I have been asked to post a brief history as to why I developed Handmaster Plus hand and wrist exercise. Here it is:

Labels: carpal tunnel, elbow, exerciser, finger, hand, hand and wrist exercise, hand exerciser, Handmaster Plus, thumb, wrist, wrist exerciser

News is just out that Henrik Stenson is suffering from a left wrist injury in Shanghai which may complicate his plans to play 7 tournaments in a row on the 'Race to Dubai.' Of course it is no surprise to us at Handmaster Plus that a golfer of this stature is having problems with his wrist, especially the extensor side of the left arm as a right-handed golfer. This is the same mechanical imbalance that has lead to innumerable famous golf injuries including Tiger Woods left elbow and Mike Weir's right elbow. But wait a minute Henrik Stenson has a wrist injury, whereas Tiger Woods and Mike Weir (and probably nearly every journeyman PGA golfer) had an elbow injury? That's different, right?

The leading medical health experts would say that these are not the same. One is elbow. One is wrist. And that is how the statistics are kept - i.e. according to 1) the name of the joint and 2) the catchy medical sounding name of the condition of which the 'symptoms' are to be treated (of course usually by drugs and surgery, the main tools of the medical 'expert'). Do you recognize tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis), carpal tunnel syndrome and wrist tendonitis? These are the four main golf injury conditions of the golfer's distal upper extremity. All are categorized separately. All are common in golfers, but as individual categories, they each fall behind the number one golf injury, back pain.

This is where the archaic thinking of the joint injury and not the mechanics of the joint injury leads to a limited understanding of the cause of the problem. Because back injury is not the #1 health problem in golf, hand and wrist muscle imbalance is. Repetitive grip in training and practise and getting through heavy rough is. And the result of chronic hand and wrist imbalance, to name a few, are tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis), carpal tunnel syndrome and wrist tendonitis. Sound familiar? So group all hand, wrist carpal tunnel & elbow injuries into one category called 'repetitive grip imbalance injuries.' Let's call this 'new' condition RGII's and then see what the #1 injury in professional golf is.... is it back pain or RGII?

We know, through sEMG studies, that when we grip anything (whether it be a golf club, a tennis racquet, a guitar, a dumbbell, a kettlebell, etc.), BOTH the muscles that close the hand contract AND the muscles that open the hand contract. Grip is a co-contraction.
This means that the hand opening (extensor/abductor) muscles contract to support the contraction of the hand closing (flexor/adductor) muscles so that the hand can grip. Stay with me now... The problem is that the 9 muscles that close the hand contract through a relatively full range of motion, BUT the muscles that open the hand contract in relatively one position STATICALLY.
Thus, the entire extensor chain of muscles (from the back of the fingers to outside of the elbow) contract over and over in one position - creating a weak, overused, inflexible stabilizer band that is very open to INJURY.


This extensor band of muscles also affects the stability of the fingers, hand, wrist, carpal tunnel & elbow because it also offsets the flexor band to keep the joints balanced. In other words imbalance between the flexor band and the extensor band are a root cause of a lot of injures and painful conditions, not just elbow injuries!!!

Balanced hand exercise where all muscles that open and close the hand is the key to minimizing these debilitating injuries. We developed Handmaster Plus FOR golfers, because Dr. Terry Zachary was a professional golfer and noticed this same training imbalance in the 1990's. Since then golf equipment technology research has expanded exponentially, grip training not so much. Only recently have the trainers of the big tours started to take notice since Handmaster Plus is now in the hands of many pros on all senior and regular circuits around the world.



Henrik Stenson is predictably experiencing wrist extensor tendinitis on his lead wrist (the left wrist for right handed golfer). Tiger Woods experienced elbow tendonitis in his lead elbow (the left elbow for a right handed golfer). Mike Weir experienced elbow tendonitis in his lead elbow (the right elbow for a left handed golfer). Though grip hand, wrist and elbow imbalance can also lead to elbow injuries in the trail elbow (i.e. John Daly), the lead wrist and elbow are most common. The lateral elbow and posterior wrist of the lead arm are most open to injury in golf, as are the medial elbow and anterior wrist of the trail arm. That said, 'the imbalance is the imbalance' and golf is a stressful game on the hands, wrists and elbows. All golfers 'grow' differently to adapt to their body types and swing technique patterns differently. The location of injury can be anywhere and somewhat unpredictable (John Daly's elbow injury was lateral elbow on the trail arm, the right arm, not easily predictable).

