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Wrist injury and pole – anyone else had FCU tendinitis? Any encouraging words?
Hi, Veeners. I’m so incredibly bummed that I will have to stay off my pole for the next six weeks (!!!!), at least. I’m in my first term of massage school and I bartend at a brewery for work, so with pole in the mix, my wrists get really worked.
I have to confess that the first piece of self care that flew out the window due to my insane time constraints was my shoulder and wrist injury prevention exercises (Veena has all of them broken down here on her site)…which, given my activities should have been the last thing I gave up. I have seen others post things like this, warning about injuries and such, and just thought, oh I never get injured; it won’t happen to me… Well, I think the combination of overuse plus being so excited to get my split grip Ayesha (and doing it like 40 times in a row that night I figured out I could easily hold it…and holding it as long as I could each time) really did a number on my flexor carpi ulnaris tendon. Aaaaand since I always train both sides, I injured them both! Now that I have this injury, I see just how much that particular muscle is used for pole — every single time you reach up and grab the pole in a basic grip, your wrist has an ulnar deviation. Not to mention even in a gun grip, there is the slightest ulnar deviation as well (which is why it’s so easy to injure yourself if you don’t use the gun grip — with your index finger pointing down instead of gripping to maintain a more neutral wrist — and if you wrap that index finger around the pole you are an accident waiting to happen…and I noticed from filming myself I sometimes do this when I’m freestyling and am paying less attention to technique). So anyway, I can do absolutely nothing on the pole until this heals or I risk tearing the tendon so badly that surgery is necessary. I can’t even do pull-ups or anything like that that would keep my upper body in shape for pole. I am devastated, and I feel like I will lose so much strength and coordination, but I will be back.
SO prevention is the best cure: DO YOUR WRIST STRETCHES AND STRENGTHENING EXERCISES! DO THEM!
They take only minutes per day and can seriously save you and keep you on the pole 🙂
Below is some great info I found on tendinitis of the wrist flexors:https://control.vistacan.com/vistacan/sportmeds/103
In the meantime, I guess I will focus on my core and glutes and getting super flexy 🙂
And then rehabbing my poor wrists… -
16 Replies
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Ahh, I’m so sorry to hear you’ve hurt your wrists!
Both myself and my boyfriend are prone to wrist tendonitis… because we do so much on the computer. That is his job- he fixes and works on computers, as well as building websites and such. It can really do a number on him! He’s also really bad about pain, so by the time he notices he’s got a problem, he’s practically in tears.
I’m a little more aware of my pain, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get stubborn about it, and fail to listen to my body!
I also have shoulder tendonitis- the rotator cuff is a horrible thing and it hates my backpack. I go to university, so sometimes that bag can be pretty heavy! I’m always swinging it onto my right shoulder, and finally, the shoulder has said enough is enough!Sadly, we’re not quite as young as we used to be, and are no longer made of rubber and magic.
I totally agree with you on doing our wrist exercises… and I know I’m bad for neglecting them.
I’m sure you’ll be back on your pole before you know it, and you’ll have your Ayesha no problem, once again 😉 In the meantime, I bet you’ll get the hottest booty of them all!
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Thanks, Runemist. I needed the pep talk 🙂
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Hang in there. I know how frustrating and disappointing it is not to be able to pole. Last year I developed tendonitis is both wrist(along with carpal tunnel in the left which required surgery). Coincidently, at the time I too was working on my Ayesha, along with a pop up butterfly, and scissor climb. My body gave me warning signs, but instead of resting them, I thought they just needed to be worked out more to get stronger. It took 4 months for my doctor to be able to get the inflammation under control(which required steroids). A month later I had surgery for the carpal tunnel in my left hand(with a 12 week recovery period before trying pole again).
I went to a physical therapist who specialized in sports rehabilitation to find exercises in the meantime. As far as working on my upper body I was able to use a resistance band by wrapping my hands around them instead of grabbing them. I could not use dumbbells, but I could hold a round weight and do exercises with that. As far as pole, I worked on my dance moves and core.
I started back poling the end of December. The most important thing for me now is listening to my body and watching my form. I have wrist wraps I use which I feel were very helpful in the beginning, but now I use them less and less. For me (I’m 45) injury prevention is now a priority where getting a move was more important to me before.
I share my story because I so remember how devastated I was when I found out I could not pole, and wondering would I ever be able to again. Then, when I read about others who had similar issues, it gave me hope. Be patient with yourself and your body. Focus on all the things your body CAN do. Don’t rush recovery, and keep in mind there is a light at the end of the tunnel!
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Everyone gets tendonitis when you first start if you practice frequently enough. Just use a compression sleeve and get back on the pole. For tendonitis anyway…however idk what an ulnar deviation is but it sounds worse.
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Krazykitty ‘just use a compression sleeve and get back on the pole if you have tendinitis’ is REALLY REALLY REALLY BAD ADVICE.
Apologies for shouting but NO!
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KrazyKitty, you’ve also been suggesting to LilyG3013 on her forum, in which she says she has an Ulnar Deviation, to get a compression sleeve and be done with it… and now it’s “I don’t know what that is but it sounds worse”? You’re giving medical advice to a problem you know nothing about? That seems really horrible to me!!
And yeah, some compression on an unhappy tendon can FEEL good, but it doesn’t make the problem go away! Rehabilitating the tendon and muscle is the only way to properly and permanently heal tendonitis, and that also requires a lot of rest! I’ve had more tendonitis in my body than anyone else I know. It’s terrible, but I think I’ve done more than enough research, and learned enough from doctors and physiotherapists to be able to say that with some authority!
