Fishing Elbow: Specifics About Causes, Motions

In the first installment of the Fit 4 Fishing series, BassFan and Troy Lindner discussed "fishing elbow" – how to recognize it, treat it and even prevent it.

But BassFans may still be curious about how the condition actually develops – what motions or actions in a day's fishing might cause it, and whether any particular style of fishing is most apt to create strain or inflammation.

In review, fishing elbow is identical to tennis elbow. Intense and repetitive work with the wrist strains the tendon on the outside of the elbow. This tendon – the common extensor tendon – helps extend the wrist and connects four or five forearm muscles to the elbow. Because we often fish over multiple days, the strain can quickly exacerbate. If left unchecked, it can lead to critical elbow failure like a torn tendon, which would require surgery.

Even Lindner, who stays in peak condition and stretches regularly, isn't immune. He recently experienced a fishing-elbow flare-up when he and fishing partner Bill Siemantel fished back-to-back TOCs at Clear Lake in California. The two finished 14th at the Angler's Choice Team TOC there and won the ABA Northern Regional.

"It was definitely fishing elbow," Lindner said. "I went to the gym each night after I got off the water to stretch and do exercises. But if the elbow hurt on the first rep, I stopped. When I got home, I did a lot of stretching of the forearm, like we discussed in the first story on BassFan, rested it and used a little bit of ice. It got better. Just taking time off was really important."

Repetitions That Wound

Lindner recently took an intensive look at what it is about the act of fishing and tournament fishing that makes fishing elbow alarmingly common.

His deduction: "It's the repetitious motions that cause it. Think about being at a gym. If you hold a 2-pound weight out in front of you, you're going to be tired in about a minute. Then think about holding a rod and reel out in front of you at arm's length for 8 or 10 hours. The muscles that support that weight are going to experience critical failure. And the smaller tendons will experience fatigue and wear out quickly. Your triceps won't get sore – it's the joints where you'll feel actual pain.

"Rods and reels today are light, but it's the constant use and hundreds to thousands of reps with even a very light weight can stress the joints," he added. "The breaking point's found where the couple of tendons attach the big forearm muscles to the elbow. That's where fishing elbow occurs."

Spinning and Casting

According to Lindner, several different presentations commonly cause fishing elbow. The most common culprit is flipping and pitching. Here, the elbow's inverted away from the body, out of alignment with the wrist. Heavy weights, like those used in mat-punching, make the strain even worse.

Reaction-bait fishing's another culprit. Again, the elbow's often inverted and out of alignment – especially when fishing jerkbaits or topwaters.

And buggy whips aren't immune. In fact, spinning rods are just as guilty as casting rods because the body doesn't assist in the hookset or in fighting a fish – it's all wrist and elbow. "Your wrist's in a very awkward position with spinning rods all the time – like shooting a pistol," Lindner said. "The wrist's bent down and forward and out of natural alignment.

"With either style of rod, balancing the bait correctly with the rod's important," he added. "A balanced outfit will take some strain off the wrist and elbow because the rod helps work the bait, rather than solely your arm. Better balance transfers to better bait action through the rod, and if some of the energy can he absorbed through the rod, you'll reduce wear and tear on the body."

Additional Notes