should i take a break?

[medicinalfunk]

alright, so ever since i decided it was time to buy my own discs for the first time, it's been about 4 months straight of two rounds a day. i throw the tomahawk often, and with a pretty violent motion, as i use it to stretch shots off the teepad over 300 because i can't get there backhand yet, and some lanes just aren't lefty friendly off the pad (especially when you have no forehand shot).

about 2 and a half weeks ago, i noticed a slight dull pain in my left knee (i tomahawk with the right hand, and this is the leg i plant on during the motion) which eventually went up to my hip. my knee and hip would be a little sore after my first round, and noticeably sore after the second. however, when i'd wake up in the morning, there would be no pain or numbness.

today, i played three rounds at the same course through out the day with different groups of people, and now i have ankle soreness along with sharp pain in the hip and knee.

to sum it up, i'm wondering if this is a case of playing too much, or my throwing motion being too stressful on the left side of my lower body. should i take a break? start icing after rounds? work on changing my motion when tossing the thumber for distance? anyone experienced anything similar from throwing? if so, what did you end up doing?

if so, i have no problem sitting by the river with some chicken livers all day for the weekend to take a break :thmbup:

 

[EduCatOR]

Are you stretching at all before doing all of this activity?? If not, might be a good idea to get some good stretching in everyday. Taking a little break and letting things recoup isn't all that bad of an idea, or just go easy for a little while until you're not having so much pain.

 

[1Roy]

Maybe you're trying too hard. Maybe it's time to work on throwing only mids and putters backhand. MAybe it's time to learn forehand.

I don't think disc is a game where you should be wearing out joints really.

 

[agent_peebody]

get some "medicine" and play through the pain

 

[medicinalfunk]

i've played football and basketball most of my life and into school, never had any sort of injury and know to always go through my stretching routine before a round. i throw backhand from the pad on holes that go off to the right and short holes, but on long ones and especially holes with very narrow fairways (look at some of the holes from the home course in my profile that i play every day) its always a tommy

i carry 3 different discs i use to put my thumbers in different spots on the fairway and to set up my second shot, and i always approach and putt with the backhand. the tomahawk is the throw i am most confident with, and have thrown hundreds of thousands of tight spirals with a pretty similar motion. it's something i really don't want to give up as a part of my game.

the ankle is doing a lot better now that i've had some ice on it for awhile, dull pain in hip and knee has already faded as usual

 

[Craton]

I second the notion to learn a new throw. Tomahawks, as apparently BA as they are, are incredibly hard on the body. Learn to throw backhand, and your body will thank you. Plus, I guarantee you can throw something farther backhand than you ever can overhand if you put the time and effort into it- and with WAY less wear and tear on the body.

 

[chrishysell]

keep playing until you can't play anymore. Get some surgery and jump right back on the course. Skip the therapy, disc golf is great therapy. And don't stretch. I'm 47yrs old and never do it, it wastes valuable playing time.

That's my philosophy. That's also why i've have two shoulder surgeries. But I really do believe what I wrote. After the 1st surgery I never went to therapy and won a tournament 16 days later, 4 days out of the sling. BUT, it took me a long time to get my strength back after the 2nd surgery. There's no cartilage left.

Don't be stupid.

 

[PanicKJ]

Stretching routine is a must. You said you already do that but make sure you are stretching your whole body, neck, arms, shoulders, back, legs.

I stretch in between rounds as well.

You could try lighter weight discs. I throw all 150-160 drivers due to my hurting shoulder. They fly just as far with less effort.

If you are throwing overhand a more compact throw will eliminate pains and go just as far. What I mean is arm not fully extended, legs not tweaked.

You definately should take a break as well. Two rounds a day everyday! That is a lot of golf. Especially when you are new. When you are starting out you are putting a lot of energy in each throw. I have only been playing two years however I have gotten my form down a lot better now and I never throw as hard as I can in a round. When you are new you throw as hard as you can on pretty much every throw.

If you absolutely have to play the try to throw with the opposite arm. Sure it will feel awkward however you will be using a differant group of muscles. My right shoulder is hurting now from throwing overhands so I have been practicing left handed all week.

Don't play through the pain. You only have one body, chances are if you are doing something that is hurting you you can make adjustments and find a better way to throw that is more accurate, longer, and doesn't hurt.

