Hand health issues

[JOJO94]

I am not sure I am writing this in the right forum section but here goes:

Hello, I am a Link main from Montreal. For the last six months I have been struggling with a nasty tendinitis that forced me to retire from Melee and any hand related hobbies I had. The pain was everywhere in my wrists all the way to the finger muscles. The pain eventually dissipated in my forearms, but it's still painful in the wrists. The day I write this message is a especially bad day and I have grown (so ****ing) tired of it.

I come here seeking advice. Just this monday I was doing as good as I ever was since last september, I did one mishap at work and it went down like a train falling off a bridge. I can't take this anymore. It's a huge struggle in the professional life also.

Anyone here went through the same **** can share me some tips?

My next step is cortisone injections in the wrists but I heard this weakens the tendons in long term, so it's kind of a double edge sword.

Thank you.

 

[Bones0]

Go to a doctor.

 

[ChefBoird]

Have you ever tried doing some hand exercises before playing?

 

[zuloon]

Follow in HBOX THE GOAT'S footsteps and switch to puff

 

[ARON?]

The short answer is: rest from the offending activity.

It is the most effective thing you can do, there is no magic cure to repetitive stress injury. Wait a few weeks or months for the pain to subside. Perform gentle stretches and warm water soaks, look into physical therapy. Then slowly ease back into the activity when you start feeling better. You may have to modify the way you did the activity, how long you do it, and the equipment you use.

Be weary of unnecessary cortisone injections or surgery. Rest takes time, but it's the only thing that works IMO.

 

[JOJO94]

- I went to see a doctor and he is the one telling me to get cortisone injections.
- I do stretching and light weight lifting everyday, as my physiotherapist recommended.
- I put cold on my wrists when I go to sleep.

- After 6 months of not playing Melee, I decided to take a two week test with three different events to see how far I have come. So far the results are not good enough.

I will try warm water ARON? .

 

[Bones0]

- I went to see a doctor and he is the one telling me to get cortisone injections.
- I do stretching and light weight lifting everyday, as my physiotherapist recommended.
- I put cold on my wrists when I go to sleep.

- After 6 months of not playing Melee, I decided to take a two week test with three different events to see how far I have come. So far the results are not good enough.

I will try warm water ARON? .

If you've gotten to this point you've probably already addressed this, but how is your posture and input form? You should be sitting up straight with your arms lying relaxed in your lap, not leaning on them like most people do. I think that's where a lot of wrist/forearm pain comes from with gamers. And for form, how do you press buttons and move the sticks? Are your hands relaxed or do you tense up any time you perform an input? A lot of people that complain about hand problems tense their thumbs up and press the sticks/buttons way harder than necessary. It feels very unintuitive, but relaxing your hands (in my experience) will not only prevent playing from straining your hands, but you will be able to move faster and more accurately because of the increased fluidity of movement.

Another thing to consider is the intensity of your stretching. Do you think that perhaps the stretching is causing more distress than it is helping, especially if you're doing it every day? I know for a while I was stretching, but it actually just seemed to cause more pain despite me doing everything to ensure I was using proper form. When I stopped stretching all the time and just did it every once in a while (if my hands felt particularly cold before playing, for example) my pains dissipated.

 

[KEYLIME SSB]

I’m a Bass guitarist, so my hands need to constantly be warm if I’m doing anything that involves dexterity. Before playing, I soak my hands in warm water for 30 seconds and that’s about it.

 

[A Scrub]

Look into getting a SmashBox, they're designed for situations like this.

Got mine in and it is FANTASTIC.

https://www.hitboxarcade.com/blogs/smash-box

 

[ChibiRoboMan]

I am not sure I am writing this in the right forum section but here goes:

Hello, I am a Link main from Montreal. For the last six months I have been struggling with a nasty tendinitis that forced me to retire from Melee and any hand related hobbies I had. The pain was everywhere in my wrists all the way to the finger muscles. The pain eventually dissipated in my forearms, but it's still painful in the wrists. The day I write this message is a especially bad day and I have grown (so ****ing) tired of it.

I come here seeking advice. Just this monday I was doing as good as I ever was since last september, I did one mishap at work and it went down like a train falling off a bridge. I can't take this anymore. It's a huge struggle in the professional life also.

Anyone here went through the same **** can share me some tips?

My next step is cortisone injections in the wrists but I heard this weakens the tendons in long term, so it's kind of a double edge sword.

Thank you.

If you genuinely want to play Melee or use your hands for anything substantial in the long term of your life, you need to seek adequet, consistent and professional health care with a proper specialist (you can receive this referral from your primary care). If you start treating this issue now, there is less of a chance of it growing into a larger issue later down the road, even if it seems bad now. It's costly but it'll be worth it.