Shoulder Injuries and Bass Playing

[Sanctum]

Two years ago I had surgery on my right shoulder - MRI showed a bone spur and they found a rotator cuff tear while fixing it, so they fixed that too. Six months of recovery/re-hab and good to go. Didn't think much about it as a bone spur can form due to genetic factors.

This year I started having similar pains in my left shoulder Another MRI this week shows a labral tear and probable related rotator cuff damage ..... Now a labral tear is much different from a bone spur causing rotator cuff tears.

These types of injuries are usually related to sports or such activities and I can assure you that besides jamming out I'm not all that active I just turned 44 so while I'm not a kid anymore, I'm no old goat (meaning my body shouldn't be falling apart already!)

So I'm wondering since I'm right handed and the bass strap hangs on my left shoulder if the years of playing (since I was 16) have caused this. I'm a pretty small framed person so perhaps I have a narrow joint passage or something.

Just wondering if anyone else has had similar injuries from playing or anecdotal information. Its not going to help / change my situation and I'm not looking forward to telling my band I can't play for six months if this leads to another surgery, but I kind of want to find out what caused these injuries. Perhaps I am just starting to fall apart, hehe.

Waiting to hear back from my surgeon, hopefully this week.

Sucks!

[pacojas]

perhaps weight training helped me avoid injury. i actually began lifting because of the pain and fatigue due to my heavy pbass.
ironically,.. i suffered a shoulder injury at the gym that is now aggravated by playing, lol.

anyway, gl.

[Sanctum]

People ask me "Do you exercise?"

me: "Sure I play bass!"

[Blisterfinger]

My friend recently went to the doctor regarding shoulder and arm issues. Turns out he has a pinched nerve in his back, which was what caused his pain. He now has to play the bass (while sitting down) with his left foot/leg raised on something so his bass sits snugly into his lap and is at 45 degree angle to him.
I myself currently have problems with both my wrists, which I think must be RSIs (please keep smutty jokes to yerselves!).
I'm just amazed at the amount of threads that relate to injuries regarding the bass. I guess this is the price we have to pay. It's totally worth it.
Anyway, good luck with your injury and any surgery that may ensue.

[Skitch it!]

I fell off a mountain bike around 2 years ago and damaged my left rotator cuff, no pain but it doesn't move in a smooth arc anymore it 'clicks' and 'clacks' a little. I considered possible Cortisone injections/surgery but because it isn't painful I'd thought I'd run with it for a while. I didn't hear things that great about the injections? But I've no idea on that one.

Exercising the opposing muscles I've found has eased it, hiking/cycling with backpacks stuff like that, but it's a temp fix by the seems, if I don't keep the continuity it resumes it's previous play.

[Sanctum]

Injections only temporarily help the symptoms, as it reduces swelling. Usually these are done to allow athletes to continue playing until time allows for surgery. Also if you do have an actual rotator tear, it will never heal itself. Not all of them need surgery ... like if it causes no pain and isn't getting worse you could avoid it. My right shoulder was only going to get worse due to the bone spur, which they had to grind down. Then again, I'm not a doctor, hehe so take what I say as stuff I've heard from my surgeon.

Having had my right rotator fixed, I can tell you its like night and day. Yes it was fairly long rehab process (after all the shoulder moves a lot, and in a lot of different directions) but my right arm/shoulder have zero problems now and feels great. However I understand different people have different recovery periods and experiences, and my surgeon said six months was quite fast. Depends on how bad the tear is as well.

I'm lucky to have a great surgeon who works on professional athletes here in StL (Cardinals and Blues) so I trust his judgement. And even though I know in the long run it will help my body (if its needed) I hate the thought of leaving my band (again) for awhile. And I don't really want to blame my bass for this injury because its going to suck not being able to play for awhile. Just didn't know if it was a common problem.

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by Sanctum

Injections only temporarily help the symptoms, as it reduces swelling. Usually these are done to allow athletes to continue playing until time allows for surgery. Also if you do have an actual rotator tear, it will never heal itself. Not all of them need surgery ... like if it causes no pain and isn't getting worse you could avoid it. My right shoulder was only going to get worse due to the bone spur, which they had to grind down. Then again, I'm not a doctor, hehe so take what I say as stuff I've heard from my surgeon.

Having had my right rotator fixed, I can tell you its like night and day. Yes it was fairly long rehab process (after all the shoulder moves a lot, and in a lot of different directions) but my right arm/shoulder have zero problems now and feels great. However I understand different people have different recovery periods and experiences, and my surgeon said six months was quite fast. Depends on how bad the tear is as well.

I'm lucky to have a great surgeon who works on professional athletes here in StL (Cardinals and Blues) so I trust his judgement. And even though I know in the long run it will help my body (if its needed) I hate the thought of leaving my band (again) for awhile. And I don't really want to blame my bass for this injury because its going to suck not being able to play for awhile. Just didn't know if it was a common problem.

Quite common from what I'm told, I know a few people with the same deal through injury or other, the rotator cuff doesn't have a great blood supply so healing can be a bit of a slow process. I have the bone spurs too apparently, but as it is I'll cross that bridge when it comes to it. My index and mid fingers on the left hand did go numb and tingle for a while some time ago, more of a nerve thing I suppose.

I hope it goes well, good to know you have a decent surgeon on your side, recovery time is one of those things with this, I'd have 6 month's listening to stuff I haven't got round to, but I'd give the bass a miss, it'll still be there 6 down the line, not ideal but do-able.

[Gomeztool]

Old shoulder injury here. I developed it slowly via reasonable and progressive weight training. 44 is young and not too late to shore up the muscles. Get thee to the gym and watch the girls come after you.

[GeneralElectric]

I flipped my car freshman year of college when a drunk driver hit me in an SUV doing 80.

I've got a messed up rotator cuff, bone spurs, and bursitis.

My shoulder hurts me like an old man when its cold and damp out. To avoid gig pain I play basses less than 8 1/2 lbs. The only one I own thats heavier, someone practically gave to me. If I play ones a little heavier, I get various degrees of pain. 10lbs, and my shoulder is on fire at the end of the night.

Life sucks, then you die.

[Sanctum]

Got news from the surgeon yesterday ... gonna cut me on June 8th ..... blah.

Got two shows to squeeze in before then, hopefully my arm will survive them, heh. Then I'm looking at months of downtime from playing. Sucks.