Preventing arm injury

[33tango]

Last summer I was trying to crush a drive and something hurt like a bitch in my arm all of a sudden, then kept hurting for a couple months. Lesson learned:

1. Stop trying to crush it.
2. Stretch more.

Anyone else out there with more advice on preventing arm injury?

Not playing for a couple months after just starting was quite the setback and I'd really like to prevent a repeat injury.

Thanks!

[sidewinder22]

Stretch. Warm up with 20 min of putts, and then ease into your drives, start off slow and try to build speed each throw. Stretch.

[Fore]

What type of thrower are you? Other than the two things already mentioned I would check your form. Poor form and no follow through can be career ending if done on a regular basis.

[solomon.trenton]

lots of heating pads and icy hot.;)

[ShaZaun]

Beer..... helps me

[Geoffro]

I found the following advice helpful in a thread posted last year, hope it helps:

I'm 43 and have had a few conversations with professional trainers on the subject. There is a lot of debate some still advocate extensive stretching before physical activities. However some were of the opinion that you can stretch too much and it's like stretching a rubber band too far. It will bounce back but it's looser. Your muscles and tendons are part of what hold your joints together, the ones in your body not the ones hidden in he bottom of your cigarette pack :D, and if they are too loose you are much more likely to hyperextend something or to roll and ankle. What was reccomended was to think of it as warming up not stretching. Try to get all of your muscle moving roll your neck roll your torso and if possible play catch with someone for about 15 min before a round. And don't just warm up throwing muscles pay attention to walking, carrying, picking up and just plain being old muscles. Oh and lots of water.

[sub ceroh]

Beer..... helps me

WTF????

[JR Stengele]

I would recommend switching up your styles of throwing and try to avoid throwing full power at all times. Perhaps using bigger discs for smaller shots and just learning to throw with accuracy. Or you could just drink beer... =)

[REDARMY]

Anyone else out there with more advice on preventing arm injury?

Get a girlfriend.

'tennis elbow' doesn't just come from tennis.








:p:p

seriously, just streatch like the other guys said.

[discgolforegon]

What are some good ways to properly stretch out the shoulder muscles?

[33tango]

What type of thrower are you? Other than the two things already mentioned I would check your form. Poor form and no follow through can be career ending if done on a regular basis.

RHBH and I can throw a little forehand but my distance forehand is so bad I almost never drive with it.

[33tango]

What are some good ways to properly stretch out the shoulder muscles?

Short videos, first two are arm and shoulder
http://www.sportsmed.org/tabs/resources/exercises.aspx

That's how they taught us to stretch in the Army. Stretch, hold the stretch without bouncing for 10 seconds or so, then release.

[landon77]

Here is an idea, don't fall and slip on ice then try to catch yourself with your throwing arm!! It has been a month and I can not flip the damn disc anymore, please heal shoulder!!

[sidewinder22]

Yep Landon...In college I once dislocated my right shoulder after stumbling into a door frame after someone slung me off their shoulder at my door when I had been drinkin too much. It took 6-8 weeks to start swimming again. My coach made me kick everyday in practice for two hours. My kick definately got better.

It is actually best to warm up with some walking before stretching. If your muscles and tendons are cold when you stretch, they can snap.

[buzzinb]

"1. Stop trying to crush it."

You identified my biggest problem. For me, poor form is typically the result of trying too hard. I have to keep reminding myself that this is discgolf--a game of finesse, not brute force. Unfortunately, I still don't listen far too often.

A good warm up exercise involves slowly mimicking the the throwing motion while grasping a towel for resistance. I've been doing this and it seems to help.

[Lewis]

I have what must be tennis elbow (nasty soreness in my elbow and in my forearm muscles after playing a round, especially after throwing lots of forehands or overhands), but I don't know what causes it or how to prevent it. Can anybody point me in the right direction?

[Chainchaser]

Yea that is my biggest problem is trying to crush it. I sometimes fell like my elbow is going to snap. I am slowly learning to slow down and concentrate on form more than distance and it seems I get better distance when I do that than trying to crush it.

[Wheat]

OF COURSE!!! In an attempt to crush, we often fail to crush it, more of an un-crush if you wish. So the commonly known crush has become dreaded un-crush, which means to succeed is to fail, and trying hard is worse than not trying at all!!! duh!!

to translate...smooth is far..you're trying to hard. Keep everything fluid, and don't short arm. It begins with the first step and ends with you're rotation and follow through, and it should all be smoother than micheal's moonwalk. If you do it correctly you shouldn't have any pains.