pain-relief, but for long term recovery, healing and improvment it just lengthens your recovery time. I would recommend against it, and choose a pain-relief that improves the blood-flow in the affected joint instead. Liniment works fine, just don't use it during practice and only if the pain is really bothering you.