The Juggling Edge - Small Talk

Does anyone here know if RSI ever feels like a bruise?*

So I juggled for about 5 hours yesterday since I thought it might be the only opportunity I'll get this year and now my left wrist aches on the opposite side to my palm, it felt just like a bruise when I woke up at 2am this morning(bout 5 hours after I stopped juggling). So being the naturally sensible chap I am I decided to do another hours worth of juggling this morning, because I could, now my wrist aches even more with a certain extra feeling of a restriction of movement.

On the plus side I felt I improved at the juggling I was trying to do, but I suppose now I'll have to be sensible and rest my wrist for at least a few days, maybe. Which I suspect is what most other people would suggest given the symptoms and how ideal RSI is, not, to get.

*I am aware that there isn't a high percentage of doctors reading this but I thought I'd share and also wonder out loud if it's just me who decided to overdo the juggling on the best day of the year so far for juggling in the UK

Cheers

# by RegularJugular, 2012-07-06 12:17 BST

If you mean someone constantly poking a bruise yes, that sounds exactly what I had (& still have). & yes lots of rest (includes typing at a keyboard).

I also recommend handstands for building up your wrists which helped me enormously.

# by Orinoco, 2012-07-06 12:47 BST Parent

So would you say that you exclusively got this problem from juggling 5 clubs?* I vaguely remember people making allusions to this being a problem in the past, but some 5 and 5+ club jugglers never seem to have this problem and they can't all do handstands**

Would any 5 club jugglers want to share their experiences with overdoing their practice? Any other tips on avoiding the problem?***

*about 2 thirds of my 6 hours were spent almost solidly doing 4c 55550 in preparation for 5 clubs

**Not that I think I would have had this issue if I'd kept up my handstand practice over the last year

***Although Orin you seem to imply the problem hasn't entirely disappeared? Does it happen less often or is it constant but not as painful?

Thank you :)

# by RegularJugular, 2012-07-06 16:18 BST Parent

My problem was down to too many club flourishes, I used to do a flourish under every single throw for pretty much everything & was before I started learning 5 clubs.

It hasn't entirely disappeared, I tend to get twinges towards the end of long festivals & in cold weather, but I know to stop early & have discovered the patience to stop juggling completely when it does.

# by Orinoco, 2012-07-06 17:39 BST Parent

Is this mainly a problem for club jugglers or can this happen to ball jugglers too?
By the way I always stretch before I juggle. I'm pretty sure that not stretching is the reason for a lot of injuries.

# by henriloik, 2012-07-06 22:27 BST Parent

Anyone who over does a repetitive movement is at risk of RSI. However, I don't think you get it from a single juggling session.

As for stretching preventing injuries... can you point me towards some proper medical research which backs that up?

I know a certain physio who has read a lot on the subject and found nothing which supports the notion, and if you've got some pointers towards a paper which shows a significant preventative effect well...

I'd love to be able to rub his nose in it ;-)

# by Little Paul, 2012-07-06 22:37 BST Parent

Everywhere I looked on the Internet it said that stretching prevents tendonitis and RSI.
Also the doctor told me to stretch. The doctor told me icing my elbow adfter practice could preven further injury. ( a sport, not jugglin was the Main cause of my tendonitis in my elbow, but I guess some of this stuff is helpful for jugglers too.)
You can decide to stretch or not, but not being able to juggle because of tendonitis is frustrating, so I would recommend it.

# by henriloik, 2012-07-07 05:03 BST Parent

"Everywhere I looked on the Internet" isn't the same as peer reviewed research. Don't get me wrong, I know that standard advice is "stretching and warmups prevent injury" but this physio is adamant that at best the studies done are inconclusive.

If you can find a pointer to a medical journal with an article which does show a strong effect I would dearly love a link - so I can send it to him to wind him up :)

Either way, if it works for you - there's no harm in doing it so I'm not saying "don't bother" - I'd just like some evidence to punt at a friend.

# by Little Paul, 2012-07-07 16:45 BST Parent

just to clarify: neither me nor Orinoco are doctors so although RSI was implied we don't really know if that's what our problems would be classed as, at least I don't.

# by RegularJugular, 2012-07-07 02:39 BST Parent

I may also be a unusual case. Also I did fall over on pro jump/poweriser jumping stilts 3 or 4 years ago this may or may not be relevant.

# by RegularJugular, 2012-07-07 03:24 BST Parent

I'm pretty sure you have to build up the strength slowly to be able to practice that much without getting hurt.
It's a frustrating rule sometimes but I follow it so as to not get hurt.

# by henriloik, 2012-07-07 05:07 BST Parent

It is true that I am not a doctor, but the doctor that I saw about the problem certainly was one. She had certificates on the wall & everything. I still remember her advice:

"The only way to heal completely would be to stop completely. But if we did that what a boring life it would be."

# by Orinoco, 2012-07-07 10:29 BST Parent

So did she put your injury within the umbrella term RSI?

# by RegularJugular, 2012-07-07 20:11 BST Parent

Yep, & she stuck a needle in my wrist & pumped it full of steroids.

# by Orinoco, 2012-07-07 20:29 BST Parent