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Author Topic: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(  (Read 4477 times)

Nicanor

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My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« on: May 13, 2003, 07:26:29 PM »
I don't know what to do with my thumb.  If I can't get it under control, I might have to quit bowling.

My thumb grows like a goldfish.   gold fish will grow into its inviormental surroundings. Small tank small goldfish, take that same goldfish and put it into a pond or a lake and you have a giant carp.

My thumb is the same, the bigger I make my thumb holew, the more my thumb grows.  Not round but oval.  I take more and more material out of the thumb slug, exacacator thumb slug, and it seems o fit.  After a couple of days on the lane, the thumb hole is too tight already.  i wish I had the flexability to throw the ball without my thumb, but I don't.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

V/R,
Nicanor
Nicanor (Ten On The Deck)

 

HamPster

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2003, 10:35:19 AM »
I have the same problem, only it starts shrinking once I've gotten the hole big enough to require 5 or 6 pieces of tape after it's done shrinking.
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mumzie

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2003, 10:50:08 AM »
Some serious bowlers will get a thumb slug/exacticator slug, and wear it around on their thumb when they're not bowling. They claim it keeps the size of the thumb under control.
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9andaWiggle

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2003, 10:56:47 AM »
Nic - check the span on your ball.  I used to have swelling problems as well, but they seem to have diminished since I had the span redone on all my equipment.  Seems that too long of a span caused me to squeeze the ball too much, creating the swelling in the thumb.  Not to mention it started causing pain in my fingers that would shoot up to my elbow.  Good thing I got it fixed before any permanent damage was done!

This may not be the case for you, but it's something that worked for me.  Good Luck!!

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Bjaardker

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2003, 11:58:51 AM »
Nic, Have you tried a different ball driller?

I know for YEARS I just dealt with a growing thumb as a way of life when it came to bowling.

After going to 4 different Pro Shops I finally found one who took over 45 minutes looking at my hand, testing pitches & grips. Then another 45 after the ball was drilled to perfect the thumbhole & oval it.

I haven't had to use a piece of tape since. Just one time it got a little sung, but it was a warm day & ultra humid. A little bit of slide ryte on my thumb & we were good to go.

HamPster

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2003, 12:16:34 PM »
Yeah, 9 and a wiggle, mine is doing much better since I shortened the span on my equipment.  That's probably a good idea to start with, but like Zack said, our weather here can go from hot and dry to cool and humid in about an hour.  It did last night, lol.  Everybody was having trouble with the approaches.
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Re-Evolution

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2003, 08:27:42 PM »
I would suggest trying Magic Carpet for info go to www.bowl4fun.com there is a link on the home page.
You can also do the following to help combat swelling:
When thumb starts getting too tight place a paper towel over your thumb hole then insert your thumb for about a minute it will force some of the blood out of your thumb due to extra tightness.
Try elevating your hand between frames.
Place thumb hole over hand drier to cool and dry it.
Use Easy Slide it is the teflon powder used for shoes nad is non absorbant(don't use powder it will hold moister).
I use all these methods and they have helped me get my swelling under control. Before addopting these methods I was having to pull 5 pieces of black tape out (1 every 8 frames or so) to bowl 4 games, now it is down to 1 after my warmup game. I hope this helps I know how aggrevating Balloon Thumb Syndrome can be.

ambi1

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2003, 10:22:53 PM »
quote:
Some serious bowlers will get a thumb slug/exacticator slug, and wear it around on their thumb when they're not bowling. They claim it keeps the size of the thumb under control.
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One advantage of bowling over golf
is that you seldom lose the ball.


That brings back mem'ries of putting your thumb in a potato in between sets. LOL.

Nic - why not try a thumbmold.  After getting the correct thumbsize of course.

Regards


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Kevin

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2003, 11:48:31 PM »
You need to ice it. Heat will make it swell even more. Your thumb is bruising inside and that creates bleeding. The bleeding makes it swell. Heat will keep the blood flowing and the thumb will swell more possibly. Although the heat will make it feel good, it is not the best thing to do right away. You need ice for 15 minutes, than 10 minutes off than on another 15 minutes. When the swelling is gone in a day or two, you can apply heat or soak it in warm water with epson salt.

If you Bowl every day, than you have to ice every day that it swells and can't use heat.

