Hunting Fishing Discussions

Featured Outdoor Businesses
Aber Taxidermy
Abercrombie, ND


Forums Home > Ice Fishing Forum
Share on Facebook subscribe feed
4 Replies | Page 1 of 11 | Top of Page | Bottom of Page

Fishing elbow is a pain in the angler

by Bob kellam , Posted to Fishing Buddy on 02/18/2008 06:56 AM | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Bob kellam
Joined: 07/22/2005
Location: ND
Fishing elbow is a pain in the angler
By KIM FUNDINGSLAND, Staff Writer kfundingsland@minotdailynews.com


Fishing is usually thought of as one of the most relaxing outdoor activities possible. The mere mention of fishing almost always awakens the imagination to scenes of quiet water with a few fish surfacing and maybe even a pleasant sunset dropping into the background.

Some experienced fishermen will toss in the sounds and aroma of fresh fish frying up during a shore lunch, to be eaten while dangling their feet in the coolness of clear water.

Oh, yes. Don’t forget the sickening pain in the elbow, the numbness in the wrist and fingers of the casting hand and the aging patch over an eyeball that is due for reconstructive surgery.

Yee-ikes!

It seems fishing is not just for fun anymore.

What if you are a well-trained professional?

No. Not even the pros are exempt. They’ve got the same problems as the weekend wielders of casting rods, causing many to seriously consider spending more time at the local fish market than at the lake. According to nationwide trends, fishermen would be wise to pack first-aid kits at least in equal proportion to their ever-growing bags of tackle.

Statistics show that fishing continues to grow in popularity but the quiet sport has also jumped to the top of the nation’s injury list like a whopper rainbow trout gathering in the final fly of the hatch. Walleye guys, bass fanatics and even the quaintly clad L.L. Bean-appearing flyfishermen are dropping like – well – flies. The truth is, fishing is as big a business for emergency rooms and orthopedic surgeons as it is for sporting goods stores and tackle shops.

If doctors are not removing errant fish hooks or bandaging painful burns courtesy of electricity that can zip through graphite fishing rods like miniature lightning bolts, they are often given the impossible task of informing a fisherman that he or she must put away the fishing gear for several weeks, even months, so that their wrist, shoulder or elbow has sufficient time to heal.

Yeah, right.

The fisherman who will stay away from the lake when the fish are biting has not been born yet. If a real fisherman’s casting arm isn’t up to the task, he’ll just swap sides with his reel handles and cast with the other arm. Of course, the odds say that he’s just as likely to injure that arm as well.

Don’t laugh. Physicians throughout the country have their nets full with sandal-wearing, clipper-carrying, polarized sunglasses-clad patients suffering from multiple fishing injuries, including torn rotator cuffs and, perhaps even worse, the dreaded “fishing elbow.” Yes – when it comes to recreational fishing injuries, there appears to be no limit and North Dakota fishermen can rightfully boast that they rank at or near the top of the nation’s leaderboard.

“We see it fairly often,” said Dr. E. Dexter Scott, Trinity Medical orthopedic surgeon, while examining a dedicated angler suffering from a chronic case of fishing elbow. “It is the kind of problem that comes along in cycles during the fishing season. It’s a common injury that we see in this area because of the number of sportsmen and fishermen that we have around here.”

Common? Can that be true? Come on!

Wade Anderson sees hundreds of fishermen each week. He operates Bismarck’s Dakota Tackle and hears every fishing story, from the one that got away to the injuries that should keep fishermen at home.

“I’ve seen guys coming in wearing bands on their wrists or elbows. When I ask why, they just say ‘too much fishing.’” remarked Anderson. “It takes time to get over it. It’s terrible!”

Unlike the ace Major League Baseball hurler held out of the rotation with arm trouble or the Wimbledon star forced to forfeit due to “tennis elbow,” ailing fishermen are too stubborn or too motivated to sit on the sidelines with a case of “fishing elbow” when other anglers are reporting tight lines at various hotspots on their favorite lakes. Unlike professional athletes who are destined for the injured reserve list with follow-up care at some restful vacation spot, fishermen almost always tough it out. Unfortunately, it is the rare fisherman who can cast away after an onset of fishing elbow without further aggravating the one already aggravated joint that is essential to the sport.

