BEWARE: FF Elbow

[greenghost]

There’s Tennis Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow and now… I proudly present…
Fly Fisher’s Elbow.

Alas, I have to reluctantly succumb to calling myself officially old. Forty years of fly casting – often 3 and 4, 12-hour days per week when I was younger – has taken its toll. After I was unable to cast my 8-weight loaded with a lead-eyed Zonker this week – stripers rejoice – I knew had to see a doctor. It was an emergency.

Bad news; osteoarthritis in my right elbow. My left one is fine. I knew the cause immediately. I am not an ambidextrous caster. (Not yet anyway.) My doctor basically said there’s not much he could do. I was on my own except for NSAID’s and Motrin.

But I was faced with a bigger problem; it is fishing prime time, right now, and I have an elbow I can’t cast well with. Something had to be done. I knew this doctor was an official Steeler physician at one point in his career. So I explained my situation in terms he knew. “Doc, Just give me a couple months without pain. This is the playoffs for me … you need to get me through the playoffs!” Out came the biggest freakin’ needle I think I’ve seen.

In conclusion, I have one thing to say, Thank God for cortisone injections. Here I come stripers!

 

[pete41]

There is also cigar elbow- being older than hades I spend a lot of time sitting on the veranda smoking cheap cigars- since I keep an ash tray on the table next to me the constant flicking of the ash has caused me to develop "cigar elbow'.
So from now on I will let the ashes drop where they may--but judging by all the holes in my shirts it wouldn't be a first.

 

[jeremymcon]

That stinks. But just fyi: motrin (ibuprofen) *is* an NSAID. So don't think you can take aspirin or aleve on top of motrin.

 

[David]

Make those strikers pay for your pain... Go get em!

 

[albatross]

But you can take acetaminophen on top of an NSAID in a pinch.

I went through a stretch with shoulder trouble GG. I thought, well, I'll just have to learn to cast left handed. It's tougher than it sounds. Good luck to you.

Makes me think of a quote from my favorite movie. "why are you smilling?" "I'm not left handed."


https://youtu.be/rUczpTPATyU?t=1m8s

 

[duckfoot]

So why don't you learn how to cast left-handed?

 

[InCahoots]

A good warning to all green ghost. One more thing for aging anglers to worry about is rotator cuff damage due to poor mechanics trying to reach that trout on the far side of the stream. Been there.

 

[pcray1231]

Regarding the cortisone. Wonderful stuff. It's like, "I'm cured!" Just a warning. It wears off. And they'll give you another, which will also work. But it too will wear off, and considerably quicker than the last. Each time it's less effective and shorter lasting than the last.

 

[McSneek]

Have battled tendinitis aka tennis elbow in both arms off and on for several years now. For awhile it was very painful to try to get a snagged fly loose. I sympathize with anyone who develops this type of injury. It hurts despite the silly nickname and it's tough to get rid of. Ice the heck out of it.

 

[Sekora]

I've been fighting it also for about a year now. I take Motrin before I go to sleep before going fishing. It really works. 800mg seems like the minimum effective dose for me. Days I'm not fishing, I just deal with it. I know that stuff is no good for you but so is skipping a day in the stream.

 

[724flyfishing]

Not to sound like a douche or anything but have you ever considered lifting weights and/or some kind of exercise program? I'm only 31 but I did competitive grappling (judo and jiu jitsu) for years and really put a toll on my joints. It was painful to wake up most days. These days it's mostly fishing and daily weight lifting and stretching without any problems. Fish oil and glutamine supplements help too. I've saw it work wonders for people in their 70's. Just some food for thought if something like fishing is seriously taking a toll on your body. It's never too late.

 

[greenghost]

Well, I work out 3 or 4 days a week. Have been for many years. Oddly, I could curl 45 lbs in sets of ten with the right arm up until a month ago. I can still do inclined bench and lat pull downs with no issues. It's the torquing motion and simple wags like shaking hands, casting, clipping my nails or using a screwdriver that kills me. Even though the doctor said arthritis there is still a chance that it may be more. I had X-rays only. MRI may be next. Time will tell.

 

[McSneek]

724flyfishing wrote:
Not to sound like a douche or anything but have you ever considered lifting weights and/or some kind of exercise program? .... Just some food for thought if something like fishing is seriously taking a toll on your body. It's never too late.

lol. You mean like bench press, dead lifts, curls, rows, chin-ups, etc? Do that 2 - 3 days/week. Run 4 - 5 miles several times a week. Why do you think I have all these aches and pains at age 52? Exercise can take it's toll too.

P sure my tendinitis has it's origins in activities like snow shoveling, yanking a starter cord on a stubborn string trimmer, etc. Actually hasn't been noticeable when fishing as of late. Now my creaky right knee is another story. That gives me some trouble scrambling up steep banks, over rocks, etc.

Like greenghost said, with tennis elbow simple things like shaking hands can kill you. For me sometimes it's nothing more than holding a cup of coffee by the handle.

 

[bikerfish]

you think casting with a sore elbow is bad, try skiing with gout in both feet!!!!! ARRRGGGG!!

 

[lestrout]

Yo gre
This may not help with the salt, but this is another reason for me to go with the boo. Folks think wood is expensive, but it's easier on the bod and cheaper than surgery. 'sides, usually the cost is more of an investment - at least for my widow. lol

 

[greenghost]

Les. Yes... Lol. The older I get, things tend to lean toward slower. Why not my fly rods too? But I don't think I could fish with a boo that costs more than the value of my car!

 

[geebee]

tough break.

just two suggestions - 1) catch with a switch rod, a lot less pressure on the arms. 2) have a FFF casting instructor look at you cast to see if he can help alleviate some pressure on your elbows.

best of luck.

 

[raftman]

I've recently noticed that I get muscle spasms in my casting elbow a few days after a long fishing trip. I actually went to the doctors for it because I was concerned about it and he put me onto something called Slow Mag, which is just a magnesium supplement. It works awesome!

 

[Chaz]

Are you sure it's not from some other repetitive motion that you do? Like swinging a hammer, or turning a wrench? Just asking.

 

[bikerfish]

a good glass rod may work for you, just sayin! light AND slow!! much more relaxed casting stroke.
also, have you let your elbow rest and try to heal? sometimes that's all it takes, a couple weeks without doing the thing that aggravates can work wonders.
also, if using NSAIDs or even getting a steroid shot, still have to let it heal, it may feel better, but by using it your just causing more damage.