 

[BucketBonanza]

wow. i generally only use tommies and thumbers to get out of trouble. i can't imagine using it every round even once, let alone many times every round. i CAN imagine the pain you feel because a powerfully thrown overhead shot really reefs on my shoulder, although i haven't noticed it in my legs. work seriously on your BH and FH throws and become proficient at each. use these more standard throws exclusively for at least a month and don't throw any overhead shots. it will be like rehab for your legs and ankles, and you will come out of it with great versatility and your game will soar to knew levels. don't ruin your body at this early stage in your playing! in the end you are the only one who can help you. buckle down and work on your other throws. what better time than now?

 

[djjeremiahj]

careful,
your symptoms sound like a back trauma....

learn the backhand or forehand and skip the overhand.
(btw, proper stretching helps a lot...)

 

[daxfas26]

Sounds like you have flat feet! I bet all your money its your feet not getting enough arch support. it does cause pain like you described. It would be an investment if you bought something like dr scholls arch supports. Wear them for a month and get used to them. I have heard its uncomfortable at first but once your feet gets it arch back it wont hurt anymore and your symptoms should be gone!

 

[BrotherDave]

P
C
P.

 

[medicinalfunk]

now that i've woken up in the middle of the night randomly, i don't feel any pain anywhere. HOWEVER, to prevent this from happening again, i think everyone here is right: i probably need to develop a consistent backhand drive and not rely on the thumber so heavily if it's going to give me leg problems. my approach game (less than 200 feet) is always backhand. i thought about too how i almost finish on the front of my toes when im putting, and put similar (but nowhere near as severe) pressure on the same leg as the thumber as i do for a standard backhand throw.

so, stretch even better, get some better shoes, and actually learn to throw a disc? i guess i can tryyyyyyyy!

 

[chrishysell]

I really don't stretch. I throw shots easy and after 3 or 4 go to throwing harder. I have multiple injuries but I push myself hard. Being the age I am it takes longer to heal.

Something that has always stuck in my head was a report I saw on one of the morning tv shows(Good Morning America, i think) that said a recent study showed that stretching did not prevent injuries. They went on to explain that in a study of 40 athletes the number of injuries was about the same for those that stretched and those that didn't stretch. I'm such a skeptic that I know there is no way they could have made each person do the exact same things and work out with the exact same intensity.

 

[craftsman]

^most counterdictive post ever^

 

[chrishysell]

I have been called a contrarian. :doh:

 

[Thumber]

I have the nickname Thumber for a reason and trust me, you need to be able to throw more than OH to play properly. My OH shots let me keep up with the local big guns I was playing with, until I blew up my rotator cuff. Used the healing time to learn an backhand and now I'm right back playing with the best in my region, except I can match their BH with my own, plus I have the thumber for shots that they don't have

learn to backhand

 

[xJFK]

I really don't stretch. I throw shots easy and after 3 or 4 go to throwing harder. I have multiple injuries but I push myself hard. Being the age I am it takes longer to heal.

Something that has always stuck in my head was a report I saw on one of the morning tv shows(Good Morning America, i think) that said a recent study showed that stretching did not prevent injuries. They went on to explain that in a study of 40 athletes the number of injuries was about the same for those that stretched and those that didn't stretch. I'm such a skeptic that I know there is no way they could have made each person do the exact same things and work out with the exact same intensity.

you make me think of woody harrelson's charater from zombie land "do you ever see a lion stretch before it takes down a gazelle?"

 

[agent_peebody]

haha, great movie

 

[chingy414]

alright, so ever since i decided it was time to buy my own discs for the first time, it's been about 4 months straight of two rounds a day. i throw the tomahawk often, and with a pretty violent motion, as i use it to stretch shots off the teepad over 300 because i can't get there backhand yet, and some lanes just aren't lefty friendly off the pad (especially when you have no forehand shot).

about 2 and a half weeks ago, i noticed a slight dull pain in my left knee (i tomahawk with the right hand, and this is the leg i plant on during the motion) which eventually went up to my hip. my knee and hip would be a little sore after my first round, and noticeably sore after the second. however, when i'd wake up in the morning, there would be no pain or numbness.

today, i played three rounds at the same course through out the day with different groups of people, and now i have ankle soreness along with sharp pain in the hip and knee.

to sum it up, i'm wondering if this is a case of playing too much, or my throwing motion being too stressful on the left side of my lower body. should i take a break? start icing after rounds? work on changing my motion when tossing the thumber for distance? anyone experienced anything similar from throwing? if so, what did you end up doing?

if so, i have no problem sitting by the river with some chicken livers all day for the weekend to take a break :thmbup:

You have good taste in music. I have all the same **** on my ipod. Do you have dangerdoom?