Skiers thumbs

C

C0LE

Member
my thumbs are still fucked from last season. im thinking about cutting the tops of my poles off next year. anyone else got ideas?
 
I don't really understand how people get skiiers thumb. Never had a problem with it ever, in 15 years skiing. Maybe its because I don't get up like 5-7 times a week.
 
dont wear your pole straps. that way if you fall youll just drop your poles and wont crush your thumbs
 
maybe u wear ur straps gaperstyle??

try to put some tape around ur thumb when u ski, so it can't move that much anymore...and ye, nopoles till it's better
 
Loop your straps differently, put your handthrough and then grab the pole, as apposed to the normal way, this helps ruining your thumbs on every fall..
 
no straps .

i always take them off the poles when i get them.

this year i was skiing with a couple instructors too, and they told me that the only reason they make kids wear the straps is so they dont keep dropping them every couple seconds.
 
Skier's Thumb has nothing to do with wearing straps.

Only gapers wear straps anyways.

You could argue that the problem is the unergonimic design of pole handles. You can't get around it, though. If you want to hold pole (insert joke here) you'll partially damage your thumb's connective muscle tissue/tendons eventually. It's an inevitability if you're givin'er on the hill consistently.

If you're not given'er, you'd be here asking "what's skier's thumb?".

 
well my thumbs hurt like alot during and after skiing sometimes and i was wondering if this is skiers thumb^
 
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I've worn my poles like this for a very long time and never had thumb problems (this is how you're instructed to hold poles, if you've ever taken/given lessons). If your pole gets stuck it just drops onto your wrist.

I honestly don't understand how you could ride without straps. It would be so annoying to drop a pole in the middle of a jump line or chute or something.
 
yeah i know. i just found it super ironic. im pretty sure those things in coats that prevent snow from coming up your sleeves didnt help either
 
once I started seriously skiing park, I got skiers thumb almost everytime I went up to the mountain. It was terrible. I tried everything: new poles, different straps, no poles, etc.

The only thing that ever worked was going to this surgical store near me and buying these tan thumb brace things with metal supports that go up your thumbs. They fit fine under my gloves. I wear them EVERY time I go skiing and I have not had a problem since.

The only thing is they get worn out, the metal gets fatigued, so I replace them about every year and I ski about 30 days a year
 
I dont usually wear straps on my short poles but my thumb still gets crushed around the pole and the tissue gets all fucked or whatever whenever i crash. the thumb brace idea sounds good if it works
 
I think part of it also has to do with people falling with their hands open on top of the pole:

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the full force of the impact is placed at the thumb joint leading to "skiers thumb".

My doctor recommended I fall with clenched fists. It takes a while to get used to, but it works.
 
unless its jammed in the ground or something and the thumb takes all the pressure against the pole as you fall over
 
Psychkub is definately right for why I get skiers thumb.

What seems to happen is when you fall in the park (read as: on ice) you naturally put your hands out to brace the fall. You naturally end up holding the pole with your fingers and outstretching your thumb to fall onto an open hand. Then this happens:

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If your tendon is superstrong, the bone may rip off where it is anchored instead of the tendon getting thrashed as pictured.

I would think training yourself to fall with a closed fist around poles and not strapping in poles when doing park or cliff drops will help.

fuck skiers thumb.
 
yeah i didnt even realise this that when you fall if you dont have the strap in your palm the strap just tugs on your hand and destroys your thumb. now it all makes sense... time to go shorten my poles.
 
Ice will help cut down on the swelling. Time and preventing it from happening again will heal it. If you get it enough, you'll have a permanent scar tissue knob where your thumb meets your hand...

My prevention is going no straps in the park, letting go of the poles right before impact, and taping my hand and thumb with athletic tape. Tape your thumb out at about a 45 degree angle from your hand so it cannot get pressed out beyond that. It may suck at first when your hands are a little claustrophobic and immobile with the tape and gloves, but it is worth not going through the nasty pain.
 
I never ski with straps.... take them right off.... since they look fruity. But, I have a permanently enlarged thumb knuckle due to skiers thumb.

I never drop my poles (death grip), so my thumb wraps around. I think it is inevitable unless you drop your poles on purpose.
 
I got this real bad, shattered my thumb in 5 places, and i know its from my pole, not from using the strap incorrectly, but just from it not allowing my hand to fully close before I hit the ground. Which meant my thumb was wrenched backwards and up, lots of tendon and muscle damage, after a cast for a month, and physio, its nearly back to normal.
 
if you get leki poles with the trigger straps, your hands are in the straps in the "correct method", but if you fall the loop around your thumb releases and you wont get skiers thumb. The only downside is that they can be expensive. Check it: http://www.rei.com/product/791812
 
I've had skier's thumb for 6-7 yrs. My thumbs are a complete mess from falling on them countless times. I bought these for both hands and I haven't had a problem since.

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hmm. those look pretty legit. I never wear pole straps, I dont even think that has anything to do with my thumb. It'd be more of a wrist thing if I did wipe out.
 
WORD dude. I have one of these for my left thumb, helps but seriously hinders movement of the thumb. I just roll with no poles now and haven't jammed my thumbs nearly as bad as w. poles yet.
 
yea i've broken both my thumbs twice. they still hurt sometimes. best solution is to not fall and if you do fall face first put your hands in a fist and then hit the ground. and coming from experience a brace to protect your thumbs will do nothing and it just gets annoying.
 
I have mad experience with this. I have broken both of my thumbs countless times, and I have also torn lots of different ligaments in my thumbs. Like right now I have a torn ligament in my right thumb and I'm in a brace for 6 weeks. I found the solution.

Custom made braces. They fit in my gloves pretty easily, I can hold a pole and grab fine, and I hardly notice them. I have not injured my thumbs since.

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These braces were made by a physical therapist in Park City Utah, she has made them for T-hall, Ashley Battersby and other pros. THIS IS THE SOLUTION. If anyone wants her info, just pm me. Also, I think any physical therapist or OT can make something similar to this if you show them these pictures. Merry Christmas.
 
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