Bass Fishing Gives Me a Pain

I'm speaking in the literal sense here, so don't go getting your hackles up, thinking that I'm getting ready to dump on our sport. I just wanted to get your attention. All I really want to talk about in this setting are the different kinds of injuries--some pretty darn painful--we may encounter while enjoying our favorite pastime. OK? Is your blood pressure back down to normal yet?

What got me to thinking about this topic was an item I read in Jay Kumar's latest issue of BassBlaster, in which he was relating the experience of an angler who started serious competitive bass fishing in his early 20s. He was only in his 40s when doctors first diagnosed him with fishing elbow. Following surgery for that condition, he went on to have arm surgery, multiple hand surgeries, multiple back surgeries, knee surgery, foot surgery, and an operation for planter fasciitis.

Said the victim, "All of those surgeries may not be the direct result of bass fishing, but I know it was a major contributing factor. And it ultimately caused me to stop competitive angling for slower-paced recreational angling."

Kumar subsequently issued this warning: "All you young dudes--these things creep up on you, man. Body's good 'til all of a sudden, it's not. Take care of yourself."

And I'm here to tell you that once you turn 60, all bets are off as to what kind of toll fishing may start taking on you. A lot is going to depend on how you've treated your body up 'til that point, coupled with just how lucky you are. Everyone experiences different things.

For me--and I've said this for several years now--an average 8-hour day on the water normally requires about 48 hours of recuperation time. It takes all those sore, aching joints and body parts that long to restore themselves to the point where I feel ready to go again.

In doing further research for this item, I happened upon an angler who explained his experience this way. "As I've gotten older, I have found more and more places where pain simply develops--through no specific accident or injury. It just happens. With a few visits to a physical therapist and an orthopedic surgeon, I've learned a few tricks that can help prevent these aches and pains."

Following is a digest of the advice the angler received from these professionals.

Fishing elbow. To relieve the pain associated with this condition, find an OTC anti-inflammatory medication that works for you. It's also suggested that you alternate between applications of heat and cold. Use cold to reduce swelling of the tendon; conversely, use heat to draw blood to the injury to promote healing. A variety of exercises have proven effective in preventing or reducing damage from fishing elbow. One such exercise is to hold your arm straight out in front of you, with your fingers pointed at the ground, and use your opposite hand to pull against the back of your hand pointed toward the ground. Next, rotate your hand, pointing your fingertips to the ceiling and again pull against it. This exercise stretches the forearm muscles and tendons. By stretching, you're also lubricating them, which allows them to slide and move properly, preventing the tears that cause pain...and can lead to a long recovery. Victims often will have to put the fishing rod down for two or three months.

Shoulder pain. This condition is a lot more complex than fishing elbow. The list of possible injuries to the shoulder joint is endless. Two very simple exercises help greatly and only take a few minutes. First is to rotate your arm around in a 360-degree rotation, trying to max out your reach from straight down to out in front of you, then over your head, and finally behind you. The reach behind you is the one that will give the greatest pull, and in the beginning, take it easy on your shoulder until you build up some range of motion. The next exercise involves taking a rag and throwing one end of it over your opposite shoulder, reaching behind your back with the arm you want to stretch the shoulder on, and grabbing the rag. With your other arm, pull the rag over your head, stretching the affected shoulder. Again, in the beginning, take it easy on this exercise because it can get really painful in a hurry.

Forearm tendonitis. This condition normally materializes in the form of a radiating pain or burning sensation that runs across the top of your arm between your elbow and wrist. This form of tendonitis is common in anglers who already have had fishing elbow and now are compensating with the use of their forearm through a change in casting or pitching tactics. Unfortunately, there isn't much that can be done for tendonitis in the forearm, except immobilization. Downtime is the prescription. You either take a break, or it's going to hurt. Luckily, this condition is not as severe as joint tendonitis and will take only a week to 10 days to correct. You can use heat and cold applications to help the healing process along.

Back pain. More anglers suffer from this condition than any other problem. One of the best things you can do to help your back is to have a trolling-motor-pedal recess installed, thereby improving your posture immensely. Other things that can help manage back pain are core body strengthening, walking and stretching. Crunches, leg lifts, and pushups will help your core-body strength--nothing extravagant, just a few of each a couple times a week will help tremendously. Walking, the simplest thing you can do, will help improve your stability and strengthen your hip and leg muscles, allowing them to help support you better through the day. Stretching also has huge benefits. There are a multitude of possible stretches, with each designed to help different regions of the lower back. You should see a physical therapist before deciding on a stretching regimen to ensure you are working the areas that are going to benefit you the most.

Bottom line: As you get older, your tendons don't work as well. You have to start stretching before the pain to prevent it. If you're not in pain now, don't wait. Build a stretching program, and use it. Hopefully, you'll never know how important it is because you didn't learn what these aches and pains are. Learn from what all the anglers around the country are saying: Bass fishing has injuries, just like any other sport. However, most of these injuries are preventable if you start early. It's hard to believe when you're 25 years of age that, by the time you're 40, a simple pitch to an overhanging tree can hurt, but it will if you don't take preventive measures now.

In the words of one seasoned angler, "When I was 20, I could fish all day and be slightly tired. When I was 30, I'd get tired, but after a little nap, I was ready to go again. Now that I'm 40, there is a healing process, as well as a recovery time. Stretching, exercising and staying very hydrated seem to help with pain associated with fishing... . And, finally, always consult with your family doctor before taking on an exercise program."