Fencing.Net - Your Guide to Fencing & Fencing Equipment

Tigerlily86 · 11-01-2003, 02:36 PM

i think im finally going to get to start fencing soon YAY! i was talking to my friend yesterday and he said he knew a guy who had to switch hands because he got carpel tunnel syndrome from fencing too much. i already have problems with my wrists and sometimes lift weights to help with them but i was wondering if you guys do anything to stop it/ have had any problems with carpel tunnel?

I_luv_saber · 11-01-2003, 04:29 PM

Hmmm.... no I haven't. But what you may try is wearing a wrist brace. I had very bad knees, so I wore braces to fencing almost a year. Then I would fence without them every other fencing day. Then 2 days. Then 3, etc., until now I don't need to wear them anymore. I suppose the same would work in your case. Oh, and congrats on your introduction to a very fine sport!

Sabresque · 11-01-2003, 10:19 PM

Hello!

I think carpal tunnel usually results from bad use of pistol grips. Like anything, use the grip correctly--no death grips!--and you should be fine. Of course, I'm not a doctor, so don't take my word for it, but I did at one point develop Trigger Finger from holding my pistol grip in a choking manner, but once I corrected the way I was holding it, it went away. Just like my tennis elbow actually.

Anyways, as for the wrists. When I started fencing, my right wrist was fairly weak due to an injury in wrestling and a couple re-injuries after that. I *did* re-injure my wrist once while fencing, but I taped it until it felt ok again, and since then there have been no re-injuries (It's been a couple years or so). Fencing truly has made my wrist much stronger. So, if anything, I think that fencing will help you wrists rather than hinder them. Maybe wear a semi-flexible brace (the real ones keep you from doing some good foil movements), and then slowly wean yourself off it like I_luv_sabre said.

For the record, once I started fencing sabre all hand, finger, and elbow problems dissapeared entirely!!!

Tigerlily86 · 11-02-2003, 06:07 PM

Thanks much you guys ill definitely have to look into that. i never would have thought fencing would actually help wrist problems but hey anythings possible

Boo Boo · 11-02-2003, 07:52 PM

Hi

I am a fencer and I work in a job that involves a lot of computer use. I found that the combination of fencing and using a mouse with my right hand was giving my problems in my fingers (could be related to carpal tunnel, because such problems run in my family - mother and grandmother).

To stop the problem, I learnt to use a mouse with my left hand (it was easier than me learning to fence left handed...). Soon got the hang of left handed mouse operation and it works really well.

Just a thought,
Boo
(a right handed person who uses a left handed mouse - how wierd is that?)

Dee EffEll · 11-03-2003, 12:53 AM

I developed some rather bad tendonitis on the top of my fencing hand when I first started, admittedly from bad technicque in holding a "orthopedic" grip. I switched to a belgian grip, and it went away. I suspect this was mostly due to being able to hold the grip with my middle finger. You might give one a try, although I know the belgian does create some complications for me in flicking properly.

I also use a wrist brace, mostly becuase I have gotten used to how it feels. Extra padding on my wrist is welcome for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the all too common guard to guard impact.

MyraTrue · 11-03-2003, 04:43 AM

actually, this has just recently become a problem for me. It showed up on a 7 hour drive to a tournament (in both wrists- death grip on steering wheel?) and got to be very bad durring two days of fencing. Its been a painful problem in both wrists, ESPECIALLY my right, which I fence with, since.

I've found athletic tape to do the most for it. I also am not aware of having a death grip on my viscontis. However, one is far too small for my hand, but I've used it so long, I'm comfortable with it. I recently picked up a brace, and its pretty much a glorified wide elastice band with velcro that I can strap on my wrist. I'm just afraid to get anything rigid, because it might harm my fencing?

Anyway, I think some if it might be due to fencing a lot of epee recently, but little but foil before that.

Wish I could help you more.

remise · 11-03-2003, 01:50 PM

My family has a history of arthritis, and I was compromised before I started fencing. I wear braces on both wrists while I sleep. The results are usually apparent in about 7 days. I no longer have to tape, brace, or bind my wrists in any way during the day.

Plus, I'm old.

