# Sore finger between 1st and second finger crease



## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

Hi ... dont laugh, but I.ve got a really sore finger. I think it.s a combo of the pouch rubbing on release and gripping the ammo just on/infront of tne bone of this section.
Will this skin toughen up? I.m not a grafter so hands are pathetically soft in general.
Should I protect it somehow? What with?
Any thoughts? ( other than man up/ you jessie/ girl s blouse) 
Thnx.
Ps vinegar - old army trick I read in an old Broons comic.


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)




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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Some rest if possible . In the meantime a stretch fabric bandade will provide and extra layer of protection . Switching to the middle finger instead of the index will provide some rest time . Good for skill development also .


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## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

I have had the same issues in the exact same spot, what I did was switch to the first knuckle joint instead of between the two knuckles. Works just as good and it will give the middle area time to heal and you can wear out a whole new joint. I thought I would go back to between the two Knuckles but ended up sticking with the first knuckle joint and have a pretty nice Callas there now. 
Just as a side note that first knuckle bends, so the ball will sit right in the bend and for me it feels very solid. It also lets me know it's in the exact right place every time I put the pouch in place. 
Hope that helps and the middle finger would probably work too but I've never tried that.


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

Cheers Treefork ...I.ll try my middle finger. Gd idea.


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

vince4242 said:


> I have had the same issues in the exact same spot, what I did was switch to the first knuckle joint instead of between the two knuckles. Works just as good and it will give the middle area time to heal and you can wear out a whole new joint. I thought I would go back to between the two Knuckles but ended up sticking with the first knuckle joint and have a pretty nice Callas there now.
> Just as a side note that first knuckle bends, so the ball will sit right in the bend and for me it feels very solid. It also lets me know it's in the exact right place every time I put the pouch in place.
> Hope that helps and the middle finger would probably work too but I've never tried that.


Hi Vince ... i can try that too. What.s the convention for knuckles here? 1st knuckle nr your fingernail? 2nd knuckle - your middle knuckle. 3rd knuckle - where your finger joins your palm so to speak? Cheers Vince.
(Shut eye time in the UK now)


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## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

That is exactly right, The Joint that's closest to the finger now on the pointer finger is where I hold the pouch.


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## Whytey (Sep 26, 2021)

"Ya big girl's blouse!"

Nah, just kiddin'..... like Vince said I use the first knuckle joint as it gives three points of contact, feels more stable and is easy to position.


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## skarrd (Jul 20, 2011)

same here 1st knuckle joint,got a pretty good callous there myself now


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## Northerner (Nov 9, 2010)

Shooting high volume of tiny BBs will eventually give me tender digits.


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

I.m using midway between the first and second knuckle, kinda on the bone, so way less padding.
Ps finger this morning! 
Ps 2 where do all hold the ammo?


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## karaolos (Jan 12, 2014)

I think the exact grip is a very personal affair for shooters. As long as you're releasing cleanly you can do whatever feels natural to you.

I started out using the tip pad of the index finger. I couldn't get enough pinch strength that way and switched to the 1st knuckle joint at some point... It will eventually toughen up. I'd say give it some rest but keep working with it. You'll get a callus soon. Like playing the guitar...


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## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

Just as an experiment while shooting last night I tried shooting from my normal position of first knuckle, in between the knuckles, and middle knuckle. Shot the same with all three no adjustments needed. I still like the first knuckle best but good to know I can move around if I need to give the first knuckle a break.

Kind of surprising results I thought it would make a difference where I put the pouch on my pointer finger.


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

I guess it varies too with different catapults, bands, ammo etc ...might be wrong!!!
Thnx.


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

Not in your case Vince! Your mind must be subconsciously making minor adjustments. Having a day off today - my injury is overwhelming my positivity/energy.😁


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## ZippyBands (Jun 30, 2020)

fungustoon said:


> Hi ... dont laugh, but I.ve got a really sore finger. I think it.s a combo of the pouch rubbing on release and gripping the ammo just on/infront of tne bone of this section.
> Will this skin toughen up? I.m not a grafter so hands are pathetically soft in general.
> Should I protect it somehow? What with?
> Any thoughts? ( other than man up/ you jessie/ girl s blouse)
> ...


The suggestions from others above are good.

One additional direction to try is to use a bit thicker and stiffer pouch such as thicker leather or microfiber. This will help distribute the stress of the ball on the finger over a bigger area and make it easier to hold the ball. As we "mature" our skin gets thinner and has less "padding". The result is more bone contact. 

Like all things, the thickness of the pouch is a compromise. If the pouch is too thick, the ball is hard to control and hand slap increases. Find what is comfortable and accurate for you.


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## Northerner (Nov 9, 2010)

fungustoon said:


> I.m using midway between the first and second knuckle, kinda on the bone, so way less padding.
> Ps finger this morning!
> Ps 2 where do all hold the ammo?
> View attachment 356985


 Yup, that's exactly where mine gets sore after shooting hoards of BBs. After a while my finger will even get quite swollen compared to my other hand. It looks like you might have a small circular blister forming. Rest it for a while.

BBs as so small that we have to grip them tightly when drawing. I'm guessing that's why they cause soreness much faster than larger ammo. I found that the thinner flexible pouches cause the most soreness when shooting BBs. A firm, thicker pouch might help but you might lose some feel. You could try a finger tip draw for a while but only if your bands are very light. Experiment and stop if you feel pain.


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

Northerner and Zippy ...will try some thicker pouches ...makes sense. Thanks. You.re right Northerner, I.ve bn shooting bb.s exclusively for the last 3 days, finger soreness like this never happened with my 8mm ammo. Onwards and upwards!


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