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Double Bass INJURY-- banned from the bass! (Maybe)

drurb

drurb

Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur; Mem. #1, EPC
Commercial User
Apr 17, 2004
10,334
784
#1
Well, it happened. For the first time ever, I suffered a bass-related injury. During the last tune of the last set at a gig last night, I felt the lowest joint go on my right middle finger. It seems that I tore the sagittal bands that hold the tendon in place right over the knuckle. Surgery is likely but, in any case, I cannot play for months. Anybody else ever suffer this particular injury?

I guess I'll be living vicariously for a while as far as the bass goes.

Play on folks!

Edit: Maybe I got a shot after all. See post #9
 
#4
I cut my left middle finger very very badly on Monday. Luckily I did not damage the tendon too badly and it won't require surgery, so I dodged a real bullet, but the severity still dictates I don't play for a few weeks....
I'm not trying to minimze your trouble...but I feel for you man. stay positive.
 
#9
bassist14 said:
ok, you are the doc, but: can´t you play with your index-finger?
Click to expand...

Aha! Just got home and figured-- what the heck? I tried playing with the splinted joint and yes, because my index finger is free, it's still reasonable. As long as the doc gives me clearance and the bad joint stays immobilized, maybe I have a shot.
 
#11
Bummer Les. Maybe you could see this as an opportunity to do the NHOP thing. Use only your ring and pinky fingers for a few weeks?

For those who remember Bob Branstetter, he's had knee replacement, surgery on his back, hand and shoulders. This is all in the last few years. He hasn't touched his bass in a year now and is taking it in stride, so it could be worse.

Take it easy. There has to be a silver lining around here someplace.
 
#12
clink said:
Bummer Les. Maybe you could see this as an opportunity to do the NHOP thing. Use only your ring and pinky fingers for a few weeks?

For those who remember Bob Branstetter, he's had knee replacement, surgery on his back, hand and shoulders. This is all in the last few years. He hasn't touched his bass in a year now and is taking it in stride, so it could be worse.

Take it easy. There has to be a silver lining around here someplace.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll look for the silver lining. Let's see, I've had back surgery, shoulder surgery, and now possibly hand surgery. I could do worse than to emulate Bob. :) I'd like to keep my knees for a good while, though.
 
#14
Sorry to hear that, Les. I haven't had that particular injury, but I have dislocated the extensor tendon on the middle finger my left hand and had to play around it while it was splinted. It was a drag, but I tried to use that time to get in touch with my inner Charlie Haden and make less notes count. It turned out to heal itself after 4-6 weeks.

I also recently had what I at first thought was a bad case of arthritis in my right index finger and had to play around that when it was too painful. The suggestion about trying the NHØP thing actually isn't a bad one - I went with a 2-3 approach to two fingered playing during this time, and it worked out OK. in the end, it turned out not to be arthritis, but rather a sprain incurred by tearing out a bunch of framing in my basement with an 18 lb. sledgehammer. :D Thankfully, that also healed itself. But the time working around the finger wasn't nearly as bad as i thought.

Good luck.
 
#15
Chris Fitzgerald said:
Sorry to hear that, Les. I haven't had that particular injury, but I have dislocated the extensor tendon on the middle finger my left hand and had to play around it while it was splinted. It was a drag, but I tried to use that time to get in touch with my inner Charlie Haden and make less notes count. It turned out to heal itself after 4-6 weeks.

I also recently had what I at first thought was a bad case of arthritis in my right index finger and had to play around that when it was too painful. The suggestion about trying the NHØP thing actually isn't a bad one - I went with a 2-3 approach to two fingered playing during this time, and it worked out OK. in the end, it turned out not to be arthritis, but rather a sprain incurred by tearing out a bunch of framing in my basement with an 18 lb. sledgehammer. :D Thankfully, that also healed itself. But the time working around the finger wasn't nearly as bad as i thought.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Chris--

Thanks for the info and support! In my case, the extensor tendon is, apparently, dislocating because the bands are torn. The MRI I had today will tell.
 
#16
drurb said:
Chris--

Thanks for the info and support! In my case, the extensor tendon is, apparently, dislocating because the bands are torn. The MRI I had today will tell.
Click to expand...

Which knuckle is dislocating? Upper, where it connects to the hand, middle, or down by the fingertip? I couldn't tell what you meant by "lowest" in your initial description.
 
#18
Chris Fitzgerald said:
Which knuckle is dislocating? Upper, where it connects to the hand, middle, or down by the fingertip? I couldn't tell what you meant by "lowest" in your initial description.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I mean the knuckle at the base of my hand. When I would bend the finger, the tendon that normally rides over that knuckle, would dislocate to the side. It felt like a rubber band painfully holding my finger bent. HURT LIKE HELL! Only way to restore it was to bend it up with my other hand. Classic ruptured sagittal bands, unfortunately.
 
#20
drurb said:
Well, it happened. For the first time ever, I suffered a bass-related injury. During the last tune of the last set at a gig last night, I felt the lowest joint go on my right middle finger. It seems that I tore the sagittal bands that hold the tendon in place right over the knuckle. Surgery is likely but, in any case, I cannot play for months. Anybody else ever suffer this particular injury?

I guess I'll be living vicariously for a while as far as the bass goes.

Play on folks!

Edit: Maybe I got a shot after all. See post #9
Click to expand...

I suffered precisely the same injury to my left pinky when I was in my mid-20's which was about 20 years ago. I never knew what it was until you just described it though; I never went to the doctor. I discovered I could manipulate the tendon back into place and if I was careful I could play without any pain. It would occasionally slip and I'd have to manipulate it back. It was incredibly painful when it did slip. It eventually healed but it took a LONG time. Several months for the initial injury to go away and several years before it completely stopped slipping.

mark
 

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