Fishing with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

[dmeinder]

Is anyone out there fishing with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? I had thought wrist bands were enough, but I discovered quickly this past weekend that even reeling in a diving crankbait while trolling @ 2-3 kph is a challenge so I'm looking for any suggestions.

We're heading to Cold Lake for a couple weeks at the end of the month and am quite concerned with my ability to reel in a standard CL Laker.

Cheers!

[KGB]

Don’t know much about this syndrome but if you take me with you- I can reel all the fish for you! for free!

[dmeinder]

Originally Posted by KGB

Don’t know much about this syndrome but if you take me with you- I can reel all the fish for you! for free!

Nice one! I should consider taking you just for your wit, lol. If nothing less it'd be entertaining on the water.

Carpal tunnel syndrome compresses the median nerve in the wrist and hand via the Transverse carpel ligament in the wrist. So basically, wrist movement and ability to grip is sporadically and intermittently compromised, along with periods of complete loss of function and feeling in the hands from time to time (That welcomes severe nerve pain following return of feeling....and oh.....what a return of feeling it is!, by that I mean intense burning and shooting pain up the arm and neck)

So I could essentially be reeling in a lunker and loose all ability, or on the flipside, be reeling in a lunker and be met with some of the most unique and intense pain I've felt to date...YAY! (Consider when your foot falls asleep and you try to walk on it, but it doesn't go away for hours - 6 hrs being my longest thus far, mixed with the burning and shooting pain detailed above)

Unfortunately, I can't get in for treatment before the trip to CL, so I have to figure something out.

Cheers!

[TrollGRG]

You can get wrist supports - like a partial glove with velcro straps for fitting. Usually has a hard section down the palm made of some metal or plastic to keep you from bending your wrist. You can get them at most any pharmacy. Just go to the pharmacist and tell him/her your problem and s/he should be able to fix you up as well as any quack could do.

[old dog]

Do u plan on getting surgery for it. My wife did years back and never looked back. Very non-intrusive surgery (but one type of surgery is better than the other )

[dmeinder]

Originally Posted by TrollGRG

You can get wrist supports - like a partial glove with velcro straps for fitting. Usually has a hard section down the palm made of some metal or plastic to keep you from bending your wrist. You can get them at most any pharmacy. Just go to the pharmacist and tell him/her your problem and s/he should be able to fix you up as well as any quack could do.

Thanks for the suggestion!

I already have splint braces, 2 different sets of wrist straps, compression gloves, copper gloves, and some hefty pain meds.

All of the above don't seem to rectify, but partially prevent the severe pain occurrences.

Last weekend I found I can't reel too well with the splints, so I changed to the copper gloves with compression straps over top. While that helped with the sun, lol, I had a bout of no control during a fish on, and ultimately ended up losing it. I think I didn't set the hook properly and when the loss of function reared its head, couple head shakes and it was gone.

I really don't want that to be a recurring theme on Cold Lake!

[dmeinder]

Originally Posted by old dog

Do u plan on getting surgery for it. My wife did years back and never looked back. Very non-intrusive surgery (but one type of surgery is better than the other )

I'm *cough cough* In line for surgery.....buuuuuut. They need the EMG test in order to know what to do when they are in there, and the EMG is 6-10 months out.

Oh wait, there's more......

regardless of doctor requisition for EMG, they still contact for candidacy before booking, as well as when actually booking, and they've stated if I don't answer my phone, they don't leave a message and just move to the next.....so ya, glue my phone to my head for 6-10 months, don't go out of service for work or fishing is the expectation I guess.

I have no idea the wait if/when sugery is deemed required. One bridge at a time. (Our health system is in literal shambles!)

I do start steroid injections after the Cold Lake trip, so hopefully that'll give some relief.

Cheers!

[Elchinodiablo]

Keep your wrist in a neutral position the best you can while reeling. I find holding my hand in the cool water seems to help or a ziplock with some ice in the cooler. Or flip the rod and reel with other hand.

