Injury Preventing Me From Playing

[tri33]

Hey everyone,

I just want to share what has been going on with me in the hope that someone will have a similar story.

So... on Monday when I was practicing I hurt my arm/wrist. I actually don't know how exactly I did it, but as I was playing a sharp pain shot through my plucking arm, and now it hurts predominately when I play fingerstyle. It isn't super painfull or anything like that but it is definately uncomfortable and seriously effects my ability to play.

An important piece of information is that I broke my right arm when I was in 5th grade. Although after the break had healed the doctors said it had grown wrong and that my "growth plate" had been crushed. As a result my arm was re-broken and a metal plate was inserted into my wrist.

This is the arm I play with and is the one that is giving me trouble. I have had minor injuries before like my fretting hand pinky being fairly sore for a couple of days, etc. But nothing like this. I know that the brake and surgery did affect my arm's mechanics as I can't straighten my pointer finger all the way when my wrist is bent, but until now it hasn't been a problem in terms of my bass playing.

Now that it has been four days and has not really improved I am starting to become a little worried. Bass is my whole life... It is what I look forward to everyday... It is how I spend the majority of my free time. If for some reason I was not able to play anymore I would just be devestated. I don't know what I'd do...

I have been trying to give it some time to get better so I have been laying off the practicing considerably. It is just so hard for me because that is really all I want to do.

I am just really bummed out about this. I was just wondering if anyone had a similar experience that turned out well in the end? I doubt anyone has my exact situation, with the plate in the arm and all. But I'm sure there are TBers that have had injuries over the years.

Luckily, I can still slap without too much discomfort so that is some consolation... I just hope it gets better.

[bassmcmatty]

I know that if my back and neck are out of alignment, I get pins and needles through to my finger tips. Sometimes feels more like a stabbing feeling and will vary from finger to finger. Try a few chiropractor visits.

[jnuts1]

i am in the same boat. sprained all the ligiments in my right hand & i have no clue how. & it has been over a year with physical therapy & i have given up hope of ever playing classic fingerstlye again. at first i had tried using a pick but no matter how much i practice i just sound horrible. i had a ramp on my bass for 2 years or so & i had been messing a technique similar to DiPiazza so i just said this is what i am going to do from now on or just not play & that wasn't an option. at first i was very choppy but i have finally smoothed out. the real turning point was learning Sir Duke this way. once i was able to play that in time using that technique i knew there was hope!

[skychief]

Hope you can overcome this setback, tri33,

Worst case scenario: You'll have to get a DB and play arco.

But never give up playing bass!!

Best of luck, man

[tri33]

First off, thanks for all the replies. It is nice to hear of similar stories.

@Jnuts1: Wow, I'm sorry man, that must have been really difficult, I am gald that you have found a way around the issue though. If it comes too that for me, I will just have to do the same.

@skychief: Thanks for the encouragement!

[mbelue]

A few years into playing bass I "smushed" the end off my fretting hand middle finger. I was in a band and had"people depending on me."

So I found a way to play around it.

The doc who put the end back on did a good job so I can use it now, BUT my left hand work is better now for it.
The moral to the story is, bass is not dead to you. Work on your slap technique until you can get the pain sorted out with a professional. There will be a solution to your problem, dont panic.

[ggunn]

I know it sounds trite, but it's like the old joke that says, "Doc, it hurts when I do this" and the doctor says "Well, don't do that".

If you are getting sharp pains on certain movements, work on avoiding those specific movements. I was having a sharp pain in my left elbow whenever I picked up my bass from the stand with my left hand to sling the strap over my shoulder. It hurt for months and was not getting any better because every time I picked up my bass I was irritating the condition.

I changed the way I pick up my bass; I started lifting it with my right hand and grabbing it with my left with my elbow already at 90 degrees rather than starting the lift with my left elbow straight. It helped immediately and after a while my elbow didn't hurt any more no matter what I did.

Maybe doing something like that will help you. Good luck!

[tri33]

Thanks again everyone for the encouragement and advice! I have been really taking it easy in terms of my bass playing and I actually am starting too see a slight improvement. I just hope it continues to get better. Like mbelue said, I have been working on my slap and have adjusted my fingerstyle technique a little so that seems to be helping.

Thanks again.

[onewebfoot]

You are not the only player beset by prohibitive injury. My recent situation was a hangnail that got infected, infection spread up finger, through hand, and related blood poisoning was crawling up my forearm. This was a couple weeks back. Had to visit the ER and take over a week's worth of antibiotics. Looks like I'm not going to die, nor will I lose a finger, nor will I lose any feeling in that finger, but the original site of infection remains red and swollen and it's driving me nuts. I even have to adjust my typing habits to not use my primary index finger.