What is completely predictable is that unless accomplished golfers, both professional and amateur, start to train their grip muscles properly hand, wrist, carpal tunnel & elbow injuries will continue at a high rate.

Visit #1 complete hand strengthener to find more information about Handmaster Plus.

Contact us at info@doczac.com for more information regarding grip and grip muscle training for golf or any other grip related sport, music or workplace activity.

Labels: golf injury, grip, Handmaster Plus, Henrik Stenson, lateral epicondylitis, tendonitis, tennis elbow, wrist injury

Do I need to do wellness guitar finger exercises for my picking hand?

This is an important question. The balance of the muscles on the picking hand, finger and thumb are greatly affected because of the size of the article that is being gripped, i.e. in this case a pick or a string. Thus, the finger and thumb flexor muscles are shortened regularly and, if not properly exercised, will become imbalanced. 

Handmaster Plus allows a complete and simple finger exercise that will easily offset this imbalance - and is also an amazing warm up and warm down exercise. So many musicians develop hand, wrist, carpal tunnel and elbow imbalances and wonder why. Yet it is easy to explain - and to offset through proper exercise.

But why is there a thumb and finger muscle imbalance on the picking hand? And why have we missed it in the past? Especially when so many guitarists have experienced carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, and finger and thumb tendonitis & injury issues.

Firstly lets talk about why.

The hand, fingers and thumb work most efficiently when they hold items that are neutral in size. By this I mean not too small, not too big. Too small might be, as an example, a guitar pick or a surgical tool. Too big might be a basketball. When they are extreme, the workload required to manipulate the item is increased.

When we grab something that is especially very small, the function of all the hand, finger and thumb muscles that have to hold and manipulate that item is amplified. What this means is that the grip stabilizer muscles (the muscles on the back of your hand, wrist and elbow) are contracting to support the fine motor flexor muscles that are holding the small items, such as a guitar pick in the picking hand. As well, note that these muscles are contracting statically (in one position) in a small range of motion which means that if used repetitively they are eventually going to become short static with poor blood flow, just like any other muscle in the body that is exercised through only a tiny range of motion.



Why have we missed this imbalance? Because just like other grip dominated activities (i.e. sports & workplace) we focus more on the 'symptoms that grip imbalance causes (carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, DeQuervain's Syndrome, tendonitis, cramping, etc.)' rather than 'what causes grip imbalance?'

Thumb & fingers exercises must be done to maintain the natural balance of the finger, thumb, hand, wrist, carpal tunnel, forearm and elbow. There is no other way.

We designed Handmaster Plus so that all guitarists have an easy to understand & easy to do thumb and finger exercise to offset the repetitive finger muscle activity required to hold a pick or even to finger pick. The repetitive flexing and gripping aspect of the picking hand must be offset if finger, thumb, hand, wrist, carpal tunnel, forearm and elbow mechanics are to be strong, stable and neutrally maintained.

For more information or to purchase your personal product, visit Handmaster Plus or send us an email at info@doczac.com

Keep healthy, keep playing and look for every advantage that can make you be the best artist that you can be...

Labels: carpal tunnel syndrome, Guitar exercise, guitar finger exercises, Handmaster Plus, injury, picking hand, tennis elbow, thumb

I get a lot of questions asking about the agonist/antagonist theory to hand exercise and grip muscles, which confuses a lot of people. What is the role of the finger extensor muscles and why do I keep harping on training them properly?


The grip muscles are not an agonist/antagonist relationship as are the biceps/triceps, quadriceps/hamstrings, for example. They are a co-contraction kinetic chain. We have clearly demonstrated this is http://www.doczac.com/emg.html. The finger extensor muscles contract during grip as do the flexor muscles, obviously, together. You can view any activity that we have studied to show that the finger extensor muscles contract to support the flexor muscles, they do not relax. Hand exercise and grip is a co-contraction.

The problem with this mechanically is that, in the long term, where gripping is repetitive, the extensor muscles are obviously contracting in a small ROM (not opening hardly ever through their full natural ranges of motion (ROM)) so they become a shortened, static, unhealthy muscle group/chain over time, thus becoming weak and even easy to injure. The weaker they become, the less they can do their part to support grip and the more the grip (flexor muscles) have the full un-aided responsibility of the grip action. 

