Open bridge joint pain in base of thumb

So many questions come mind about how much tension is in your bridge, whether you tuck fingers, whether you spread fingers, how raised your thumb is, whether you tripod, etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I get some pain and numbness in the fingertips from pushing down when playing the ghost, or drills, for a few hours at a quick pace. It doesn't seem to bother me nearly as much by slowing down and taking breaks often, of course that's playing by myself, when playing someone I don't have to worry since most of the time I'm the one watching the action. LOL

I have same symptoms, assumed it is arthritis being in my mid 70's. I fish a lot too, hurts when I grip the reel handle.

NYCnoob99 said:

Has anyone had this? After even an hour of playing, I get joint pain in the base of my thumb. I think from the pressure of pushing my thumb against my index finger to form the open bridge slot for the cue. It doesn't really hurt while I'm playing but rather it lasts for days after.

I got this months ago from playing pool, but it went away during covid after the pool halls closed.

Now I got my own table and it was back after day 1 which is annoying. Has anyone experienced this? Any tips?

Click to expand...

I get this too. For me, it's caused by tension in the big muscle going down from the lower thumb joint. I roll the muscle with a hard smooth ball between my hands, and it goes away.

Good luck,
Dave

An orthopedist could tell you what’s going on

I experience pain forming a closed bridge and it is in the area at the base of the thumb,
in the pad portion where it extends into the wrist. It is so painful at times I can’t even turn
a doorknob using my left hand (I’m right hand dominant). My discomfort is in the area behind
the bone/joint of my thumb. I’ve had an x-ray and there is nothing discernible so my primary doctor
referred to a hand & pain specialist who diagnosed this as advanced arthritis which attacks the joint,
tendons and nerves. So 2-3x a year I get a corticosteroid injection in my thumb region of my left hand. The
needle does not hurt nearly as much as when the injection takes place. The fluid goes in slowly because of
it’s viscosity and it takes a couple of minutes so be ready for biting down on some rawhide for the pain but it
does work. Immediately afterward the pain subsides, flexibility is restored & in a few hours, my hand was fine.


Matt B.

How old are you? Sounds like a touch of early "Arthur-Ritus" to me. At my age of 76, we're pretty close...Arthur and I... But I can't say we're buddies. I don't like him much.

Count me in with the group of thumbhurts.

Both hands for me.

Thumb pain- outside of obvious trauma- is usually the result of de quervians disease (like carpal tunnel but in thumb) or basal joint arthritis.

NYCnoob99 said:

Would a photo help diagnose what might be wrong?

Click to expand...

wouldnt make us less knowledgeable about the matter...

Yes, it sounds like osteoarthritis, which is very common. The cartilage that protects your joints wear down over time causing inflammation. The renewed activity caused renewed inflammation. Most likely you're going to experience this the rest of your life. Medicines like Advil and Motrin work well but can have undesirable long term effects.

Personally I would try to modify the bridge. Also, are you putting weight on your bridge hand? A change in stance may help. I try to support 100% of my body weight on my flexed legs/feet. When I use an open bridge, the base under the thumb doesn't touch the table.

NYCnoob99 said:

Would a photo help diagnose what might be wrong?

Click to expand...

A photo might provide an opportunity to suggest a different way to make the bridge. As Bob Jewett said there are different ways to make a bridge.

I curl my ring and middle finger under which sort of makes a fist like this...

https://vimeo.com/manage/77753947/general

...apologies for the poor play.

I switched to that bridge after years of extending all fingers out and it helps because it is a more solid and higher bridge naturally. You might experiment with that if you aren't already using it.

I have arthritis in the wrists and both thumbs, yes at the base. I haven't made a closed bridge in eight or nine years. If it's a muscle issue you can massage the thumb muscle in the palm. Use a circular motion, deep, it should hurt a bit.