Rickard Gustafsson | Saturday, 23 August 2025
As I’ve written about in a couple of previous front pages I have some kind of fly casting elbow. It is getting better but not perfect, yet. On the whole it is getting better even if I have some steps back in the progress from time to time. At the moment not its best but barely noticeable. And calling it elbow isn’t really the correct description for me, it is located in the forearm near the elbow.
I have found out that knowing more specific which area that hurts is important. If you have pain in the area of the elbow from fly casting some of the things you will have to do to get better are the same. Some of the things you can do if it is lateral epicondylitis, tennis elbow, will make things worse if you have the same kind of pain as I do. I have pain in the area of the radial tunnel, a part of the forearm where the radial nerve passes a lot of meaty stuff. A lot of the things I do in my life seem to challenge that area of my right arm quite a lot.
Working in front of the computer is one thing. Typing on the keyboard is part of the problem. Using the mouse also. The mouse thing I just try to be aware of and don’t use mindlessly, switch hands and alter between a regular mouse and a touch pad. The keyboard got a bit more extreme overhaul. I switched to a super ergonomic keyboard that looks like something from a science fiction movie. I think has helped a bit. It made a difference in the beginning of the switch and now it seems fine to work a full day on the laptop keyboard when needed. So I don’t bring everywhere any more.
When sleeping the affected arm often ended up in a position where it got aggravated during the night. Hugging a pillow during the night has helped me with this.
And fly casting has a big responsibility for the pain. Not the distance stuff as most people looking at a distance cast would have guessed. More from short to mid range by gripping the rod too hard. I’m slowly ridding of this habit and it has an impact on the progress. This without changing anything in the setups I cast. Nothing to do with adding overgrip or such. At one point I thought that thicker grips would be a good idea to help me here. At the moment I’m not that sure anymore.
The two exercises mentioned in an earlier front page about fly casting elbow, I still find very good.
“This one with a broom, moving the grip point out 2cm each morning. 40 reps morn & night. But I rotate all the way in and all the way out - not stopping at vertical.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IulGGFMFtaI
And this first one with a band 15 reps morn & night BUT use your other hand to help bring the wrist back up, then slowly lower the wrist under band tension for a count of 3 or 4.
https://www.sunderlandims.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/sland_msk_tennis_elbow_exercises.pdf”
Doing them in the morning and in the evening seems to be a very good idea. And continue so even when you feel better. It doesn’t have to be very hard and straining every time, getting some work in is more important.
For a while I didn’t like the rotating exercise. I didn’t get anything out of it, until I modified it a bit. By sitting down and resting the elbow on the knee I found the exercise to make noticeable difference for me. Focusing on rotating the forearm in the muscular range of motion. I don’t use a fancy stick, I use a rum bottle filled with water. A rod tube could also work.
Stretching also helps. The stretch that I have found that has the single biggest impact is a classic biceps and pec stretch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIbqBiJ6KeI
So if you have pain find what aggravates it and reduce it as much as possible. By stopping doing it if possible or find some modification so it doesn’t cause aggravation, reduce the volume.
Do the exercises. Trust the process. Find out if compression helps or makes the symptom worse.
Cheers, Rickard