Finger extensor tendon pain

[tbird99]

Usually the morning after I play melee for at least 30 minutes I wake up and the tendons in the back of my hands hurt, then they hurt for the rest of the day. It happens in both hands and mostly in my index fingers middles fingers and ring fingers. I also sometimes feel some pain in the tendons in my wrist that are connected to my thumb. I've only been playing competitive melee for 4 months so I wouldn't think that I would have any problems, and I've been researching for about a month but I've found nothing. Most of the problems I've seen are flexor tendon pain, which I don't have. Also i sometimes warm up my hands before playing and I always stretch afterwards. Does anyone know what I have and what I should do to get rid of this pain?

 

[Pauer]

Take a good look at your hands when you play. When I play, especially in tournament, I often find myself almost cramping up my fingers in order to get precise inputs. I would keep my thumbs up high, my index fingers behind the shoulder triggers and my other fingers would push into the controller.

Only recently have I started focusing on keeping my hands relaxed. I've found that you should look that your thumbs just rest on one of the buttons and the control stick. Your index fingers should be on top of the shoulder triggers and the remaining fingers never actually need to apply any force for holding the controller.

Perhaps compare how you hold your controller to how you hold your phone.
If you're not doing anything you will notice your thumbs hovering above the screen motionless, your other fingers just hold it in air, no force used.

 

[Hunybear]

Take a good look at your hands when you play. When I play, especially in tournament, I often find myself almost cramping up my fingers in order to get precise inputs. I would keep my thumbs up high, my index fingers behind the shoulder triggers and my other fingers would push into the controller.

Only recently have I started focusing on keeping my hands relaxed. I've found that you should look that your thumbs just rest on one of the buttons and the control stick. Your index fingers should be on top of the shoulder triggers and the remaining fingers never actually need to apply any force for holding the controller.

Perhaps compare how you hold your controller to how you hold your phone.
If you're not doing anything you will notice your thumbs hovering above the screen motionless, your other fingers just hold it in air, no force used.

ALSO! Relaxing your hands also improves reaction time/ input speed. Moving around the controller quickly is a lot harder when your all tensed up.

 

[Pauer]

ALSO! Relaxing your hands also improves reaction time/ input speed. Moving around the controller quickly is a lot harder when your all tensed up.

I totally agree! You should try to incorporate this "relaxed"-approach to how you move your fingers as well (I talk about applying it for shorthops in this comment)
Perhaps one day when you are tired and about to fall asleep, go practice some tech skill. You will be so tired that your fingers will automatically follow the easiest ways of doing the inputs.
Or another way I would practice this is by trying to be as quiet as possible during practice.

At first you might not be as consistent as before but improvement will come quicker than ever before.

 

[MagicScrumpy]

How often do you stretch your hands? Only stretching your hands after play sessions isn't good if you have long play sessions. Stretch your hands at least once every hour, and make sure to take frequent breaks so your hands can rest.

 

[tbird99]

Take a good look at your hands when you play. When I play, especially in tournament, I often find myself almost cramping up my fingers in order to get precise inputs. I would keep my thumbs up high, my index fingers behind the shoulder triggers and my other fingers would push into the controller.

Only recently have I started focusing on keeping my hands relaxed. I've found that you should look that your thumbs just rest on one of the buttons and the control stick. Your index fingers should be on top of the shoulder triggers and the remaining fingers never actually need to apply any force for holding the controller.

Perhaps compare how you hold your controller to how you hold your phone.
If you're not doing anything you will notice your thumbs hovering above the screen motionless, your other fingers just hold it in air, no force used.

I've heard that the shoulder buttons on the sm4sh controllers can cause more pain because the don't move as easily. Is there a way to replace the spring with the spring of an older controller? Also what do you mean by keeping your index fingers behind the shoulder buttons?

How often do you stretch your hands? Only stretching your hands after play sessions isn't good if you have long play sessions. Stretch your hands at least once every hour, and make sure to take frequent breaks so your hands can rest.

I usually don't play for over an hour. I'll occasionally play for two hours and rarely I'll play for 3 hours at night, but never more than that. But most of the time, it's only an hour or less

 

[tbird99]

Accidently double posted

 

[Kadano]

I've heard that the shoulder buttons on the sm4sh controllers can cause more pain because the don't move as easily. Is there a way to replace the spring with the spring of an older controller? Also what do you mean by keeping your index fingers behind the shoulder buttons?

I usually don't play for over an hour. I'll occasionally play for two hours and rarely I'll play for 3 hours at night, but never more than that. But most of the time, it's only an hour or less

See http://smashboards.com/posts/20325851.

Also if you want to order pre-modded controllers: http://smashboards.com/threads/kada...ate-more-list-with-details-and-prices.421137/

 

[Hunybear]

I've heard that the shoulder buttons on the sm4sh controllers can cause more pain because the don't move as easily. Is there a way to replace the spring with the spring of an older controller? Also what do you mean by keeping your index fingers behind the shoulder buttons?

I usually don't play for over an hour. I'll occasionally play for two hours and rarely I'll play for 3 hours at night, but never more than that. But most of the time, it's only an hour or less

Well you can cut the spring shorter and stretch it. The part of the plastic on the L/R buttons that presses the button on the mother board looking part is hollow so u can cut a shop stick or something to press the L/R buttons quicker. Idk if I would do that tho cuz mod controllers are banned. You can for practice tho. I have a controller with extra knotches on the joy stick I use for practice.

 

[Pauer]

what do you mean by keeping your index fingers behind the shoulder buttons?

I'll just show you what I mean.
I think the wavedash motion showcases this well.


What not to do:

What to do:

 

[tbird99]

Well you can cut the spring shorter and stretch it. The part of the plastic on the L/R buttons that presses the button on the mother board looking part is hollow so u can cut a shop stick or something to press the L/R buttons quicker. Idk if I would do that tho cuz mod controllers are banned. You can for practice tho. I have a controller with extra knotches on the joy stick I use for practice.

Is replacing the spring with the spring of an older controller legal in tournaments? Because I still have my old controller which is one of the purple controllers.

 

[tbird99]

I'll just show you what I mean.
I think the wavedash motion showcases this well.


What not to do:

What to do:

I've always pressed the shoulder buttons like the second one but I use my left index finger on the l button and my right middle finger on the r button

 

[GenNyan]

Is replacing the spring with the spring of an older controller legal in tournaments? Because I still have my old controller which is one of the purple controllers.

Yep, its legal.


Also, make sure that you don't lay on your wrists or have them in a weird position while you sleep. Laying your wrists flat is the best position, you can cut off circulation and all that jazz if you have 'em all bent up. The easiest way to do this is to simply sleep on your back, because your wrists should fall by your sides and you won't have to worry about it.

 

[tbird99]

Yep, its legal.


Also, make sure that you don't lay on your wrists or have them in a weird position while you sleep. Laying your wrists flat is the best position, you can cut off circulation and all that jazz if you have 'em all bent up. The easiest way to do this is to simply sleep on your back, because your wrists should fall by your sides and you won't have to worry about it.

I switched the shoulder buttons with my old controller. I don't know if there is something else like the slider that make it harder to press the should buttons, but switching the buttons definitely makes the buttons move a lot more smoothly

 

[Zodiac]

Mine never hurt, I don't get it. I play fox and everything. I never stretch my hands ever.

 

[Sheepomg]

Dude, see a doctor if you're really having problems.

 

[GenNyan]

Dude, see a doctor if you're really having problems.

Unless you see a specialist, most doctors won't be more useful than google.