Phoenix · 11-03-2003, 11:25 PM

i fence sabre and a month ago, my thumb at the base was really bothering my. like a pain when u pressed on it. and sometimes it is there, and some times not. i never got hit there when it started hurting and i don't know y i got it. It has gotten better, but does anyone know what it is? just wondering. hopefully my thumb won't fall off

MyraTrue · 11-04-2003, 04:10 AM

Well... I had several painful experiences fencing sabre where I'd make a point attack and my thumb would slam into the guard, and rip back/off my thumb nail. And my thumb hurt like nothing else, hurt to move it, push on it, at the base too. But if you were doing this, I think you'd know what was causing it!

Phoenix · 11-04-2003, 05:57 PM

eww! I can't even think about that *shiver*

drizzt_do_urden · 11-04-2003, 11:24 PM

Tigerlilly,

Carpel tunnel syndrome, and its kissing cousin, tendonitis, are caused by excessive repetitive motion of the fingers with the wrist at a severe angle. Palm towards forearm angulation causes tendonitis (common among guitar players), while palm away from forearm angulation promotes carpel tunnel syndrome (people who type a lot are often subject to this). I would suggest trying to keep your wrist(s) as straight as possible when doing anything that involves a lot of repetitive finger motion to avoid carpel tunnel and tendonitis.

MyraTrue · 11-05-2003, 03:47 AM

My wrists right now are getting to be so bad it hurts to hold a foil, and is awful to fence epee (my primary, oh, my poor primary!). I'm curious... do the braces they sell do any good? Trobule is, most of the ones that I think might help would get in the way of parries. I tape my wrists, but by the end of practice, the tapes soft enough it gives no support and everythings coming back down again.

Geez... what joint is going to detoriorate next?

My knees already tell me when the weather is changing.

Inquartata · 11-06-2003, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MyraTrue
My wrists right now are getting to be so bad it hurts to hold a foil, and is awful to fence epee

Hmmm, I guess that leaves.....

MyraTrue · 11-06-2003, 03:51 PM

*advances on Inquartata brandishing a borrowed sabre like a club* This will be ugly, don't make me do this!

Inquartata · 11-06-2003, 04:55 PM

A-HA! I TOLD you we'd get all the women one way or another!

persistence · 11-06-2003, 06:25 PM

Carpal tunnel syndrome is not the only potential cause of tingling/numbness/pain in the hand. It can sometimes be ulnar nerve damage, with the actual point of damage in the elbow or the wrist.

I had ulnar nerve damage in the elbow (and it sometimes gets inflamed all over again when I revert to bad habits), and it actually wasn't from fencing. It was from sitting at my computer, typing, with my elbows bent.

My doctor, an ortho specialist in hands and arms, and a former fencer at the Air Force Academy (back in the day), was very certain that the fencing wasn't the issue.

Sure enough, between making sure my elbow doesn't bend in my sleep, making sure my arm is almost fully extended when I type, and being careful not to rest my elbows on the desk or other surfaces when I work, the pain has almost completely gone away. Taking a break from fencing did not really help much, and it doesn't hurt to fence, unless I'm already in pain from being bad and reverting to old typing habits.

Really, it's a matter of getting a competent doctor to take a look, and getting a second opinion if necessary (the first doc said I'd need surgery in a matter of months, it's been over a year, and it's world's better).

Tigerlily86 · 11-06-2003, 06:48 PM

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS get a second opinion!!! i had problems with my hip a couple of years ago and this one doctor thought the only solution was cutting me up into little pieces(ok exaggerating a little but oh well) and its like what? probably 4 years later and with a lot of physical therapy im perfectly fine. no sharp objects involved.

Inquartata · 11-06-2003, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tigerlily86
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS get a second opinion!!!

OK...Always get a second opinion!

MyraTrue · 11-06-2003, 07:56 PM

You know, I ALMOST took a sabre lesson today, thinking it would hurt less, and be a bit of good fun. They were teaching the beginners sabre

, so I picked up one and...

it hurts the most! I can't make my wrist do that!

So I'm afraid sabre is not the solution to everything Inq. I guess I might be advised to go see someone about my wrists, but...

well, I've ignored every other problem, and it eventually went away, or got really bad, THEN went away. But I need my wrists a little too much.