Dear Scott,
We heard that you injured your arm and had to drop out of the World Championships last month. What happened? How is the recovery going?
Kurt Royer
Newark, NJ
Kurt,
Withdrawing from the 2001 Worlds after winning the
mixed and divisional doubles was a difficult, but necessary decision.
Late Wednesday I began to notice some unusual soreness
in my right elbow. This soreness probably resulted from a hyperextension
of my right arm. Understanding the necessity of being in top physical
condition, I reluctantly decided to withdraw from the competition rather than
risk any possibility of long term or even permanent damage.
The prognosis was a full recovery after a few weeks of
rest and relaxation. I am already on the road
again holding clinics, and of course the Discraft
Doubles Series will be returning.
One more thing. In case anyone was wondering, I was
shooting ok by the time I withdrew, but probably wasn't
going to catch Cam Todd, Steve Rico, or Erik Tracy. I
was only a couple of shots out of the top ten with five
rounds to go, but the way those guys were playing I was
probably shooting for 4th at best. Next year though...
Dear Scott,
Do you think arm length has much to do with getting extra distance? I see many tall guys throwing
farther than any of my stumpy disc buds. I wonder about the effects of leverage. Do you ever get arm
or shoulder pain from throwing too hard? I do. Is it just bad form? I can't get the distance I want.
Jerry 'Flathead' Spidell
Des Moines DGC
Des Moines, IA
Jerry,
Longer arms have an advantage in distance. The longer
the arm, the longer you can reach back which gives the
disc more distance to accelerate.
As far as arm pain,
I'm always hesitant to give any advice regarding
injuries. Because I'm not a trained medical professional, I'm afraid of
hurting someone worse by acting like I know more than
I do. Talk to a doctor, personal trainer, or physical
therapist. Bring a video of what you do so they can
see your throw in action.
Got a question for Scott Stokely?
Ask him now.
Worlds 2001 and Longer Arms
