BreastStroke Problem

"Ali left this mess on Tue, 8 Apr 2003 10:59:34 -0600 for The Way to clean up:

Quoted message said:

Hello All, I'm not a very strong breaststroker but I've noticed that after a 500yrd set of breast
stroke, my hand muscles cramp up. In particular (no joke intended), my middle finger and the
attached muscles. The problem is severe enough that, after a few sets, I have to massage my hand
(again no joke intended) to release the cramps. Is this a well known problem? Any ideas?

Ali, try flexing your fingers while you swim. There is no law in the world that says you have to
keep your hands cupped while you train. Spread your fingers wide apart every so often and this
should take care of the problem.

Tao te Carl

Ali, Same thing has happened to me for years, excepy in my case its the little finger on each hand.
Never have figured it out so I just try to ignore it.

jim

in article [email hidden], de Valois at [email hidden] wrote on
4/8/03 3:16 PM:

Quoted message said:

"Ali left this mess on Tue, 8 Apr 2003 10:59:34 -0600 for The Way to clean up:

Quoted message said:

Hello All, I'm not a very strong breaststroker but I've noticed that after a 500yrd set of breast
stroke, my hand muscles cramp up. In particular (no joke intended), my middle finger and the
attached muscles. The problem is severe enough that, after a few sets, I have to massage my hand
(again no joke intended) to release the cramps. Is this a well known problem? Any ideas?

jim morgan <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Ali, Same thing has happened to me for years, excepy in my case its the little finger on each
hand. Never have figured it out so I just try to ignore it.

jim

in article [email hidden], de Valois at [email hidden] wrote on 4/8/03
3:16 PM:

Quoted message said:

"Ali left this mess on Tue, 8 Apr 2003 10:59:34 -0600 for The Way to clean up:

Quoted message said:

Hello All, I'm not a very strong breaststroker but I've noticed that after a 500yrd set of
breast stroke, my hand muscles cramp up. In particular (no joke intended), my middle finger and
the attached muscles. The problem is severe enough that, after a few sets, I have to massage my
hand (again no joke intended) to release the cramps. Is this a well known problem? Any ideas?

A friend had similar problems (and numbness too) whenever he used a hammer (as a carpenter, this was
a real issue). Lots of people suggested it was carpal tunnel, but his doctor disagreed. He
prescribed the following stretches to be done every day, and they fixed him right up. I do them
every day myself, and I've seen some benefits too (seems to make my arms more resistant to the
"pumped up" feeling during hard swim workouts), so maybe they'll help you.

1. Stand with your arms straight out from your sides (like a big T). Turn the palms out and
fingertips up (like you're pushing something away on both sides). If you're like most people,
just doing this with your arms straight will result in a feeling of "pulling" or tension on the
front of your arm. If it doesn't, try to move your hands back a little until you just start to
feel it. When you're feeling the tension, hold for 30 seconds. Repeat three times.

2. Stand facing a wall. Put your palms, fingers pointing up, against the wall, with your elbows
straight (you'll probably have to adjust your distance to the wall). Once you've got to where
your hands are flat on the wall and elbows straight, GENTLY walk your hands DOWN the wall an inch
or two, until you feel tension. Hold for 30 seconds, repeat three times.

3. Stand facing a wall. Put the backs of your hands, fingers pointing down, against the wall, with
your elbows straight. GENTLY walk your hands UP the wall an inch or two, until you feel tension.
Hold 30 seconds, repeat three times.

Do all three exercises each time you do them--especially don't do 2 without 3 or vice versa. If you
leave either 2 or 3 out, you get an unbalanced stretch, and you can hurt yourself over time.

As with all stretching, be gentle and go slowly. If you're unsure about how to stretch safely,
get a book.