Double Bass Dealing with Physical issues

[Treyzer]

Well it's finally come to pass. I turned 70 this last October and after more than 50 years of playing bass, I've developed some physical issues that have to be medically addressed.

In January I will have the first joint on my right index finger fused. This was not an easy decision. Since 2017, I've had injections about every 6 months put into this joint in order to try and alleviate the constant pain. I guess I should be thankful that my body has not required any other surgeries to hips, knees and shoulders. Still, it's important to continue playing as long as I'm upright. I'll do what's necessary to make that happen.

PS, I'm very active. Ongoing activities include surfing (I live on Kauai), biking and walking/playing golf. Guess I'm a young 70.

Anybody else facing physical challenges?

 

[210superair]

Oh yeah! (if you're squeamish don't click on the pic) I'm 43, and have spinal stenosis, and a bunch of other problems in my neck. So my left hand and arm are 24/7 nerve pain, and my neck also hurts 24/7. Had a surgery a little over a year ago to cut out some of my vertebra, which helped the nerve pain a little, but both conditions are chronic and degenerative, meaning they won't stop, and will always continue to get worse. So my left arm is losing muscle fast (10% since surgery) and will eventually be a flipper, lol. I try to keep a good attitude about it, a lot of people have a lot worse. I'm just playing my @$$ off, trying to squeeze in absolutely every drop of music I can before I can no longer play. I already can't play like I could, but I do what I can with more flair, lol....

Hope your challenges are overcome! Stay tough! Like my dad with Parkinson's says: "Bein alive ain't for 9ussie5!"

lol.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Sorry to hear that, Trey. When you say "first joint on the right hand index finger" do you mean the one in the middle of the finger or up where the finger meets the hand? What is the nature of the fusion and how do you see it adjusting your pizz stroke?

While I'm nowhere near in the territory of the above two posts, this is a timely thread for me. At 55, I've now got a chronic left shoulder injury (from a separation injury in my 20s), recently recovered from a bulging L4-L5 event (Now when anybody even mentions "sciatica" I grimace in sympathetic pain), and recently had a scare with the middle finger of my right hand that turned out to be a result of me not understanding how to use the rowing machine the family bought to help us all get/stay in better shape as we age. Lifting straps and a better understanding of technique seem to have alleviated that one.

At this point, I know I am solidly in the Autumn of my career, at least physically. And like the rest of humanity that finds ourselves in this position, the question becomes how to make the best and get the most out of whatever remaining time we have.

Some things are easy: after 6-7 knee procedures and living in a 3 story house, it was time to quit jiu jitsu in 2014. Done.

Some are harder, like:
- Finding forms of exercise that are gentle on the aging body but still help keep mind and body active and healthy.
- How to figure out how to continue to get a big visceral pizz sound with an increasingly fragile body.
- Deciding how and when to compromise for the sake of the long game.
- When life takes something away, learning how to grieve and move on.

I look forward to reading the replies to Trey's question that are sure to come.

 

[DrayMiles]

Herniated L4 - L5 AND Sciatica.

Yes, exercising without exacerbating is confusiating...

 

[Treyzer]

Wow, Chris, so sorry to hear of your health challenges. The knee and the bulging discs are no laughing matter. As a friend once said, "This is life, no one gets out alive". My other favorite, "No good deed goes unpunished".

The joint I'm referring to is at the tip/end of the 1st finger on my right hand. Evidently, I have no more cartiledge in this joint. It's bone on bone and that's painful. I don't think I really use it much but it's useful for hooking the G string at times and of course grabbing things like the rail of a surfboard when your setting up to get to your feet.

As we age, it seems we're constantly making adjustments and realizing that we can't do what we once could. But as long as I can, I will.

Warmest Aloha.

 

[buckthorn]

I got hit with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (aka, AIDP) last month. I'm only a part-time player, but I haven't touched my upright in 6 weeks (I still can't balance sitting on a stool, let alone walk without a walker). I'm going to try my Fender this week just to get back into playing anything. I've missed a few gigs already, and don't expect to return until at least January or even February (knock on wood). Even then, I'll probably need help hauling my bass and amp around.

 

[dramatwist]

...I'm a bit older than you, dealing with coronary artery disease, peripheral neuropathy, asthma, OSA... but I'm still playin'...

 

[Jason Hollar]

Oh yeah! (if you're squeamish don't click on the pic) I'm 43, and have spinal stenosis, and a bunch of other problems in my neck. So my left hand and arm are 24/7 nerve pain, and my neck also hurts 24/7. Had a surgery a little over a year ago to cut out some of my vertebra, which helped the nerve pain a little, but both conditions are chronic and degenerative, meaning they won't stop, and will always continue to get worse. So my left arm is losing muscle fast (10% since surgery) and will eventually be a flipper, lol. I try to keep a good attitude about it, a lot of people have a lot worse. I'm just playing my @$$ off, trying to squeeze in absolutely every drop of music I can before I can no longer play. I already can't play like I could, but I do what I can with more flair, lol....

Hope your challenges are overcome! Stay tough! Like my dad with Parkinson's says: "Bein alive ain't for 9ussie5!"

lol.

Dude that scar is hideous! OMG I hope you're ok! My doc says I'm dealing with the same thing and it's a bummer it's only getting worse. Trying to keep a good posture - off to my first class at the new tai chi school.

 

[210superair]

We're falling apart boys!

 

[Treyzer]

Getting older ain't for sissies. My heart goes out to all of you.

 

[Groove Doctor]

Some are harder, like:
- Finding forms of exercise that are gentle on the aging body but still help keep mind and body active and healthy.
- How to figure out how to continue to get a big visceral pizz sound with an increasingly fragile body.
- Deciding how and when to compromise for the sake of the long game.
- When life takes something away, learning how to grieve and move on.

