Carpal tunnel or wrist problems require a balanced rod - how to insure it.

[SenkoSam]

In Nov. I'm having wrist surgery for carpal tunnel, long overdue for twenty years. One thing I found that helps to alleviate the symptom somewhat is to make sure my rods are balanced with or without lures hanging. If you can balance a rod on the tip of your finger (no lure), at least your wrist functions more as a fulcrum and not constantly having to keep the full weight of the rod blank upward. The wheel weight attached with Duck tape pictured at the end of the handle, helps a great deal and adds nothing to what your finger grip must maintain.



The best rods made probably have balance and lightness, but the older cheaper rods do not and stress the muscle attached to the wrist and elbow by constantly flexing it and holding it flexed. Tennis elbow is also exacerbated by an unbalanced rod.

I've used the method for years and thought some of you might want to try it. Garages chuck wheel weights out all the time and usually give them away.

[Mike Cork]

Balanced rods have helped tremendously. I would get frequent tennis elbow and wrist pain, even my thumb would go numb. Moving to balanced rods makes a huge difference. Great idea on how to get there

[bass1cpr]

   I will add one thing about balancing a rod. When you balance it you actually want it to hang tip down about five or so degrees from parallel. The reason is if it's perfectly parallel when you fish it you will actually loose feel when fishing. If it's tip hangs down slightly you will fell every move your bait makes and increases the rods sensitivity about 300% over a non balanced rod.
   I've been using balanced rods for about twenty years I've used cable end covers to rubber butt caps on all of my bottom presentation rods and won't fish them any other way. Doesn't matter if it's a $300 GLoomis or a twenty nine dollar Quantum Bill Dance rod it improves the sensitivity of any rod.
   I had the tunnel carpel surgery twenty or so years ago and now it's coming back and when I get it done again this time I'm getting two surgeries on that wrist in one session. One for the tunnel carpel and one to remove a bone from my wrist and put in a disc and fuse the wrist. I won't be able to bend it any more. I've put this surgery off for about 6 or 7 years but it's getting so bad now I've really got little choice. One hand over hand casts and roll casts have been out of my presentation line up for a few years now but that doesn't stop me from fishing. I'm glad I made myself learn to cast left handed so I could make presentations from different angles when I was younger. Getting old is so much fun.

[Mike Cork]

Fusing the wrist does not sound like fun.... That's going to be a whole new ball game.... Keep us posted Bass1CPR I don't want you sneaking off and not letting us know, we'll all pull for you and the recovery will be quick. Besides if you don't let us know I'll think you disappeared as I'm sure typing will be difficult for a while after that.

[bass1cpr]

   Mike I'll peck out a few thoughts I'm sure. Thanks.

[coldfront]

Getting old is so much fun.

I always remind myself it 'beats the alternative'   

great thoughts on balancing rods...I see lots of folks chasing 'lighter' rods for increased sensitivity...and adding weight seems counter-intuitive.  It flat out works.

Best of luck with the surgeries...and as I grow 'more experienced' I see every day for the gift it is.

[SenkoSam]

I'm sure the surgeon will tell me to not exercise wrist/hand for a month, but if I have to I'll take off my shoe and sock and turn the reel handle with my toes! 

[bass1cpr]

   Sam it really depends on the type of procedure they use. Old one inch incision or the new style 1/4 inch incision. Either way you won't able to tie anything for a while. Good luck with the surgery.

[Mike Cork]

In Nov. I'm having wrist surgery for carpal tunnel, long overdue for twenty years. O

Keep us posted so we know what happened when you don't show up for a while. Timing should be good, I reckon your bass will be shutting down about then

[SenkoSam]

At least I won't be gone from the site and will have to find out how fast the recovery is and safe to fish. But then again, unless someone else launches the boat, I'm stuck fishing from shore.

BTW, The other thing the surgeon pointed out after doing a thumb strength test on both hands is that unless the operation was done (eventually also on the other hand), my thumb muscle would atrophy and get weaker and weaker. The operation will supposedly allow nerves to increase in number and maintain finger strength.

I don't know if any of you have heard of the trigger finger symptom. As was explained, the tendon that controls finger grip and release, passes through what is comparable to the guides on our rods. If the guide gets too thick, it rubs on the tendon in a spot causing it to enlarge so that the tendon can't go back in position and causes a painful flex - locking of the finger involved that can only be released by the other hand. It wakes me up at night.

The operation for that (on the same wrist) will be done at the same time. Doctors call it a nodule (you can feel it at the base of the finger in the palm) and once it becomes inflamed and painful to put pressure on, an injection into the tendonous swelling may help if caught early on. It's too late for me and an injection is no longer an option.

[Ron Fogelson]

One of the healthiest things I've ever done in fishing was to switch from open face spinning reels to baitcasters.  Making cast after cast day after day with your wrist in proper position and reeling all those cast back in while your wrist is bent at a 90 degree angle to hold on the a spinning rod takes it's toll on a body.  I still will need surgery,,,,,, someday but putting the spinning reels away has pushed that date way down the road.

Hope you get everything fixed up and heal fast and maybe switching away from spinning gear after will help hold off future issues like it did for me.   

[Donald Garner]

Best wishes for a successful surgery and recovery.

[SenkoSam]

One of the healthiest things I've ever done in fishing was to switch from open face spinning reels to baitcasters.

I have pretty much done that - no choice - by mostly using spincast reels (closed face) for most of my light lure/finesse presentations. The reels even have a reverse for backreeling the big ones on 6# test!
Spinning is still used but mostly for heavier soft plastics, long casts and into heavy cover, but use them long enough and the reels most definitely bring on the worst symptoms regardless how I hold the rod handle. Good thing I don't have it my other wrist/hand.