“If you are doing a hard, snapping movement it puts quite a strain on the muscle and ligament attachments around the elbow,” explained Scott. “They can easily get inflamed or even get a little bit torn. Some of the fibers can tear and that can lead to some scar tissue and can cause chronic pain around the elbow. You’ve got to be careful with these things, especially early in the season.”

Like any good athlete, Scott suggests that fishermen do some pre-season conditioning and even some pre-fishing stretching at lakeside or in the boat to loosen things up a bit before grabbing that favorite casting rod and cranking after fish. That’s especially good advice for older fishermen who are more prone to fishing elbow due to diminished flexibility or elasticity. As for fishing with pain, Scott says that’s not a very good fishing tip.

“It’s better to nip it in the bud and get it looked at early on, rather than later,” advises Scott. “If the problem has been going on for some time, it is more difficult to get rid of it. We like to catch it early if we can, start some preventative treatment and, usually, we can get rid of it a little easier.”



No joke in Montana

For many fishermen, elbow or shoulder problems actually started with the first time they picked up a fishing rod and flipped a lure or fly into the water. They simply learned to cast as best they could and have continued to cast the same way for several years. No one really knew about the proper bio-mechanical techniques of casting so that they could perfect a casting style that would minimize their risk of incurring a fishing injury. That is, until Dr. Tim McCue formed a research team dedicated to keeping fishermen on the water and out of the clinic.

It turns out that McCue, the head team physician at the University of Montana, is also an avid fisherman in a state where most residents are issued a fly rod while still sleeping in a crib. His background includes two years as a flyfishing guide on the Yellowstone River. It was that experience that convinced him that fishing elbow is more widespread than anyone previously realized.

“I found out it’s much more common than most people think. I began looking for research on fishing injuries and found nothing,” said McCue. “That’s how the Fly Casting Institute came about. There was a need to teach the proper bio-mechanics of casting.”

The staff of McCue’s innovative institute includes Jason Borger, a graphic designer who is recognized as one of the top fly casters in the world and even did a stint as a flyfishing double in the movie “A River Runs Through It.” His research at FCI is primarily focused on arm/rod interaction. Another key member of FCI is Mike Hahn, Ph.D, Biomechanics research director at Montana State University. His resume includes working at the Orthopedic Biomechanics Laboratory at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Hahn’s contribution to FCI centers on the joint mechanics of the shoulder, elbow and wrist during the casting motion.

“It’s pretty much an all-star group,” said McCue. “When it comes to the bio-mechanics of casting, we can find and fix the problems.”

When it comes to fishermen’s ailments, McCue’s team feels their pain. They remain fanatically dedicated to getting anglers off the disabled list and back to the serious business of fishing. One of the remarkably innovative tools they use to dissect an individual angler’s casting motion is the “Simbirski Videolyzer System.” The system was developed by Canadian casting instructor Walter Simbirski. It basically involves a fisherman wearing a pair of specialized interactive goggles that allow him to view his own casting motion in progress.

Another of the team’s most reliable tools is the “Sage Casting Analyzer” that captures a unique view of an individual’s fishing motion. Using 220-frame-per-second infrared cameras, 18 adhesive tracking balls, eight EMG leads and a couple of rolls of reflective tape, the analyzer provides a deep look at casting in three dimensions. It also assesses the upper-extremity muscle/bone/joint interaction employed during a casting sequence.

“Nobody else does that in the world,” claims McCue.



What about the walleye guys?

While McCue’s team continues to perfect the ideal casting angles and procedures for flyfishermen, they have yet to tackle the peculiar needs of fishermen who rely on baitcasting or spinning reels – such as the bass, walleye and pike anglers that are frequent visitors to the waters of North Dakota.

“We haven’t done any research on other types of fishing yet,” said McCue. “Eventually we’ll look into other rods as well. I know spinning gear is a little bit different.”

Professional walleye fisherman Scott Glorvigen of Grand Rapids, Minn., has encountered fishing elbow and knows how miserable it can be. In a matter of a few hours on the water he went from being one of the country’s leading walleye fisherman to an anguished angler.

“We’re kind of dense as part of the male species at times,” laughed Glorvigen when questioned about his bout with fishing elbow. “It’s one of those thing that you really don’t talk about. There’s a macho thing attached to it. I think it’s out there a lot more prevalent than we think.”

