I've had a painful condition called dystonia in my wrist for many years and have gone to lighter rods and reels--specifically from a 9 ft. 5 wt to a 8.5 4 wt. and a 8 .5 3 wt. What I've found most helpful is a simple wrist brace (Mueller made the one I'm using and I got it from an online speciality house, but have been told a like product can be had at Wal-Mart).

The wrist brace is so important in lessening pain that I wll not fish without it. Three hours of casting is still my limit, though, and after 5 hours on the SF of the Rio Grande today, I quit, even though trout were still taking, because of the pain (and oh, yes, the 17 trout brought to hand contributed to the strain).