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How do you hold your poles

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anti_bunk
Posts: 2629 - Karma: 329
quick poll:  1) how do you hold your poles? and 2) do you suffer from "skiers thumb"  ?
I jam my thumbs so much i have just gotten accustomed to the pain.  i had my left one x rayed a few years ago and its actually broken but i cant do anything about it and im sure my right one isnt far behind.  today i was hittin a backyard set up and landed on it and hurt it again for like the millionth time and then i realized when im goin for a trick i grip my poles way too tight and it ends up with my thumb sticking up and out and really exposed which is probably why i hurt it so much.
Dec 11 2009 8:06PM
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lilwhiz165
Posts: 502 - Karma: 47
Q1) with my hands. Q2) no
Dec 11 2009 8:09PM
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griz_lee
Posts: 483 - Karma: 647
i dont hold poles and i dont get skiers thumb.
Dec 11 2009 8:10PM
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,507
with my hand and my thrums are fine I only read the first line of that btw
Dec 11 2009 8:11PM
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OMGWTFBBQ
Posts: 954 - Karma: 208
like a G
Dec 11 2009 8:14PM
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fountain.
Posts: 1399 - Karma: 80
ive never had this problem. i basically just hold them like a fist
Dec 11 2009 8:17PM
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Casey
Posts: 7849 - Karma: 24,320
I stick my hand up through the strap and then hold the base of the strap with my grip, but I still get skiers thumb all the time. Someone could make a killing if they invented some low profile thumb brace designed for skiers.
Dec 11 2009 8:17PM
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DBAKE
Posts: 3031 - Karma: 340

I hold my poles like im holdin a gun, to make me feel extra ganster, makeing me ski better.

No for real i hold my shortish poles with a tighter grip and for some reason it feels alot cleaner.

Dec 11 2009 8:18PM
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TheStudioCC
Posts: 2092 - Karma: 366
i hold one like a lightsaber
Dec 11 2009 8:32PM
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SKIU4EA
Posts: 2387 - Karma: 2,072

I've broken my thumbs many times.  For me, it was from consistantly trying to brace my fall with my hand in the landing.  It totally took the fun out of skiing. cause once i fell on it I was in pain all day

[IMG]bssh.ac.uk/patients/commonhandconditions/skiersthumb/skiersthumb_edited-2-text.gif&w=400&h=1000[/IMG]

Last year I went and bought these for both hands ... $15.  I wear em underneath my gloves for when i rip park.  I never had a problem since.  and no, I'm not doing the nazi salute

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

the blue fabric is extremely stiff so it supports everything.... got them at wallgreens

Dec 11 2009 8:32PM
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NickyBPorters
Posts: 114 - Karma: 50
This is what you need to hold a pole

Get the Video Player
Get the Video Player


Dec 11 2009 8:32PM
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jamodeo
Posts: 3040 - Karma: 663
put my hand through the strap and grasp i think i did once from falling onto a rail
Dec 11 2009 9:26PM
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Holte
Posts: 10740 - Karma: 7,816
If you ski a lot, it's not a matter of IF you will break a thumb, it's a matter of when.
Dec 11 2009 9:34PM
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jason...
Posts: 9006 - Karma: 780
Damn, I am being beaten to ever joke on ns these days.
Dec 11 2009 9:42PM
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dice552
Posts: 304 - Karma: 42
beat me to it
Dec 11 2009 10:21PM
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Brows.
Posts: 1497 - Karma: 13
i know as soon as i post this im gonna bang my thumb right off, but ive never gotten it.
Dec 11 2009 10:30PM
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Piste.Off
Posts: 11586 - Karma: 1,860
i hold my poles without straps on. and yes i have skier's thumb
Dec 11 2009 10:36PM
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skitheslopes
Posts: 864 - Karma: 9
have i seen you on the mountain?
Dec 11 2009 11:37PM
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Gfunkrussell
Posts: 230 - Karma: 1,074
In my backpack.
Dec 11 2009 11:44PM
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--ski--
Posts: 1670 - Karma: 817
think i used to have the same problem ages ago as well. then i break my scaffoid whatever its called and it really hurt. after that i stopped doing it.
Dec 11 2009 11:50PM
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gigi.d
Posts: 1588 - Karma: 302
Dude i broke both my thumbs at the same time once it sucked!
Dec 12 2009 12:16AM
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frampton
Posts: 1123 - Karma: 77
its called Gamekeepers thumb. Chicken farmers get it from breaking birds necks. Str8 gangsta shit.
Dec 12 2009 12:37AM
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rocktheLPs
Posts: 2095 - Karma: 14
my right thumb knuckle is twice the size of the left. i cant open jars for the life of me, other than that, its not so bad after a week or so after the initial spraining or breaking
Dec 12 2009 12:56AM
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I_liketobutter
Posts: 2664 - Karma: 997
learn how to fall correctly, you shouldnt be breaking your fall w/ your hand, dont hold onto your poles when you fall
Dec 12 2009 1:27AM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,123
strap under glove (duh) tight straps, loose grip. if you adjust your pole straps right you don't have to hold them tight.
Dec 12 2009 1:36AM
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TheDude
Posts: 2058 - Karma: 117
ya i always break my fall with my face or head. concussions are way better than a hurt finger or wrist cuz then i get to finally take a break ffrom skiing
Dec 12 2009 11:55AM
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BMS-Productions
Posts: 885 - Karma: 17
i really like this thread
Dec 12 2009 1:25PM
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fk.ths.noys
Posts: 70 - Karma: 10
I also enjoy hiking halfway up a 90 foot landing to retrieve my poles while trying to avoid getting CR'd by the next 20 dudes dropping....good advice
Dec 12 2009 1:28PM
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NickyBPorters
Posts: 114 - Karma: 50
^^ agreed
Dec 12 2009 2:06PM
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Brock.
Posts: 5698 - Karma: 1,332
1. when im pushing i put the butt of the grip in my palm and my thumb going down the grip. when i ride i just hold em in a fist. 2. im 90% sure iv broken it before but was too lazy to get an xray. 4 months later i got an xray for my wrist and m doctor said that there was irregular bone formation near my thumb. it turned out to be fine but he said it could have been 10x worse if it hadn't healed properly.