I had to request a 2-month hiatus from playing. I might start with some fretting-hand exercises again (hammer ons). That's about all I can work right now.

[P. Aaron]

It's been 2 years since I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer. Not only did it kill my energy level, it attacked the vertebrea in my back causing me chronic pain. There was a period of time when I could not even hold a bass in my lap and play sitting down. My back was so messed up.

I am done with chemotherapy and my system is balancing itself out. I am trying to find a gig yet the illness still tries to drag me down.

Recovery sometimes means not doing what you love. It sucks but you have to heal. I am probably as impatient as anyone else who has pain that interferes with their playing.

You just smartly fight through it. A few minutes at a time, then an hour, hopefully we come most if not all the way back.

[jsbachonbass]

I say go to an orthopedic doctor right away, especially if you are feeling any numbness or tingling in your fingers. I just had surgery 2 weeks ago for cubital tunnel syndrome, which is a pinched nerve in the elbow. I waited just a couple weeks too long, and it caused the muscle between my thumb and finger to waste away. I got some of the strength back in my first finger, but it is weak and gets tired. I actually have to wrap the first joint with some tape to prevent my finger from collapsing when I play finger style.

[Pilgrim]

And you have not been to the doctor....WHY?

And you go to a bass forum for medical advice.....WHY?

The next step is obvious.

[tri33]

@ P. Aaron: I am glad you made it through that ordeal ok, thats why I feel lucky I only have something wrong with my wrist. There are so many people out there who have it alot worse.

As for Mr. Pilgrim...

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

And you have not been to the doctor....WHY?

And you go to a bass forum for medical advice.....WHY?

The next step is obvious.

Fisrt of all, my Mom is a Physical Therapist, so I feel pretty confident that her diagnosis and advice is comparable if not better than my doctor's.

Moreover, if my arm was causing me constant pain and not just bothering me when I preformed certain tasks or movements, I would have gone to the doctor. Fortunately/unfortunately (depending on how you look at it) though, my arm only really bothers me when playing bass or typing on the computer for extended periods of time, etc...

Secondly, I did not specificaly ask for advice, although the suggestions people have given me have been helpful. I was just hoping someone else would be able to share a similar story to mine so I could have some sort of point of reference for my situation.

Inasmuch, while I have the utmost respect for folks in the medical profession, chances are the doctor I would does not play bass. So who knows, a fellow bass player may be able to provide insights into my situation that a doctor would not.

[pnchad]

I have been fighting a very similar problem for about 10 yrs now -

right hand extermely painful especially when I play finger style which is all I do really.

Over the years I've been to every specialist I can think of, ortho, hand surgeons, nueroloists (sp?), PT then back around again - MRIs, CTs, nerve tests, etc. etc.

Started with an occupational therapist last week - we'll see...

I'm was a jazz doubler almost 40 yrs - it sucks but keep trying!

[Pilgrim]

SO - you do have a decent medical reference. Good choice to use it. My point remains. You didn't mention that earlier.

Given that you have sound medical advice, it's cool to ask here. It is NOT cool to ask here as a substitute for medical advice.

[tri33]

@pnchad: So how have you managed the problem? Did you have to changed your technique?

Once again Mr. Pilgrim, I did not ask for medical advice. Maybe you should re-read my orginal post...

I asked for people to share their experiences, so I could see how it turned out for other players with injuries, or what changes they made in their playing to help manage the problem, etc...

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

SO - you do have a decent medical reference. Good choice to use it. My point remains. You didn't mention that earlier.

Given that you have sound medical advice, it's cool to ask here. It is NOT cool to ask here as a substitute for medical advice.

Although, if it doesn't improve I will probably have to go to the doctor... I am just hoping it gets better so I don't have to.

Thanks again for everyone that shared their stories, it is nice to know that there are other people out there with similar problems.

[P. Aaron]

It hurts to say it but, come back to playing a little at a time. You can only successfully play through so much pain.

One of the most valuable practice habits I learned was from a Jeff Berlin column. Rather than shedding for hours upon hours, spread it out over several minutes over several days. Not only can you retain the material better but, you can gauge your recovery and not overwork the cause of the pain.

Who doesn't want to play whenever? Sometimes however, you have to walk your way back.

[tri33]

Yea I agree, thanks for the insight!

Originally Posted by P. Aaron

It hurts to say it but, come back to playing a little at a time. You can only successfully play through so much pain.

One of the most valuable practice habits I learned was from a Jeff Berlin column. Rather than shedding for hours upon hours, spread it out over several minutes over several days. Not only can you retain the material better but, you can gauge your recovery and not overwork the cause of the pain.

Who doesn't want to play whenever? Sometimes however, you have to walk your way back.

[atomicdog]

Go to the doctor. But above all stop playing for now--never play through an injury.