Wrist Pain

[SirAndyMooray2]

I have been having bad wrist pain in my left wrist the past week. I am right handed and I hit a two handed backhand. Ive been icing, I still play every day, but I have been slicing my backhand. I have a tournament this weekend and I need to play so I cannot take a break from playing. Any recommendations? :|

 

[SpinToWin]

When did it start and where exactly is the pain/for which motion? Also which racquet and string do you use?
You may have to forget playing this weekend depending on what you have…

 

[SirAndyMooray2]

When did it start and where exactly is the pain/for which motion? Also which racquet and string do you use?
You may have to forget playing this weekend depending on what you have…

It started about a week ago. I use the AeroPro Drive with RPM at 57lbs.(Not the best setup for the arm) The pain is on the outside of my left wrist, from my two handed backhand.

 

[LeeD]

Front side (underside), or backside, like a lefty 1hbh?
If the second, could be weight of your racket, you using the left hand to take the racket back. It was for me.
If it's the flexion side, you are using too much lefty forehand in your 2hbh.

 

[LeeD]

Are you sure it's not from your toss motion?

 

[SpinToWin]

It started about a week ago. I use the AeroPro Drive with RPM at 57lbs.(Not the best setup for the arm) The pain is on the outside of my left wrist, from my two handed backhand.

that sounds like some kind of tendon problem to me… I'd go to a doctor to check for sure. However, if it is what I suspect, then you are causing more damage than good with the icing. Icing is good for inflammations, but any kind of tear or wear on muscles/tendons requires heat (and not cold) for accelerated healing. Anyways, I'd take it quite seriously if I was you and go for a checkup.

 

[RogueFLIP]

If you have direct access to a physical therapist, I'd suggest you get an evaluation by one. You should be able to get an appointment faster than your general doctor.

Wrist pain could be tendon, ligament issue, referred pain from the elbow/forearm, etc....

The PT can do a full examination and most likely treat you in the same session. Advice for stretches and other modalities to lessen the pain. Also advise whether you should shut down tennis for a period of time or not.

Now of course, whether you listen to that advice or not.....:twisted:

Good luck.

 

[Chas Tennis]

I have been having bad wrist pain in my left wrist the past week. I am right handed and I hit a two handed backhand. Ive been icing, I still play every day, but I have been slicing my backhand. I have a tournament this weekend and I need to play so I cannot take a break from playing. Any recommendations? :|

Stop playing and otherwise stressing your injured wrist immediately. See a well-qualified Dr and get a diagnosis. Forget the tournament, it's nothing compared to the misery of a chronic injury.

There are a number of tissues that can be injured. I have read about tendon injuries and dealt with Golfer's Elbow. Playing and stressing a new tendon injury for a very short time can lead to chronic - doesn't go away - tendinosis.

This paper discusses tendinitis (with inflammation) and tendinosis (with defective completed healing).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1122566/

"Animal studies show that within two to three weeks of tendon insult tendinosis is present and inflammatory cells are absent.7"

See other papers in this thread, especially the one in reply #15. See also more recent papers.
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=442912&highlight=tendon+injury+nuthouse

Healing starts immediately after an injury. You have a very brief window of opportunity after a new tendon injury for optimal healing. Other injured tissues, ligaments, etc may be similar. ?

There are many threads on this forum on Tennis Elbow. In most cases, they involve tendinosis, the chronic injury. Very often players tried something, brace, remedy, etc. for a time to see how the injury would do.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Probably best to get away from the poly (or co-poly) strings ASAP. Or seek out a racket that is more arm-friendly. Perhaps you are gripping the racket too tightly with the left hand on your BH. For now, avoid the 2-handed BH as much as possible -- until your left wrist heals

How is your ROM (range of motion) for your wrist? Grip strength? Is your wrist tender when you touch it? Best to take the advice of RogueFLIP and CT above and have it checked out.

that sounds like some kind of tendon problem to me… I'd go to a doctor to check for sure. However, if it is what I suspect, then you are causing more damage than good with the icing. Icing is good for inflammations, but any kind of tear or wear on muscles/tendons requires heat (and not cold) for accelerated healing...

Do not believe that this (the bolded part) is correct . Doubt that ice is causing damage as you suggest. Tendon tears, tendonitis, would normally result in inflammation. Ice would be better than heat for healing -- particularly since this is a fairly recent development. Heat can make inflammation worse. At this point, however, heat might be ok just prior to tennis -- but the OP should still avoid using the 2-handed BH as much as possible.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tendinitis/expert-answers/tendinitis/faq-20057872
http://saveyourself.ca/articles/ice-heat-confusion.php
.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

A bit more Mayo Clinic info:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/wrist-pain/basics/risk-factors/con-20031860
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/wrist-pain/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20031860 (ice)
.