Dave Green is a certified instructor under Sifu Marc McFann of the Inosanto JKD Lineage & is based in the North West of England. Dave is also a qualified Fencing Instructor & 4th Grade black belt in Doce Pares Eskrima Grandmaster Danny Guba. You can visit Dave's website at www.ceaclubs.co.uk or email him at Yoda

The forearm and its two associated joints, the wrist and the elbow, are of great importance to the Eskrimador. It is this unit that is largely responsible for the delivery of our weapons. The basic structure of the lower arm is a trade off between mobility and structural soundness. To give the hand its almost universal mobility there is a need for a complex arrangement of muscles, joints and associated tissue. The main problem with this structure is that each of the two bones of the forearm has a stable joint at one end and a less than stable joint at the other. The ulna has its stable joint at the elbow, whereas the radius has its stable joint at the wrist. These two bones are often confused. An easy way to remember which is which is to think of the thumb. Your thumb moves in a circle or radius - the radius is attached to your wrist at the thumb side. This arrangement allows for a high degree of mobility and rotation but leaves the elbow and wrist joints prone to injury - the most common type being repetitive strain injuries such as tennis elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis). The complex structure of the wrist is also prone to injuries such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The radius and ulna are not two totally separate entities - they are joined down their entire length by ligament and this is also prone to injury, typically from repetitive shock such as holding Thai pads.

Injuries in general can be grouped into two classes. Acute injuries are the result of a single trauma whereas chronic injuries result from repeated strain or "wear and tear".

TENNIS ELBOW (Lateral Epicondylitis)

Tennis elbow is a local inflammation on the outer side of the elbow caused by micro tears within the tendon of the extensor muscle. This can be either acute, via sudden violent impact or twisting, or chronic, via repeated pulling of the extensor muscle. This is most likely in Eskrima through powerful backhand motions and redondo / flywheel strikes - particularly on a striking target such as a tyre, or when sparring full contact.

Tennis elbow is usually felt as localised pain at the outer edge of the elbow and can radiate down the forearm. There is unlikely to be swelling in this injury. The pain of tennis elbow can be aggravated by short lifting movements such as picking up a heavy object, particularly in a palm down position.

Treating tennis elbow is usually a case of rest, with a rehabilitation plan consisting of exercises to strengthen the muscles involved. Recuperation is slow in tendon injuries due to the relatively poor blood and nutrient supply. In extreme cases surgery may be required to remove resulting excess scar tissue.

Training for us obsessive martial artists must obviously go on - but it is a good idea to avoid strong backhand motions while trying to recover from this condition. A support device is well worth considering. These consist of a small band worn 1 to 2 inches from the elbow. This helps to compress and immobilise the muscle group. Simple analgesics and anti-inflammatory medication are helpful early on, with progress to local steroid injections often being considered before resorting to surgery.

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

CTS is a local inflammation causing pressure on or around the medial nerve on the inside of the wrist. This causes pain and sometimes numbness, especially when the wrist is flexed. As with tennis elbow, this condition can be caused by an acute injury or by a chronic repetitive bent wrist action as is very common in Eskrima. A characteristic of CTS is a loss of pinching strength, with numbness in the thumb and index finger. Rest and recuperation are basically the same, reducing the offending actions and treating with rest, anti-inflammatory medication. In severe cases it is necessary to operate to release the ligament at the front of the wrist. A flexibility and extensor strength programme are a good idea - in fact this is highly recommended as a preventative measure rather that waiting for the injury to occur.

Eskrima is largely a wrist, elbow and arm based activity - if you wish to enjoy a lifelong pursuit of the arts then look after your body in a way that will ensure that you are free to do so.

A simple set of exercises can provide a good start on the road to wrist health. Here are eight such exercises. Perform each one for as many repetitions and sets as your trainer / coach / physiotherapist advises.

Wrist Extension

1. Make a fist with your palm facing down
2. Try to move your wrist in an upward direction whilst resisting the movement with the opposite hand.
3. Hold this contraction for 5 seconds.
4. Repeat as advised.

Wrist Flexion

1. Make a fist with your palm facing upwards
2. Try to move your wrist in an upward direction whilst resisting the movement with the opposite hand.
3. Hold this contraction for 5 seconds.
4. Repeat as advised.

Radial Deviation

1. Make a fist with your palm facing inwards and thumb uppermost (like a vertical punch)
2. Try to move your wrist in an upward direction whilst resisting the movement with the opposite hand.
3. Hold this contraction for 5 seconds.
4. Repeat as advised.

Finger Extension
1. Hold your hand flat, fingers extended, with palm facing down.
2. Try to move your fingers in an upward direction whilst resisting the movement with the opposite hand.
3. Hold this contraction for 5 seconds.
4. Repeat as advised.

Pronation / Supination (Abaniko)

1. Make a fist with your palm facing inwards and thumb uppermost (like a vertical punch)
2. Try to rotate to a palm down position whilst resisting with the opposite hand.
3. Hold this contraction for 5 seconds.
4. Repeat in the other direction - try to rotate to a palm up position.
5. Repeat as advised.

Wrist Extension Stretch

1. Hold your arm straight out at shoulder height.
2. Place your opposite hand on top of your wrist and try to raise the arm - resist the movement until you feel a mild stretch on the top of your arm.
3. Hold for 20-30 seconds.
4. Repeat as advised.

Wrist Flexion Stretch

1. Hold your arm straight out at shoulder height.
2. Place your opposite hand under your wrist and try to lower the arm - resist the movement until you feel a mild stretch on the bottom of your arm.
3. Hold for 20-30 seconds.
4. Repeat as advised.

Gripping

1. Squeeze a tennis ball in the palm of your hand
2. Hold for 10 seconds
3. Repeat as advised

A more advanced programme would use the same basic motions but with movement using some form of resistance such as rubber exercise bands