Fishing Injuries

Fishing, a frustrating yet stress relieving hobby that many Western Australians partake in all year round, especially in Summer.  With the warm weather coming, the fishing also starts to heat up! The purpose of this article is to give you some background on the three most common ailments that may arise from wetting a line!

DeQuervains Tenosynovitis

DeQuervains Tenosynovitis is an inflammation of the tendons of the thumb muscles (extensor pollicis longus and abductor pollicis). DeQuervains, like most tendon issues is an overuse injury which arises from repetitive use and strain of the tendons. In fishing it is generally present in the non-winding hand of the fisherman. If fighting a large fish or a fish for a long period of time the repetitive raising and lowering of the rod can place strain through those thumb tendons. The anglers that suffer from this the most are generally shark or game fisherman as well as those that do a lot of bottom bouncing. Outside of Fishing, these injuries are common when lifting children or shifting heavy items.

The main signs and symptoms of DeQuervians Tenosynovitis are pain, tenderness and sometimes swelling below the base of the thumb. Our Physiotherapists are experts in the assessment and management of DeQuervains Tenosynovitis, with a thorough subjective and objective assessment we will be able to determine the exact cause of your symptoms and appropriately manage them. Generally, most fishermen benefit from soft tissue release through the thumb and forearm muscles. A short period of immobilisation and ice may also be required.

Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is another common complaint of fisherman and no this generally isn’t from winding in that 20Kg Dhufish or big black Marlin we all dream of catching. Whether you are wading the flats in Mandurah or getting out in your boat, the back is generally placed under tension in one way or the other. The most common stress on the back when fishing is an extension load. When Physio’s talk about back movements we mainly consider flexion and extension. Standing, walking and running are all extension based activities, whereas sitting or bending down are flexion activities. The reason the prolonged standing is problematic is because the majority of us spend our weeks in flexion based activities such as sitting at a desk or on the couch after work! Our Physiotherapists will guide you to making lifestyle and ergonomic changes to improve the flexion / extension balance of your lumbar spine. In addition to the ergonomic changes we will also provide treatment to settle your symptoms down. We are searching for some evidence that shows Fishing more and Working less improves your back health but we are struggling to find it!

Shoulder Impingement

Due to the nature of the casting motion, whether fly fishing, surf casting or flicking lures at snags or reef breaks the shoulder goes under a fair amount of stress. The tendons of the rotator cuff muscles which provide stability of the shoulder through its range of motion can become fatigued. This overuse leads to inflammation of the tendons and reduction of space inside the sub acromial space which results in the tendons rubbing on the bones of the shoulder when the arm is in a raised position. Our Physiotherapists are experts in the management of Shoulder Impingement. The initial goals of treatment are to reduce pain and inflammation; we do this with soft tissue release to the rotator cuff muscles as well as providing a home stretching program. Once the shoulder is settled sufficiently then we are able to prescribe a home program to initially improve scapulothoracic control and then rotator cuff strength. We also may need to assess the ergonomics of your casting technique and also consider rod weight and load management of your casting.

These are the three main Fishing injuries that anglers suffer from, however if you have any other niggles that you experience whilst wetting a line then please do not hesitate to let us know! We would love to help you out on the journey to that bucket list fish!