Super swollen and painful fingers

[Snailpowered]

So I have been working on my form and my snap alot over the past 6 months. I have thrown 4 days in a row, which is alot for me. I usually play about 4 times a week. Now my fingers are really messed up and I am wondering if I really screwed something up or is it that I am gripping it wrong.

Well, my index and middle finger are really swollen, numb to the touch, and hurt like hell when I throw. I figured out why it is happening, my front knuckle is bending to the side unnaturally just before it rips out of my hand, as I try to hang on to the disc just a bit longer to really get good rip effect. I have been getting great rotation and distance out of my discs as of lately tho.

I do remember reading somewhere that if you can audibly hear a "snap" when the disc rips out of your hand that you are doing something wrong and actually slowing down the disc as it leaves your hand. Well my release has a really loud snap sound when I throw, so much so that most people I play with comment on how loud it is. I throw with a modified power grip/ fan grip on my mids and a 3 finger modified power grip on my fairway and distance drivers.

has anyone experienced this and know what it is or know how to prevent it from happening in the future?

 

[sidewinder22]

Either gripping too hard early and slipping, or your grip/mechanics are messed up.

 

[Snailpowered]

In my form analysis post you can actually hear the snap Im talking about.

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86738

I will post pics of my current grips that I am using. I feel as I wait until the disc gets the my left pec before I start to squeeze the disc tight, and having my firmest grip right at the end. It is almost like as I feel the disc start to rip out of my hand I squeeze a little bit more and thats why it rips out so hard. But yes, it starts to slip out and I really squeeze then. I have never had this problem in the past 6 month of playing. really sux as I want to play but it just hurts too much to go and throw.

 

[sidewinder22]

Could be from your open your stance if you haven't changed to a closed stance(turning the body backward). That open stance makes the whip less effective(target ward) and easier to hold on too long.

 

[j0atz]

I have had some pretty bad swollen knuckles from throwing a lot...but I think its mostly because of my heavy computer use on top of throwing a lot.

 

[LeBryson James]

Change your grip up and use more of your ring and pinky. It'll feel weird at first but it'll help in the long run. Trust me.

 

[Snailpowered]

Here is a pic of how swollen my right fingers joints are


This is my grip for my mids (been the same for about a year) you can notice how my index finger can get caught up on the rim of the disc as it starts to rip out.


This is my current driver grip


I threw a few with a full 4 finger power grip but it always seems to slip out of my hand without the same amount of spin that my 3 finger grip has


All of my discs seem to come out of my hand clean about 99% of the time with very little "wobble" to them. I have been very happy with the results from my current grips except for this uncharacteristic strain of my knuckles.

 

[Snailpowered]

Could be from your open your stance if you haven't changed to a closed stance(turning the body backward). That open stance makes the whip less effective(target ward) and easier to hold on too long.

I have actually been really turning away and reaching much farther back in the past few weeks. It has really messed with my distance perspective, as I tend to over throw alot with about a 1/3 less effort. I have also noticed that with a longer reachback I have a tendency to throw a bit hyzer than flat like I used to with my old "shorter" rechback throw. hope that made sence.

 

[tu-f-o]

you need to relax your grip and only tighten up near release time.
put some ice on those fingers ASAP. that will reduce the swelling.
don't play nonstop. you won't enjoy it.

 

[sidewinder22]

Your index finger looks a bit jammed, and maybe not the last finger off the disc to pivot around especially in your power grips. You may want to try orienting the disc differently, or even try a two finger grip for sake of feeling a different grip with more pressure toward the base of the index finger/palm as opposed to the base of the thumb/into the back palm. Play around and try Robbie Bratten's 2 finger and MJ's fan grip.

 

[Snailpowered]

SW22, I have actually used to throw with a two finger grip and needed to switch to the 3 finger power grip for more accuacy as I had very little to speak of with the 2 finger. As for the fan grip in the video that is where I learned to incorporate it into my mids.

If there is something that you see different in my fan grip then Mj's can you chime in, as I am comfortable with that grip already so it should be a fairly seamless change.

The one thing that I did notice with the fan grip on my drivers is that I usually dont get the same distance as I do with a form of a power grip.

I would love a bit more incite if you car to elaborate.

 

[sidewinder22]

I'd try moving the index finger more forward so there's some space between the index and middle. You may have orient the disc higher in the back and aligned with the forearm.

http://www.innovadiscs.com/home/daves-tips/daves-grip-tips.html
https://www.dgcoursereview.com/dgr/resources/articles/gripittoripit.shtml

 

[RandyC]

Old thread arise! Man I have this exact problem, my index finger gets stuck and it´s so annoying. I have tried so many different grips with no help.

 

[sidewinder22]

Old thread arise! Man I have this exact problem, my index finger gets stuck and it´s so annoying. I have tried so many different grips with no help.

Your disc appears to be oriented perpendicular to your forearm with your fingers just curled straight around the rim instead of angling them to align the disc parallel to the hand and forearm and allowing the tendons to travel as Climo says. I'd play around with Bratten's 2 finger grip and Climo grip.

 

[RandyC]

uhm.. guess the pictures werent great. This is how it aligns with my forearm. aaand for some reason the picture is upside down..


mod note: Image corrected

 

[lyleoross]

There was great story a few years back about a kid who was suffering a great deal of pain. Turned out he was using his mom's apricot exfoliant scrub for lubrication.

A standard power grip should not give a lot of pain. Do you grip lock? Are you squeezing the hell out of your disc? The grip is just powerful enough to give control over the disc and it's movement. It isn't limp by any means, but it's not a Donald Trump handshake either. To get snap, your wrist needs to flex. A rigid grip won't allow that and may result in the problem you're describing.

 

[RandyC]

its not limp nor trump shake. My index finger just gets stuck even at low speed throws.

 

[sidewinder22]

its not limp nor trump shake. My index finger just gets stuck even at low speed throws.

Your grip is more like a uni-claw grip with too much pressure on the fingers and not enough space between index finger. Play with Bratten's 2 finger grip in post #10, you should feel different pressure points between the index and other fingers, I also show how to do this in the grip and alignment vid above. You want more space between your index finger and the others so the index is the more wrapped around the rim like a trigger and can be loose then squeeze or pull the trigger at the very end - look at Josh Anthon's index finger and thumb pad off the disc at the top of the backswing, so he has compete control of the disc between the other fingers and base of the thumb, then pulls the trigger during the swing progressively. It really does feel like pulling a trigger. I believe Jussi does this as well.