Weak top hand

[sickwilly 37]

This year, I've been struggling quite a bit with my shooting. Shooting had never been a problem for me until the end of last year. During the spring, after being tripped, I injured my top hand. I suspect that I had a bad sprain, some kind of small break, and/or ligament tear in my hand/wrist. I didn't go to the doctor right after the injury. I thought it was simply a sprain that they'd tell me to immobilize, ice, and eventually try to increase my range of motion.

On top of that, I have been experiencing worsening symptoms of what I believe to be carpal tunnel. Neoprene hand/wrist supports have helped a little with the discomfort on and off the ice. Surgery isn't an option at this point. I'm self-employed and need to keep working.

I have lost quite a bit of velocity on my wrist shot, which was my primary weapon for years. I am alsonhaving a very hard time elevating the puck. I have played for a pretty long time, including at a reasonably high level. This has never happened to me. If anything, I have tended to shoot the puck too high. It has definitely crept into my head. I'm thinking too much and opting to pass vs. shoot more often than I should. I've gotten older, fatter, and lazier, but this has gone beyond what I would have expected from that.

I have tried tinkering with patterns a little, but the Sakic clones are still most comfortable. No help so far from trying p88, Smyth, or Afinogenov patterns. I think I need to slap the puck more often and try to shift away from taking mostly wristers. I've also thought about dropping down to 85 flex shafts.

Has anyone else dealt with this kind of issue? Are there any exercises that folks have tried to help with carpal tunnel? Any suggestions would be welcomed. Thanks in advance!

[wrangler 157]

How did you get from known trauma to suspecting a repetitive motion injury?

[Souldriver 64]

Well first off go see the doc and see what's really up. It may be a simple fix such as take a couple of weeks off. There are always stretches that should be done when healthy or not but get it checked out first.

[wrangler 157]

He knows. . . he's in health care.

[sss1987 55]

I had an issue where i hurt my wrist. There are specific "exercises" for it you can do. Would be best to see a physio to help you to build up your wrist again.

Avoid using supports for long periods..they are only really a short term aid.

I recently found that when i put a small weight onto the bottom of my stick (0.5kg) and practicing stick handling with it on (with a smart hockey ball and green biscuit), that it has helped to strengthen my "hockey muscles" in my arms again (i have recently started playing after a 5 year off period..and i too am older, fatter and weaker then before lol). It specifically helped my wrists too. Subsequently my shooting has slowly become better to (as a result of utilizing my hockey muscles more).

hope this helps.

[sickwilly 37]

How did you get from known trauma to suspecting a repetitive motion injury?

What I suspect is carpal tunnel has been building/worsening gradually for a while. I was already having problems before the trauma. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[sickwilly 37]

Well first off go see the doc and see what's really up. It may be a simple fix such as take a couple of weeks off. There are always stretches that should be done when healthy or not but get it checked out first.

In an ideal world, I would have gone already. We have lousy insurance and are trying hard to dig out of debt (I know that's a personal choice/my responsibility). I took some time off in the summer from everything but cardio. It helped a little, for a little while.

I had an issue where i hurt my wrist. There are specific "exercises" for it you can do. Would be best to see a physio to help you to build up your wrist again.

Avoid using supports for long periods..they are only really a short term aid.

I recently found that when i put a small weight onto the bottom of my stick (0.5kg) and practicing stick handling with it on (with a smart hockey ball and green biscuit), that it has helped to strengthen my "hockey muscles" in my arms again (i have recently started playing after a 5 year off period..and i too am older, fatter and weaker then before lol). It specifically helped my wrists too. Subsequently my shooting has slowly become better to (as a result of utilizing my hockey muscles more).

hope this helps.

These suggestions are helpful. I hadn't thought of trying a weighted stick. PT is an option that I'm strongly considering at this point.

[wrangler 157]

Yeah, I took the "worsening symptoms" to have begun and worsened subsequently.

That sucks. I understand about the downtime with carpal tunnel surgery, and the activity limitations even doing one hand at a time.

[sickwilly 37]

Yeah, I took the "worsening symptoms" to have begun and worsened subsequently.

That sucks. I understand about the downtime with carpal tunnel surgery, and the activity limitations even doing one hand at a time.

It would basically mean little to no pay for whatever the downtime would be, plus a nice bill that would be very poorly-timed on top of that.

@sss1987 - Just set up an eval with the local PT office in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the reminder of that possibility. I had thought of it a while ago, but it fell "off my radar" for some reason.

[sss1987 55]

I've been really disappointed with my own road back in to hockey, as after 4-5 years off..it just hasnt come back as quickly as i thought it would.. its taken a lot of time (2.5 months just to feel confident again).

I have been watching a lot of how-to videos (as silly as that sounds), but you pick up a few tips here and there. The weighted stick was a good one as its very hockey focused (rather then training individual muscles separately). Btw you'll be amazed at your soft, quick hands when you use your normal stick! My wrists now feel much more happier after a training session.

I was lucky with the PT i guess, as here in the UK we have the NHS (national health service). At the time, I was at Uni, and i had two flat mates in their final year of Physiotherapy!