We need a new perspective -
It's not about getting old, it's just that we can't abuse our bodies and get away with it any longer.

Walking, swimming, yoga, Pilates top the list. Cycling, rowing, Cross Country Skiing & Golf are also excellent.

The 'learning how to grieve and move on' I could certainly do with advice on.

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

We need a new perspective -
It's not about getting old, it's just that we can't abuse our bodies and get away with it any longer.

Walking, swimming, yoga, Pilates top the list. Cycling, rowing, Cross Country Skiing & Golf are also excellent.

The 'learning how to grieve and move on' I could certainly do with advice on.

So, beer and sigarettes are out?

 

[Reiska]

I switched to non-alcoholic and vaping. I`ve spent the latest year or so focusing on pain-free playing in my DB practising routine, at 44 and with chronic right side rotator issue. Relearning the technique and fine tuning the setup has helped a lot, but it definently is still there. Some days are better than others. Part of the deal has been fine tuning my exercise routines, getting rid of anything that might have provoked the issue and enhancing the good stuff. Running, biking, walking, basic muscle strenght, balance and endurance training + stretching are what keeps me going both physically and mentally.

 

[210superair]

So, beer and sigarettes are out?

F that, it's all I got left.....lol. Smoke um if ya got um, and cheers.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

We need a new perspective -
It's not about getting old, it's just that we can't abuse our bodies and get away with it any longer.

Walking, swimming, yoga, Pilates top the list. Cycling, rowing, Cross Country Skiing & Golf are also excellent.

The 'learning how to grieve and move on' I could certainly do with advice on.

Agree about not continuing to abuse, and I am trying to pay that forward to my students before they do too much damage. Walking and swimming are great, although I usually only have time to swim in the summer. Elliptical and rowing are part of the 6 days a week routine. Yoga is on my wish list. Having to spend 2 weeks only on the first floor of my house after the last major knee surgery gave me a whole new perspective on how wonderful it is to be ambulatory, and made me rethink a lot of things!

I quit cigarettes at 40 and have been off of beer and hard liquor for over 30 years but have 1 or 2 small whiskey glasses of red wine with or after dinner. I suppose I will have to cut that at some point, too, but not yet!

 

[210superair]

Agree about not continuing to abuse, and I am trying to pay that forward to my students before they do too much damage. Walking and swimming are great, although I usually only have time to swim in the summer. Elliptical and rowing are part of the 6 days a week routine. Yoga is on my wish list. Having to spend 2 weeks only on the first floor of my house after the last major knee surgery gave me a whole new perspective on how wonderful it is to be ambulatory, and made me rethink a lot of things!

I quit cigarettes at 40 and have been off of beer and hard liquor for over 30 years but have 1 or 2 small whiskey glasses of red wine with or after dinner. I suppose I will have to cut that at some point, too, but not yet!

Yeah, I don't drink like a fish, but two or three now and then. I don't really drink beer, sometimes in the summer I'll have one or two. I'm working on the quitting smoking now, got any tips?

I also swim as much as possible, and I used to do triathlons, etc, but that's an impossible task now. I can pretty much only backstroke at distance due to the injuries, but I've always loved swimming. Bikes too.

 

[Reiska]

Yeah, I don't drink like a fish, but two or three now and then. I don't really drink beer, sometimes in the summer I'll have one or two. I'm working on the quitting smoking now, got any tips?

I also swim as much as possible, and I used to do triathlons, etc, but that's an impossible task now. I can pretty much only backstroke at distance due to the injuries, but I've always loved swimming. Bikes too.

Vaping is an option if quitting alltogether seems too miserable. For sure, vaping hasn`t been around for long enough to really know it`s potential dangers, but my personal experience is that the difference to smoking is similar than chewing nicotine gum vs smoking. The horror stories around the issue are mostly about people vaping something that shouldn`t be vaped in a e-cigarette , like oil based incredients such as THC or E-vitamine.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Sorry to hear this, Trey. I'm sure you'll figure out a work around and keep playing! Can it be fused at an angle of your choice (if that would be a good thing)? All the best and hope you get back to Chicago. The weather's great this time of year! :>(

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Yeah, I don't drink like a fish, but two or three now and then. I don't really drink beer, sometimes in the summer I'll have one or two. I'm working on the quitting smoking now, got any tips?

My wife and I quit back when our son (now 17) was born. The only thing that really worked for us was the lozenges. But like anything with nicotine in it, those are pretty easy to get hooked on, too. The difference is, your lungs are clearing up even if you are still addicted to nicotine...there was a minute there while I was still doing Kempo and BJJ and using the lozenges. Again, not ideal, but my lungs were far from the first thing to complain when the going got heavy.

I also swim as much as possible, and I used to do triathlons, etc, but that's an impossible task now. I can pretty much only backstroke at distance due to the injuries, but I've always loved swimming. Bikes too.

I hear that! Oddly, backstroke is the one stroke that's tough with the shoulder I have. But working on that... Hang in there - that surgery sounds like it must have been gruesome!

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I am one of the older players still active here. I'm 76. I play 2 - 3 gigs a month. I've had a bad back since I was in high school, so it is nothing new. I've learned to deal with the sciatica and the pain. My hearing is just about gone, but they have hearing aides for that. I know I'm not as strong as I once was, so I've switched to very light gear that I can still carry around.
I have a full time job, a part time job, and work with 2 to 3 music projects each week. I stay busy. I am thankful for my good health (for my age). I keep as busy as I can because I believe moving parts don't rust.
Some of you have more physical issues that I have, but you keep on playing what and when you can. For that I salute you and wish you the best.