Bowling Wrist Supports: Types and When They Help

What a bowling wrist support does

A bowling wrist support is worn on your bowling hand and stabilises the wrist during the swing and the release. The position of your wrist at the release influences how the ball comes off your hand and how much it rotates. A wrist support is designed to hold that position, so that your hand does the same thing from shot to shot. Whether you need one depends on your wrist and your game: if your wrist stays stable, you can bowl without one.

How the different wrist positions affect your shot is explained in our article on wrist position in bowling.

Types of bowling wrist supports

Pro shops and bowling retailers offer wrist supports in a few categories. Brunswick, KR Strikeforce, Mongoose, Robby's and Storm are among the brands that make them.

Wraps and simple supports

Wraps, for example made of neoprene, and simple supports with hook-and-loop straps sit around the wrist and the back of the hand. They give the wrist support without fixing it at a set angle, and they leave the fingers free.

Wrist positioners

Positioners hold the wrist in a defined position. Many are built with a rigid frame, for example made of aluminium, and offer several settings for how far the wrist is cupped and how far it is tilted to the side. A locking mechanism holds the chosen setting.

Adjustable braces

Some braces combine padding with an adjustment mechanism that you can change without taking the brace off. Manufacturers describe these settings as a way to influence rev rate, axis rotation and axis tilt.

Gloves with wrist support

These combine a bowling glove with a built-in support. When a glove on its own makes sense is explained in our article Bowling gloves: do you need one?

Wrist liners

A liner is a thin sleeve, often made of cotton, worn under a support. It absorbs moisture, protects the skin from rubbing and helps the support last longer.

Right or left hand

Most wrist supports are made for a specific hand and are offered in right-hand and left-hand versions. Choose the version for the hand you bowl with.

When a wrist support can help

• An unstable wrist: if your wrist bends back under the weight of the ball during the swing, a support helps keep it in position.
• A repeatable release: a positioner holds the wrist angle you have chosen, so that it does not change from shot to shot.
• Long sessions: in long practice sessions or tournaments, a support can relieve the wrist.
• After an injury: after a hand or wrist injury, clarify with your doctor whether and with what support you should bowl.

When you can do without one

Every support changes how the release feels. If your wrist already stays stable and your release is consistent, a support adds a variable that you do not need. A support that pinches, restricts blood flow or shifts during the swing should be adjusted or replaced.

How to choose a wrist support

• Start with the problem: for a wrist that bends back, a simple support may be enough. If you want to set a specific wrist angle, a positioner or an adjustable brace is the more suitable choice.
• Check the fit: use the size chart of the respective manufacturer, as sizes differ between brands. The support should sit firmly without restricting blood flow or movement.
• Try it with your own ball: if possible, throw a few shots with the support before you decide.
• Get help with the settings: adjustable models offer several positions. A pro shop or a coach can help you find a setting that suits your release. If you are unsure, have someone film your release first.

Conclusion

A bowling wrist support is a solution to specific problems: a wrist that bends back, a release that varies or strain during long sessions. Simple supports stabilise, positioners and adjustable braces hold a set angle, and gloves with a support combine the support with a glove. If none of these problems applies to you, you do not need one.

Further reading: Bowling gloves: do you need one? · Bowling release techniques · Wrist position in bowling