Thus for best grip performance, strength, hand speed, stamina, ROM, and injury prevention, both the supportive muscles (extensors/abductors) and the action muscles (flexor/adductors) must be strengthened in the best way, that being through their full natural ROM's, like any other muscle or group. So for the grip stabilizer muscles (again, the hand opening muscles, extensors and abductors), this means they must be trained through full opening and spreading which keeps them at their best health, strength and function and stimulates the most healthy circulation for repair and maintenance of tissues. In turn, they are able to perform their best role in being there to support the grip muscles. They are then also able to offset shortening of the flexor muscles to keep the fingers, thumb, hand, wrist, carpal tunnel and elbow stable (i.e. not allowing flexor domination, collapse and joint instability). 

By the way, the finger extensors would then also be best available to open the hand in hand opening functions as well... but name me a function we perform where the hand opening muscles are used - none or very few will come to mind. 

So grip support seems to me to be the main role of the finger extensors, we simply need to understand that they are healthiest and strongest themselves ONLY when trained through full natural ROM's. 

Handmaster Plus does this easily and conveniently, plus stimulates all peripheral nerve routes (neuropathy) and maximizes blood flow (repair). Pretty complete, I'd say, and why people get such wonderful results with an array of conditions using Handmaster Plus... compliments all grip activities (including repetitive grip during gym training) so that weakness, imbalance & injury are held at bay and performance is always maximized!

Labels: agonist, antagonist, finger extensor, grip, hand exercise, Handmaster Plus, kinetic chain., muscles

I recently ran into a great blog for classical guitarists, for whom I have the utmost respect (and strong hint of jealousy as a wannabe guitarist, especially picker). Classical guitar is beautiful, difficult to learn and can be challenging on the body, especially the hand, carpal tunnel wrist and elbow... all due to repetitive gripping. When I see classical guitarists not understanding the finger exercise application of Handmaster Plus as a MUST-HAVE training aid to keeping them strong, performing well and preventing injury, I have to comment... otherwise carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow will continue to run rampant.
I have been working with repetitive grip injuries for 20+ years. If you play guitar, you WILL develop finger muscle imbalance - it is simply a fact relating to the mechanics of gripping. If your technique is better, the imbalance may be less. Regarding carpal tunnel syndrome, there is a basic muscle imbalance at play here which will be shared by ALL guitarists. Several of the intrinsic finger muscles that contract repetitively in both the cording hand and picking hand are attached to the transverse carpal ligament, the roof of the carpal tunnel. There is nothing to offset the shortening of these small muscles and thus the space within the carpal tunnel changes and pressure within the carpal tunnel increases putting the median nerve at risk. Strengthen the muscles that oppose flexion (grip) and you remain strong, healthy and in balance. It is not an emotional topic to me, just factual. I used to see musicians come in over and over with this same simple muscle imbalance displaying as carpal tunnel syndrome or tennis elbow mostly - and yet no one in the music industry to this day has any idea of what to do except 'treat' the symptoms (rest, ice, cortisone, etc). It appears that no one (other than my group) has worked to understand the imbalance itself. It is not complicated. It is the same imbalance seen in repetitive-grip athletes and workers for over 20 years.
We used to give patients multiple exercises (elastic bands, grippers, etc.). But they would not resist accurately through full ROM's and the patient wouldn't find time or wouldn't remember them. Now since developing Handmaster Plus, the musician will easily be able to exercise all 18 hand muscles (the 9 that close AND the 9 that open the hand) through full natural ROM's in one easy, continuous exercise. Muscle balance couldn't be easier. The only barrier to proper training for the hand, wrist and elbow NOW is the musician or poor advice.
Do not misunderstand, Handmaster Plus is a 'training tool' and a 'rehabilitation tool', not a stand alone treatment tool. It is designed to maintain balance, prevent injury or rehab/rebalance injuries (after proper treatment). If you are have acute pain Handmaster Plus is not meant as a panacea in place of a health care professional. See your doctor for acute treatment - and then advise them about using Handmaster Plus as a complimentary rehab and rebalancing exercise after treatment protocol. In other words, SO IT DOESN'T DEVELOP AGAIN! Most doctors do not understand the mechanics of grip or the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow. If they did this simple flexor vs extensor muscle tone imbalance would not be such a neglected issue and musicians would understand and act accordingly. When I see musicians say to visit a doctor and not use Handmaster Plus, I find it humorous. Repetitive grip activities CAUSE muscle imbalance. If you do not think for yourself and learn about your body (in this case the interplay between the grip muscles and the hand opening muscles (the grip stabilizers), you will never understand this imbalance and always be chasing your symptoms. You must offset this inherent muscle imbalance if you expect to stay healthy and strong, play well and prevent injuries from classical guitar. Keep in mind the flexor/extensor muscle balance issue is also at the root of most classical guitar elbow, wrist, finger and thumb problems as well - so it is no small subject if you are serious (which I find most classical guitarists are!). Thanks for the opportunity to speak on this most vital muscle imbalance. I hope I can influence classical guitarists toTHINK and train properly BEFORE this conversation so that they likely never enter it. Your performance and injury risk are both at stake. Feel free to ask me any questions at info@doczac.com or visit www.handmasterplus.com for more information.

