Concept2 Forum

This was my 3rd week off erg. training. It all begins with bad rowing times and feeling too slipery the handle after about 5k of rowing. Slipery handles was never an issue in my training, but suddenly it was. Then the injury appear; a sharp pain in the cartilages of the left hand, just at the point they attach tho the wrist. Most notorius symptom is the pain when trying to hold a heavy object (half gallon water), or trying to turn a door knob, or rowing beyond 5k. There is no swelling, redness or generalized pain on the wrist or the hand. I even can bike without symptoms.<br />Does anyone knows if this is a common rowing injury? I don't remember any trauma to the affected area.

Atorrante,<br /><br />It would be helpful to know more specifically where the pain is. Does the pain radiate to to pinky or thumb? Is the pain more on top or bottom (palm side) of the wrist? Do you feel any other discomfort in the rest of your forearm? Ultimately, we can only surmise what is causing it and would be better left to a doctor to diagnose specifically.<br /><br />Steve

i have what sounds like the same pain. it is mostly on the palm side of the wrist, on the pinky side. it hurts mostly just at the start of the forearm, where there is a little bump outwards (about an inch from the hand). picking up saucepans and twisting movements cause pain. i can row without any pain, for any time (well, i only do an hour at most). again, there was no specific trauma, but i'm inclined to blame rowing, although i can't think what the cause is.<br /><br />the doc. just told me to 'desist' from rowing (he is a bit pompous), but i won't! it's getting better now (maybe my technique is better?).<br /><br />i wonder if this is the same as your trouble, atorrante?<br /><br />jane

Jane,<br /><br />Without seeing it, how are your elbows at the finish? If the are outstretched, you can hurt that side of your wrist from bending. You might also be feeling a pain in your elbow on the "body side" if your palm is facing the sky. That is the PCL in your elbow and can be irritated by that movement.<br /><br />Steve

<!--QuoteBegin-little weed+Feb 7 2005, 08:48 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(little weed @ Feb 7 2005, 08:48 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->i have what sounds like the same pain. it is mostly on the palm side of the wrist, on the pinky side. it hurts mostly just at the start of the forearm, where there is a little bump outwards (about an inch from the hand). picking up saucepans and twisting movements cause pain. i can row without any pain, for any time (well, i only do an hour at most). again, there was no specific trauma, but i'm inclined to blame rowing, although i can't think what the cause is.<br /><br />the doc. just told me to 'desist' from rowing (he is a bit pompous), but i won't! it's getting better now (maybe my technique is better?).<br /><br />i wonder if this is the same as your trouble, atorrante?<br /><br />jane <br /> </td></tr></table><br /> No, I think it isn't. My pain is almost limited to the tendons on the upper (not the palm side) middle section of the hand near the wrist. Thanks.

Atorrante,<br /><br />Check your drag, too high of a drag may cause this. As well, check your wrist during the drive, if your wrists are bent upwards, you could get the same strain of the tendons.<br /><br />Steve

well, i try not to bend my wrists, but anyway the pain is much better now, so not to worry. thanks for the suggestion.<br /><br />jane

Finally someone who seems to have the same symptoms I had years ago. Many years ago I fell off my horse and landed akwardly on my wrist. They thoguht I'd broken it as I was in terribly agony but x-rays showed no breaks, so it was stapped up and I was told to rest it for about 2wks. 6weeks later I seemed fully recovered but then after competing my horse the problem returned. Like you I had sharp pain on the top-side of my wrist where the joint was, I had fluid gathering near my veins so that when I pressed on my wrist it felt squidgy and things like grasping door handles became painful. Again I was told to rest it, I had some physio but nothing improved and my physio refused to treat me any more as she said she wanted to know what was causing the problem and demanded that I had yet more x-rays. Had some x-rays and every consultant in A&E looked at them...still no sign of a break so I was bundled in plaster for 2.5wks to make sure and then told to rest for 6weeks. After that it seemed ok until several months later when I went body-boarding (like surfing) and I got dragged in a 5ft wave and my board which was tied to my wrist got yanked and the pain in my wrist returned. After several months of rest and pain I got my GP to refer me to a specialist and I had yet more x-rays and then MRI scans. The tests came back inconclusive and they said there was no obvious problems but they agreed it was swollen and I was in pain. I was told to rest it for 6months and see how it was then (if it was no better they would do surgery with fibre optics to look at my wrist in more detail but that in doing that I could risk getting an infection and losing feeling in my hand!!!!!!). I rested it for a good 12months doing no sport (although admitdly I did ride my horse 3times a week for 15mins as I would have gone insane, but I only rode in walk and trot and after 15mins couldn't stand to hold the reins ne longer). This is almost 2years ago now. I've had very little problems since although very occaisional pain if I've fallen off my horse or done anything strenuous but the fluid very rarely returns to my wrist and I'd like to say I've made a full recovery.<br /><br />The consultant orthopediac surgeon really couldn't find anything obvioulsy wrong with my wrist but suggested that it was probably soft tissue damage which is very hard to detect even on MRI scans. Please, please, please rest it and if it's no better soon insist that you get it properly looked at incase you have got repetitive strain injury (that's personally what I believe I had, but at the time it wasn't as common) or something worse. Likewise, if they don't believe you still rest it. I wish I'd rested it more originally rather than desperately trying to get back riding/doing sport as in the end it took over 3years to fully recover and I still find my wrist weak now. Of course my injury could well be completely unrelated, but I just thought I'd tell my story in case it helps.<br /><br />I hope you feel better soon.

<!--QuoteBegin-Atorrante+Feb 6 2005, 09:13 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Atorrante @ Feb 6 2005, 09:13 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->This was my 3rd week off erg. training.  It all begins with bad rowing times and feeling too slipery the handle after about 5k of rowing.  Slipery handles was never an issue in my training, but suddenly it was.  Then the injury appear; a sharp pain in the cartilages of the left hand, just at the point they attach tho the wrist.  Most notorius symptom is the pain when trying to hold a heavy object (half gallon water), or trying to turn a door knob, or rowing beyond 5k. There is no swelling, redness or generalized pain on the wrist or the hand. I even can bike without symptoms.<br />Does anyone knows if this is a common rowing injury? I don't remember any trauma to the affected area. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />I suspect the origin of my injury wasn't rowing. Today remembered an incident while mounting an air conditioner. I was driving a screw with a drill in my left hand when suddenlly it engaged and twist abruptly my hand. At that moment the only aparent injury was a finger wound that was bandaged. <br /><br />I plan to begin rowing again but easily for a couple of weeks, to see how it respond.

I would recommend seeing a chiropractor who has experience adjusting extremities. It could be that the bones in your wrist or elbow are not moving properly and that the faulty motion is causing some areas of hypermobility (too much motion) in a specific joint. It's also possible that the balance between your wrist flexors and extensors is off, which can cause problems similar to what you speak of.