Rule of thumb: if you think its broken go get it X-rayed or you could have later-life issues...
Dec 12 2009 2:19PM
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tronnnnnnn
Posts: 736 - Karma: 14

i have not had thumb issues since i started cutting the straps off my poles a few years ago... I just let the poles fly if I get into trouble... id rather lose or break a pole, than lose or break a thumb.

its so much more convenient to have no straps too, just hand the pole over when i need a spare hand

Dec 12 2009 3:34PM
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sip166
Posts: 275 - Karma: 16
i screwed up my thumb two years ago and i ripped the ligament right off and had to have surgery and a pin in my hand. now i realize i'd rather land on my shoulder then brace my fall cuz that was a sucky experience and it ended my season
Dec 12 2009 6:36PM
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KneeDrop
Posts: 641 - Karma: 1,487
^^ you wanna be easy on those shoulders too...i've broken my thumb too many times to count, and my UCL is fairly non-existent...

but I separated one shoulder and broke my clavicle on the other already this season...sooo i guess try not to slam? good advice right?
Dec 12 2009 7:36PM
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304NordMan
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 525
i always wear my straps, but i have banged my thumb before. did it 2day, just a stinger
Dec 12 2009 8:00PM
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Maximumsushi
Posts: 7837 - Karma: 3,351
I don't.
Dec 12 2009 8:59PM
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peyton
Posts: 1475 - Karma: 1,062
haha "go to ineedahandjob.com dont believe we're serious"
Dec 12 2009 9:05PM
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nicknack_55
Posts: 55 - Karma: 23
maybe once or twice but not frequent enough to realize it as a problem
Dec 12 2009 9:10PM
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nikkib.
Posts: 346 - Karma: 268
i wave them in the airrr
Dec 12 2009 10:16PM
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will_powder
Posts: 3194 - Karma: 5,445
If you put your strap on wrong you'll break your thumb. This is how racers avoid it... Put your wrist through the strap but then put the strap under your thumb so it is sandwiched b/t the pole and your hand. This way the impact is spread evenly and "hopefully" you won't hurt your thumb.
Dec 13 2009 2:02AM
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Royalty
Posts: 33 - Karma: 11
ummmm, i hold themz properly, ya know?
Dec 13 2009 2:19AM
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theo79
Posts: 305 - Karma: 70
this
Dec 13 2009 2:38AM
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Apresbang
Posts: 618 - Karma: 276
Win. I hold one horizontal with both hands and then i make pizza and fries.
Dec 28 2009 5:23PM
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debrickshaw
Posts: 1957 - Karma: 68
i got 2 of em as stocking stuffers


so fucking stoked
Dec 28 2009 7:23PM
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TOK
Posts: 2928 - Karma: 2,540
no you didn't.
Dec 28 2009 9:49PM
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sonick
Posts: 65 - Karma: 3
Up through the strap then rotate and grab the grip (so the strap is slightly twisted).
Anyone every gut themselves with their poles?
Dec 28 2009 10:04PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305

1.) hands

2.)never heard of it/had it

Dec 28 2009 10:12PM
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soulskier
Posts: 17806 - Karma: 3,841
i stick my hands through the loops. then i put my hands on top o' the loops, thumbs on top of course
Dec 28 2009 10:34PM
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CoachG
Posts: 2546 - Karma: 448
to each his own, but i'd rather not use straps and hike to get, rather than risking a pole related injury. I know people who have broken their collar bone from the impact of their poles because they have the straps on and couldn't really let go. just my 2 cents.
Dec 28 2009 10:42PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37393 - Karma: 120,187
Click for larger image
like this
Dec 28 2009 10:48PM
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KNUCKifyouBUCK
Posts: 1330 - Karma: 9
with my hands -- and i strap em up, i feel naked if i dont.
Dec 28 2009 11:44PM
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PeterWojnar
Posts: 3937 - Karma: 678
Always through the straps- they're big and loose, and there's no difference in how they feel, but I just can't ski with the straps flapping around. But yeah my thumbs tend to hurt randomly, but not usually whims I'm skiing. Just kinda randomly, but if I hit them or bend them back accidentally, it's a surefire way to make them hurt.
Dec 29 2009 12:16AM
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