Glorvigen traces his episode with fishing elbow to time spent on the water in North and South Dakota. Unlike many fishing elbow sufferers who attribute their pain to the casting motion, Glorvigen says his elbow trouble was acquired by a seemingly simple change in his fishing presentation. In Minnesota and Wisconsin waters Glorvigen chased walleyes primarily using quarter-ounce slip sinkers while gently back-trolling. In the Dakotas, he often found himself fishing one or two-ounce bottom bouncers while trolling forward from a seat in the bow.

“I spent a lot of time doing that and got fatigued after five miles of dragging and bending my wrist and elbows the wrong way,” said Glorvigen. “One day when I was done I reached into the boat to lift a tackle bag straight up and I thought someone stabbed me in the elbow with a knife. The pain was excruciating.”

As a top pro on the Professional Walleye Trail circuit, Glorvigen didn’t want to miss any fishing time. Through exercise, more use of rod holders and changing techniques, Glorvigen slowly recovered from fishing elbow.

“It bothered me for two seasons. I thanked God for the trolling bite on the Great Lakes,” chuckled Glorvigen.

Trolling with crankbaits, rather than casting them or dragging bottom bouncers, allowed Glorvigen to rest his bothersome elbow in order to help it recover. He says fishing elbow taught him a valuable lesson that has actually helped make him a better fisherman.

“I don’t let myself get fatigued now from the same repetitive motion. I’m not always holding that rod in my hand now,” stated Glorvigen. “From a fishing perspective, my advice is to do different types of fishing. Explore new techniques for your own health. You’ll be amazed at the results and maybe catch more fish.”



What is a fisherman to do?

For now, it’s the flyfishermen who are benefiting the most from the continuing research being conducted in western Montana. Those with chronic elbow or shoulder problems attend FCI to learn the cause of their soreness, correct the error of their ways and return to their favorite trout stream without fear of recurring pain. Others attend in the hopes of developing better casting mechanics so that they will not be demoted to the sidelines in the future.

As for prevention without the benefits of FCI’s futuristic equipment, fishermen are encouraged to keep their casting arms in shape and review their fishing gear. Smaller, lighter reels can reduce strain on the wrist and elbow. A lighter action rod may encourage less of a wrist snap when using spinning reels.

“Make sure your equipment is good so you are not fighting it,” advises Scott.

When it comes to fishing elbow an ounce of prevention really can be worth a pound – make that weeks or months – of cure. Once fishing elbow sets in, it may be there for an extended stay. The first line of defense is usually rest, followed by physiotherapy treatments and anti-inflammatory drugs. The local sports medicine department is a good place to seek some direction that may get you back to lake without missing too many days on the water.

Inflammation that doesn’t respond to therapy may require a cortisone shot to reduce the swelling and allow full freedom of movement. Don’t worry. The type of cortisone used to treat fishing elbow is not the kind that will keep you out of the Fishing Hall-of-Fame. With luck and dedication to a proper exercise routine, fishing elbow will disappear before the cortisone injection has run its course, usually in about one month. A certainty is that fishermen who have suffered aggravating or disabling bouts of fishing elbow take all precautions against staging a repeat performance, even using fishing aids when necessary.

Outdoor giant Cabela’s is among the retailers of fishing tackle that has taken notice of fishing-related injuries. They carry Fisherman’s Health products such as the Thermal Wrist Support Brace, a device claiming to decrease energy and stress placed on the tendon that runs along the back of the wrist to the elbow. There’s also the Magnetic Thermal Wrist Support that is said to give support to the wrist and features a flexible therapeutic deep penetration magnet and neoprene construction to retain body heat for increased circulation. Many drugstores also carry a variety of wrist and elbow supports that can easily be tucked into a boat compartment or tackle bag. However, there’s a word of caution when it comes to using artificial supports.

“I’m not a firm believer in any of those,” said McCue. “From our research we know they can sometimes help temporarily, but it comes down to getting your bio-mechanics under control. I tell fishermen to take a brace along with them just in case they have a flare-up, but I also tell them that consistent use of a support can lead to more weakness in the muscles needed for casting.”



More dangers of fishing

Guess what sport has surpassed basketball as the number one cause of all eye injuries? That’s right – fishing. According to the U.S. Eye Injury Registry at the Helen Keller Foundation, fishing now accounts for more eye injuries than basketball, racquetball or squash. The problem has become so serious that the Helen Keller Foundation is working with Bass Pro Shops to develop a national awareness of the dangers. Most of the eye injuries occur when fishermen pull on lures that are hung up and they suddenly fire back at them.