Labels: carpal tunnel, classical guitar, finger exercise, Handmaster Plus, repetitive grip, tennis elbow

Another day another elbow injury on the PGA tour. And it is a star again, John Daly. He draws fans. I'll keep on talking and talking until the powers that be on the PGA Tour therapy area start to listen. As well as leading golf fitness gurus. The stabilizer muscles of the hand are the 9 hand opening muscles. If they are not trained properly, the player suffers and is open to injury. They contract each time a player hits a shot or lifts a dumbell or kettlebell. But they contract in ONE STATIC POSITION. They must be trained through their full ROM or a golfer can never expect muscle balance at the fingers, hand, wrist, carpal tunnel or elbow. But elbows and wrists are most at risk.
Not to beat a dead horse, but repetitive grip imbalances are costing the golf fan a chance to see great players and they're costing the players a chance to play their best a have their best experiences. I highly doubt John Daly is very excited about missing the open at Muirfield. But again I stress it won't be the last injury to the elbow and wrist because of SIMPLE MUSCLE IMBALANCE. No other area of the body would be trained this poorly, yet somehow golf fitness professionals and leaders keep on ignoring the problem.
I have worked on this imbalance for 20 years back originally using balls and elastic bands. Four separate exercises and most often the athlete would not have time or the memory to be able to do them.
Once I developed Handmaster Plus, there is no excuse. One easy exercise strengthens the 9 muscles that open the hand and the 9 muscles that open the hand. Our PGA players that are using Handmaster Plus are highly unlikely to be part of one of these stories because they are too balanced in the hand, wrist & elbow to be hurt even by unforeseen roots and stones like Daly.
For more info visit www.handmasterplus.com