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[thorne]

I am in the same boat...LOL...well my boat anyway...So basically...it is what it is. CTS is basically a short in the nerves that tell the hands what to do so without those nerves doing what they have to...its not gonna. So the best remedy I have found is CBD. I have been using it regularly and it has by far provided the best relief. I'm using it under the supervision of a neurologist that along with Lyrica and Physio. I went from not being able to hold a cup of coffee to having around 80% of my capabilities back. I still get that bad cramping and loss of dexterity if I over do it...but I can land multiple fish no problem. Last winter when jigging in 500' of water fro Amber Jack in Mexico I learned that was well past my capabilities, but Cold Lake, Lakers was no problem. I still have the same fears of hooking a real beast and not being able to hang on...but that's what a boat buddy is for! Don't be scares to call for a hand off...it is what it is. I actually am not going to have surgery now unless things really go bad all of a sudden...but it's been 2 Years now since I couldn't even put my socks on and doing good, so I'll keep this treatment up and see how it goes!

[calgarychef]

For years I thought I had CTS then I started realizing that it’s a neck issue.
Might be a bit of that too in anyone’s case. When your hands are buzzing and tingling tuck your chin in and push it backwards … straighten your neck in other words. Turn your shoulders back too. Maybe it’ll help.

[AlbertanGP]

You may want to Google electric reels. I don't know much about them, but I'm shopping for a pilot house boat and plugs for them keep coming up in options.

[KGB]

Originally Posted by dmeinder

Nice one! I should consider taking you just for your wit, lol. If nothing less it'd be entertaining on the water.

Carpal tunnel syndrome compresses the median nerve in the wrist and hand via the Transverse carpel ligament in the wrist. So basically, wrist movement and ability to grip is sporadically and intermittently compromised, along with periods of complete loss of function and feeling in the hands from time to time (That welcomes severe nerve pain following return of feeling....and oh.....what a return of feeling it is!, by that I mean intense burning and shooting pain up the arm and neck)

So I could essentially be reeling in a lunker and loose all ability, or on the flipside, be reeling in a lunker and be met with some of the most unique and intense pain I've felt to date...YAY! (Consider when your foot falls asleep and you try to walk on it, but it doesn't go away for hours - 6 hrs being my longest thus far, mixed with the burning and shooting pain detailed above)

Unfortunately, I can't get in for treatment before the trip to CL, so I have to figure something out.

Cheers!

Yes! Yes! Yes! I will provide the entertainment no problem!
On the other note, I had a similar issue with my left arm after the car accident in 2017. Not as bad but it came to the point where I couldn’t have my arm just hanging, had to hold it with my right arm… The chiropractor was useless. Massage was useless. Until I met this Chinese doctor who fixed me in two sessions…he is magical! I don’t know where you are, but he is in Edmonton southside on 91 street. Let me know if you want his coordinates.

[-JR-]

I know what you are going threw ,even a small walleye can be a challenge for me .
What i have been doing, is using a rod with a longer handle behind the reel and placing the butt into your front of your hip .This takes more pressure off the hand that is holding the rod. Just use your elbow to pump the rod up and down instead of your wrist . You can also loosen up the drag ,so there is less weight.
Using a longer rod also helps .
Too many people rush pulling in a fish ,take your time and enjoy it . Let the fish have a few runs . This also helps a laker burp it self . Just let him swim around the top water a bit .Its a 95 % chance it will NOT be a keeper anyways .Doing this might help what i call a perfect release ....where he unhooks him self .
As KGB said . Sit back and let the others pull in the big fish .

[pope]

Same issue here. Had cortisone injections while getting ultrasound so they injected exactly where it needed to be. So far 95% better after 4 months. First step is see a doctor.

[Marty S]

I’ve had carpal tunnel for many years in my left wrist. I skin coyotes, like lots of them so I am scared to get the surgery, is ok for many, is a wreck for some.

Fishing… ocean fishing big fish, I wear them skinny little work gloves with rubber/nitrile unders, like on palm and palm side of fingers, cloth backs. Pike and walleye I don’t bother. Gives you superb grip.

Two biggest helps… stretch your forearm, turn your hand right over backward, so your thumb points away from you, not simply palm up, turn hand other way until you are palm up pinky toward you and thumb away. Arm must be extreme dead straight, next grab affected hand with other hand, thumb in middle of palm and twist affected hand, keep arm straight. Surely if this doesn’t make sense you can fin carpal tunnel stretches on YouTube or google??? The idea is to stretch the muscles in your forearm.

Next biggest help is deep tissue massage by some massage therapist, but not just any old guy/gal. You have to find one that has a deep interest in the human body from a medical perspective who massages while thinking thru your problem medically. I also am affected by rheumatoid and my massage people have kept me going for years. Back, neck, legs, hands, feet. Without them, I’d have been sunk long ago and useless. It’ll hurt a little but let them hurt you… concentrate on trying to relax the muscles so they can get into them.