And no, not everyone gets tendonitis when they first start… nor SHOULD they ever get it! Proper training would prevent it from happening, and simply laying down and saying that everyone has to deal with it is NOT helping the problem at all! -
I’m so sorry this has happened to you, but THANK you for sharing your experience with us, because so many don’t take preparing the body for split grips to heart! This thread could save so many people from injury and time off their pole, so THANK YOU!
As you said our bodies are not meant to take on heavy weight when in the split grip position, it’s not a natural movement for the hands, wrists and forearms, and this is exactly why we need to limit our split grip time, even once you can do them comfortably.
If you have access to a gym or even resistance bands you can still work your back by using an ankle cuff, or any kind of cuff you can find, around your wrists, instead of gripping with your hands! Just be sure you keep the hands open and relaxed and not clenched when lifting or pulling.
Krazykitty, everyone does NOT get tendonitis and it not something you should ignore…. without rest it will only continue to be a problem. Please stop advising member here to use compression sleeves for their injuries. Thank you.
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Wow, krazykitty. I didn’t just start. I did not even just start working on split grip moves. More importantly, ulnar deviation is not an injury; it’s a movement of the wrist — sometimes also called adduction of the radiocarpal joint. Muscle strains are probably common; tendinitis is not and is pretty serious. I would recommend doing some research. I mean this in the nicest way possible: please stop giving advice when you have not done your homework. Do you have stock in compression sleeves? You’ll have to excuse me, but I am so very offended by your advice and I hope no reader ever takes that seriously because it will be very bad news for them.
Veena and AutumnSky: thanks for the workout advice. I have been wanting to use the theraband to at least work shoulders and back, but the wrist is funny and every muscle in there stabilizes so much, I know the resistance when just gripping the band through a movement is a no no. I do have light ankle cuff weights that I never thought to use (above the wrist joint, genius) — thanks Veena! I’ll try it!
AutumnSky, I’m trying to a imagine doing theraband work with two hands. Pretty much all the exercises I do for the back and shoulder using a theraband (which are basically Veena’s) are one-handed, so holding between the hands would be tough. I would also worry about the muscles whose tendons are inflamed working too hard to stabilize. I’ll try later though (in several weeks) when the injury is less acute, possibly attempting to tie it around my forearm. As I’m writing this, I’ve even thought of a couple of two-handed things 🙂 So thanks!
I’m sorry to hear that anyone has had similar injuries (or worse!) but it’s so heartening to know that our experiences are shared. Thank you so much 💛
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PS – AutumnSky, thank you THANK YOU again for the pep talk and kind words 💙
It really helps! Happy, healthy poling to you! -
I am nursing a recurrent flare up of chronic tendinitis in my forearms right now. I ignored best practice and did a heavy session of split grip for too long, with inadequate warm up and stretch down. Dull, inflamed ache wakes me every day at 5am. Ice and Ibrupriofen and pressure point massage are helping a lot.
I always recommend this great site for tendinitis and sports injuries and two massage therapist pros on the site have recommended it too; it’s science based, by a qualified person, citing peer reviewed sources and generally well thought of. Well worth a read.
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Oh, Polargirl – I’m sorry – it sucks being injured. Get well soon.
Ps: elbow/forearm planks and related exercises ie plank lifting up one leg, plank bending knee to elbow – I do these when forearms are angry because it conditions shoulders and core and whole body without aggravating wrists and forearms. Might work for you?
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I had tendonitis about a year ago. I wore the sleeve, kept poling and it went away. When you learn to do the techniques correctly, you wont be injured anymore. A compression sleeve is excellent. Yes Ive had a lot of injuries but you’re talking to someone who quit their job and has gone from zero (no dance experience of any kind) to being able to do handspring deadliest (cup and twisted), muscle ups, artamonova split, reverse deadlift (twisted and elbow grip), fonji, flag lift and other extremely difficult moves very gracefully and consistently in a year and three months of pole (a year and six if you count my injury times when i really couldn’t pole). If you move that fast, you can have injuries and some i stop for but others i work around.
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@krazykitty,
I am very impressed with your progression in pole. I’m glad your tendinitis went away so quickly so that you could stay on the pole. Did you go to a health care professional? I ask this because a muscle strain and tendinitis can feel very similar, and a strain is much less serious and a compression sleeve and light rest might alleviate the problem. Additionally, there are levels of severity of tendinitis, the most serious being a tendon that tears entirely, and obviously a sleeve is not going to get you back on the pole; only surgery and rest will. And a minor tendon tear can lead to a more major problem without rest. This has nothing to do with technique. It has to do with overuse of the muscle (or muscle group). I didn’t quit my job, so I do several other activities that are hard on the wrist flexors, my job and school being two examples. Thanks for your advice. I’ll consider getting a compression sleeve when my tendinitis is healed and I come back to poling. -
Tropical,
Thank you for the suggestions. I will be a free elbow standing machine very soon 🙂 -
Girl, I’ve been there.
I developed good old tendonitis on one side of my wrist and a very special tendinitis called DeQuervain’s tendinitis on the other side of it when I was a blackjack dealer.
I took MONTHS off from training and had to quit the casino to heal. I took it as a sign from the universe that it was time to focus on my other talents. This means I spent a lot of time drawing and going to the park for long walks and fresh air. Of course, I was itching to train but I cannot stress enough that if you have inflammation, resting is the best thing you can do.
See a physical therapist, take your meds, do your Theraband exercises and ice massage and let your body HEAL! It will heal itself if you will only let it.
The choice is to take a break now or keep pushing, wait for it to get worse, and eventually your body will make you take a break! Don’t let it get to that point.
You will return to pole with new determination and appreciation for it.
Try not to get depressed, you aren’t losing your identity. It’s just time to focus on other sides of yourself as you heal.
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