If that’s not spooky enough, there’s the problem of graphite fishing rods that have proven to be much better conductors of electricity than their fiberglass predecessors. The use of very popular wire-core fishing lines also increases an angler’s chances of being targeted during a lightning storm.

Then there’s the sad story out of Clarks Grove, Minn., where two ice fishermen were recently discovered dead in their fish house. They apparently died of carbon monoxide poisoning when a strong wind pushed fumes from a vent on their LP furnace back into the fish house. Minnesota ice fishermen are now being urged to install carbon monoxide detectors in their fish houses.
Re: Fishing elbow is a pain in the angler
by Nattydreadlock on 02/18/2008 07:09 AM | Reply #1 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Nattydreadlock
Joined: 01/11/2008
Location: ND
Please! Please! I believe the rewards definitely outweigh the risks. Funny tho!
Re: Fishing elbow is a pain in the angler
by weimardogboy on 02/18/2008 07:29 AM | Reply #2 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
weimardogboy
Joined: 05/05/2007
Location: ND
Sounds like I need to invest in HGH and get B12 injections so I can stay in the game. What's next? Drug testing for fishing professionals? Just kidding. It could happen though.
Re: Fishing elbow is a pain in the angler
by Ristorapper on 02/18/2008 4:28 PM | Reply #3 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Ristorapper
Joined: 12/27/2001
Location: ND
I can relate to the last paragraph in the story.

We were pitching jigs to the glory hole at Lake Tschida many years ago for quality crappie. The closer we would pitch to the shady side of the concrete structure the better luck we had catching a crappie.

Before we left for the lake I filled a reel up with 8 pound test XT for this little experiment. After many casts one of the jigs I sent to the glory hole went down the hole. The jig snagged up in the corner of the overflow and the concrete upright. I pointed the rod at the snagged jig, wrapped a dowel around my line and pulled steady until it let go. I thought for sure after several test pulls the knot would give. KNOT(not). That jig came at me like a bullet. It hit me square in the chest. I had a red mark there for several days along with the shape of the hook from the jig stinging me in the chest. A little scarey to say the least. Good eating crappie though!!
Re: Fishing elbow is a pain in the angler
by fish slayer on 02/18/2008 8:45 PM | Reply #4 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
fish slayer
Joined: 03/08/2006
Location: ND
I have been hook on the back of the neck with a jig. It was a long time ago when I went up to Alaska and my cousin cast off to the side of him and the jig went right in my neck. That hurt.
4 Replies | Page 1 of 11 | Top of Page | Bottom of Page
Posted By: Bob kellam
Posted On: 02/18/2008 06:56 AM
2460 Views, 4 Comments

Tags: fishing, elbow, one, pain, angler, usually, staff, thought, writer, fundingsland
More Tags: Scott Glorvigen, Tim McCue, Fly Casting Institute, Minnesota, pain, Mike Hahn, Wade Anderson, Montana, electricity, Helen Keller Foundation, E. Dexter Scott, Jason Borger, North Dakota, basketball, Rochester, Grand Rapids, Clarks Grove, Bass Pro Shops, Orthopedic Biomechanics Laboratory, kfundingsland@minotdailynews.com, Mayo Clinic, Professional Walleye Trail, Fishing Hall, fiberglass predecessors, futuristic equipment, local sports medicine department, energy, scar, tennis elbow, numbness, poisoning, Inflammation, reconstructive surgery, first-aid, physiotherapy, A River Runs Through It, Great Lakes, Yellowstone River, Montana State University, University of Montana, Walter Simbirski, KIM FUNDINGSLAND, South Dakota, Dakotas, Wisconsin, Wimbledon, Major League Baseball, tennis, squash, Major League Baseball, sports medicine, Health_Medical_Pharma Other
Region: North Dakota

Categories: Fishing
Rate This ForumTopic
  • Currently 5/5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

5/5 (1 votes cast)

Share and Save This ForumTopic

You must be signed in to comment on this topic




Forums Home > Ice Fishing Forum
Start a New Topic in "Ice Fishing Forum




Total Outdoor Network
TON Sites | Contact | Advertise | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use



North Dakota Fishing and Hunting | Minnesota Fishing and Hunting | Wisconsin Fishing and Hunting | Nebraska Fishing and Hunting | Walleye Fishing | South Dakota Fishing and Hunting | Alaska Fishing and Hunting |

submit feedback / bug report