Aspirin will help reduce the swelling. Tylenol is good for pain. If the thumb does not hurt, just take Aspirin. If your thumb hurts than take 1 Aspirin and 1 Tylenol.
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Edited on 5/14/2003 11:48 PM

Edited on 5/14/2003 11:49 PM

LuckyLefty

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2003, 05:10:11 AM »
Well Nic,

My friend.  After buying some balls and seeing the size of your thumbhole in those balls(and it's bigger now).

I'd say there is only one solution, buy 4 ounce plus top weight balls.

Note to the unknowing, most bowlers take out 1.5 to 2 ounces of total top weight for their thumb and fingers combined.

Nic's thumbhole is so big that he probably takes out 2.5 ounces there alone!

I don't know if a 1 1/4 inch exactacated thumb hole is big enough for him to get his thumb in!

REgards,

Luckylefty
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JOE FALCO

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #10 on: May 15, 2003, 05:31:49 AM »
I thought this problem was unique to ME. I bowl every day and when I first start I CANNOT get my thumb into the ball. I wet (lick) my thumb and force it in the ball .. a few frames later the problem disappears. If I slow down bowling(i.e., end league and start practice) I have the swollen thumb again.

I accidentally trip over the SLUG remedy and it works. I have a SLUG that I carry around with me and when traveling to the ally I force my finger in the SLUG and leave it on till I start bowling. IT WORKS! True, the SLUG gets a little SOFT after a while but it serves the purpose.

I found it interesting that others have the same problem.  

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10 In The Pit

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2003, 06:04:02 AM »
Yep, I'm all too familiar with the swollen thumb syndrome....I continually battle the same deal myself.  My thumb is much larger before I start to bowl, but if I size the thumbhole for the full thumb size, I'll be dropping the ball in a frame or two.  And, I like my thumbhole to fit fairly snug, so this compounds the problem.

What I do now to help pre-shrink my thumb is to use several different sizes of vinyl thumb sleeves....I start out with one large enough to work my thumb into rather easily, then I gradually work my way down in sleeve size until I finally get the thumb preshrunk down to the size where it will fit in the thumbhole.  I use a total of 4 different thumb sleeves to shrink my thumb down to size....and if I have to wait too long between shots, I'll slip the smallest thumb sleeve back on the thumb again to keep it at the size my thumbhole is set up at.

You can find the vinyl thumb sleeves at Bowler's Choice (www.bowlerschoice.com) for about $3.00 each.....just pick out the size that you normally use for bowling, and get a couple a step or two larger so that you can gradually shrink the thumb down to size before bowling.

In my case, I start shrinking the thumb down about 30 minutes before I get to the bowling center.....it takes me some time to pull the thumb down to the right size.  And yes, if I kept opening up the thumbhole to the largest size necessary, my thumb would just keep on getting bigger!

Leftyhi-trak

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2003, 07:54:41 AM »
It couldn't be the fifty million games of bowling with the endless supply of bowling balls you have?? LOL I have used epsom salts with good luck, only average 2-3 pieces of tape this year down from 6-8 last year and oh yes my Magic Carpets.

Nicanor

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #13 on: May 15, 2003, 08:35:08 AM »
Thank you all for the responses.  I will try several of them and some I have already tried.  I use Exacacator thumb slugs and they work great, then my thumb will get larger, take some material out of the thumb slug thats in the ball to get it to fit again.  Great it fits again, make another mold.  Change out thumb slugs good to go for awhile.Then it starts all over again.  My spare ball thumb is looser then the others and with a little Easy Slide I can get in that ball.  I leave it in the thumb for about a minute, then take it out use a little more Easy Slide and put it in my strike ball.  This works well but my thumb is still getting bigger.  If its a bit too tight I don't get the smooth release I like and if I make it too loose, I squeeze the ball.  If I had the flexability, I would throw the ball thumbless is been so frustrating.  I have tried and I don't think I can throw the ball with any consistancy like that.  

I will attempt some of the suggestions posted and I might have to give up a couple of games a week, but then ho would I keep up that 189 average

V/R,
Nicanor
Nicanor (Ten On The Deck)

Leftyhi-trak

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Re: My thumb grows like a goldfish :(
« Reply #14 on: May 15, 2003, 09:46:21 AM »
Gvive up a few more and you could try to drop to a peachy level.