Dupuytren's contracture

[kobass]

Anyone ever hear of this?

Dupuytren's contracture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Was just diagnosed with it. It's on my left (fretting hand) pinkie finger. I've had it for years, but I recently noticed that I can't straighten the finger out. I do use my pinkie for fretting, and have had no issues playing, but I do want to take care of it as it will only get worse. Mine looks just like the second picture. Met with the surgeon yesterday. I need to have it addressed within six months or so. I'm sort of "in-between" bands at present, so I'm thinking of having the operation soon. Recovery would require no bass playing for about three months.

[Papa Dangerous]

I am sorry to hear man. That is always an unfortunate road to have to walk down on the path of life. I do feel you on your non bass playing for an extended period of time situation. A couple of years ago, I fractured my Navicular/Schaffoid bone in my wrist. A small fracture, but it was an area of very poor supply on anyone. Even with proper care, there was a chance I would lose mobility of my thumb and had to wear a cast with my thumb enclosed for about 3 months - than I had to wear a soft cast. My wrist was considerably smaller, my forearm was weaker and I needed to build up some dexterity again.

Use this time to your advantage if you can. Perhaps study music instead of just playing it. Use your practice time to force yourself to listen to new types of genres of music from across the world. Remember, this does not have to be a wasted time of non musical playability. It can be a growth for understanding!

[kobass]

Thanks, PD!

Yeah, I was thinking of boning up on some theory, etc. Can't hurt!

[Roscoe East]

I was diagnosed with Dupuytren's Contracture in my right (plucking) hand back around 1995. It hadn't yet started to impede movement of my fingers, but a very conspicuous fibrous lump was evident in the palm of my hand just below the pinkie. I started doing daily stretches of the pinkie & ring fingers, and my massage therapist works on that hand pretty intensively, such that now 16 years later the size of the lump has gone down considerably. I'm not sure if Dupuytren's ever "goes into remission", but at this point it doesn't seem like it will be a problem for me.

(knocks on wood)