Okay, maybe the title of this post was a little overdone...We didn't actually predict that Tiger Woods HIMSELF would have an elbow injury at THIS particular time, but we have predicted more elbow injuries on the PGA Tour... especially in the majors. No doubt... For sure... Only a matter of time.
And we'll see more wrist & hand injuries as well if grip training doesn't change.
We just returned back to Vancouver from the (NATA) National Athletic Trainers Association meeting in Las Vegas... these professionals understand our message. These trainers get it! The environment is changing in grip training. Tiger Woods elbow injury is opening many eyes!
So why are we so sure about these PGA Tour elbow injuries? Two reasons:
1. Repetitive gripping is up in professional golf.
2. Roughs are up in professional golf.
Let me explain.
i) Repetitive gripping is of course inherent in the game of golf... always has been, always will be.
What is different about the modern professional golfer is exactly how much they repetitively grip... during tournament play... daily practice ...and now - in the modern era of the physically fit golfer - during exercise. Professional and high-level amateur golfers are training more and more. That means more and more gripping of dumbbells, kettlebells, and even God-forbid spueeze balls and grip-only devices. The market is that competitive. Fitness is that important.
On first glance, this statement may seem like a contradiction in our message today (i.e. wouldn't more training and more fitness mean LESS injuries?), but traditional training in relation to the grip muscles has not evolved. It has remained in the dark ages. In fact, it is currently very poorly understood and barely studied, to the point of an actual 'handicap' to the professional golfer... and all grip athletes! Why are we so apt to use grip-only devices? Or do no hand/grip training at all? Trust me, it is indeed one one of the most key areas for proper training to the golfer or any grip athlete. And Tiger Woods elbow injury becomes a prime example. But the same was true for Mike Weir, Anthony Kim, Lanny Wadkins, Doug Tewell, Nick Price, Julie Inskster, Yani Tseng, etc., etc., etc. But now it's Tiger... and the world is likely to take notice.
Let's start at the start, The mechanics of grip:
We know, through sEMG studies, that when we grip anything (whether it be a golf club, a tennis racquet, a guitar, a dumbbell, a kettlebell, etc.), BOTH the muscles that close the hand contract AND the muscles that open the hand contract. Grip is a co-contraction.
This means that the hand opening (extensor/abductor) muscles contract to support the contraction of the hand closing (flexor/adductor) muscles so that the hand can grip. Stay with me now... The problem is that the 9 muscles that close the hand contract through a relatively full range of motion, BUT the muscles that open the hand contract in relatively one position STATICALLY.
Thus, the entire extensor chain of muscles (from the back of the fingers to outside of the elbow) contract over and over in one position - creating a weak, overused, inflexible stabilizer band that is very open to INJURY.
This extensor band of muscles also affects the stability of the fingers, hand, wrist, carpal tunnel & elbow because it also offsets the flexor band to keep the joints balanced. In other words imbalance between the flexor band and the extensor band are a root cause of a lot of injures and painful conditions, not just elbow injuries!!!
But of course we are talking about the elbow today. Tiger's elbow. Imagine Tiger or any other professional golfer (or high level amateur) hitting a shot through thick rough (& worse if the rough is wet as in the 2013 US Open) with a inflexible, overused extensor band of muscle leading through the shot? It's crazy! Yet that is just what is happening because of outdated, dangerous grip strengthening techniques. We're just as surprised when a PGA Tour player is not injured after one of these shot types!
ii) Regarding high rough, because the modern professional golfer is so much stronger and the golf equipment is so much more advanced (players, clubs AND balls), tournament commitees have to find a way to protect the golf courses... and long gnarly rough is often the answer, especially in majors. Add rain into the mix, and you have the perfect storm (parden the pun... imbalanced hand, wrists, carpal tunnels & elbows + high rough) for hand, wrist, carpal tunnel & elbow injuries.
So why are elite professional golfers training so poorly? The answer: I dunno. For some reason the balance of the hand, wrist, carpal tunnel & elbow is ignored and not closely studied. Its as if the traditional 'grip-only' devices are so readily accepted that they are not suspected. Often players get a hold of a spring loaded or coiled 'grip-only' device (God forbid... read on...) or a tennis ball (God forbid again). Absolutely the wrong idea - like telling someone with poor posture to slouch more!

The key to healthy extensor stabilizer band is to exercise the hand-opening muscles through their full, natural ROM to offset the demands of daily play, practise and training. It is the only way! Without healthy grip stabilizer extensor chain the flexor chain (on the front of the fingers, hand, wrist, carpal tunnel & elbow) will be un-opposed and allowed to collapse. The result is fingers and thumbs that are shortened in flexion, collapsing of the carpal tunnel (Ken Venturi), and shortening of the medial (inside) elbow. Exercising any joint through full ROM's also ensures maximum circulation which is how all tissues and joints stay healthy, strong and flexible. All of these imbalances and weaknesses just because the hand opening muscles are ignored - allowed to contract in one static position everyday throughout the career of these great athletes. No other muscle group is treated so irresponsibly!!!
Maybe Tiger Woods' injury will finally draw the proper attention to this imbalance that it deserves.
We are converting many more therapists, professional athletic trainers and strength and conditioning coaches to this subject, so the cure is on it's way. It's just a matter of education. But one thing is for sure, no other area in the body is neglected as much as the hand, wrist, carpal tunnel and elbow. It's time to come out of the dark ages. Maybe Tiger Woods elbow injury will finally do just that.
And think of the other sports where demands on hand, wrist, carpal tunnel & elbow are huge under poor grip training techniques. Think tennis, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, gymnastics, bodybuilding, extreme sports, etc. The list goes on... and so do the injuries...
For more information on Handmaster Plus please visit: www.handmasterplus.com. Please pass this article on to any grip athlete or therapist/trainer. We make PROPER training super-easy and have many professional athletes and trainers using the product easily and conveniently.
Contact us at terry@doczac.com for more information regarding hand, wrist, carpal tunnel & elbow stability.