Shoulder injury. Anybody ever been there?

[mb94952]

I had numb fingers on my right hand and saw a chiropractor, who was also a bass player in his former life, and he gave me some exercises to do and the numbness was gone in two weeks.

I know it's not the same, but just sharing hope.

 

[jonesn4bass]

I’ve been a chronic shoulder/rotator cuff sufferer for about 5 years now. Never quite bad enough to deal with the rehab and time table that a surgery would entail. I’ve done all the PT, and cortisone shots, but nothing ever made a real difference.

Last year, at my wits end, I tried a remedy that I would have laughed only a couple short years prior. If you’re up for something a little more intense then PT, look up ART (Active Release Technique) and see if anyone in your area practices. I’m one session I could move my arm better than I had in recent memory. After a few more sessions my pain has all but disappeared.

 

[g-dude]

My shoulder and neck are currently messed up.

PT helps.

Going to need to sit to play a grown up sized bass guitar. Upright is fine, thankfully.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

In 2013, rotator cuff and frozen shoulder. For which the post-op directions are oppositional: One wants rest, one wants immediate movement. So PT was not a lot of fun. At the moment, I'm waiting for my knees to give out. Still jumping off drum risers, as long as they are no taller than 24 inches.

 

[EatS1stBassist]

Oof! I’ll take ibuprofen if I need immediate relief and no other option is available. But usually some ice on the shoulder and a Tens unit on the affected muscles give me better relief on my shoulder. I’m looking at changing my diet to minimize inflammatory foods, continue PT, exercising and ice (as needed). Also, a quality CBD like Charlottes Web can have a decent effect on the inflammation.

i’m 72 years old and if I dropped something on the floor I was SOL in retrieving it. I had to make sure I was near something to hoist myself back up and it was almost near impossible. I started taking massive doses of Moroccan olive oil now I can squat like a teenager literally something to think about. It also cleared up a locked trigger finger.

 

[red_rhino]

Shoulders take forever to heal. Dislocated my right shoulder falling off a ladder from 15+ feet while helping a buddy sheet rock a recording studio. (The guy on the ladder next to mine lost his balance, fell, and took us all out.) I grabbed an exposed beam on my way down to right my fall, which popped my shoulder out, rolled when I hit the ground, which kinda reseated it. Doctor advised against surgery, thinking it might heal on its own, which it did. But it was a year and a half before I could throw a baseball without pain. That was ~30 years ago. It’s still a bit “crunchy” sometimes.

 

[rylie]

I'm a 72 yr old player. My left shoulder/collar is structurally compromised. What works for me is a tall stool. With a tall stool I can plant myself, and settle into a position to play comfortably. Works for me.

 

[H K]

A few years back, I had a twinge in my left shoulder. You know the one... the shoulder my bass hangs on?

About that time, I began icing it and doing some therapy exercise. I sold my 10lb basses and picked up basses in the 8lb range. It eventually got better. (That was actually the beginning of me buying/selling basses... hmmm)

Fast forward to a month ago... I was moving a piece of furniture and felt a *pop* in that same shoulder. This was different than before. I talked with my doctor. He said surgery would likely not be necessary. So he gave me some exercises and told me to go back to icing it. Most of the time, it doesn't affect my bass playing. Last weekend I played 3 nights and even after hours of a bass hanging around my neck, there was a dull ache but nothing major.

Playing upright is a different story. the angle of the arm makes it a little more uncomfortable, but still doable.

Some days it will hurt if I sleep on it wrong. But for the most part, it's just a mild nuisance. if it flares up, Advil does the trick.

Curious if anyone else here has dealt with a shoulder injury or even pain. Anyone have surgery?

Ive been dealing with a similar thing that also started happening recently. Likely due to me playing longer sessions now that stuff is "open again", and my shoulder having gotten weak over the last few years.. I've had some aches and pains before, but suddenly its as if my whole trapezius kinda siezes up/a nerve is pinched. It's not all that painful, but it feels weird and very uncomfortable. Comes suddenly, then loosens up over the course of an hour or so.
Whats been helping me: Sauna + cold shower, or "contrast showers" hot/cold/hot/cold etc. This reduces inflammation and gets fresh blood (Now with NUTRIENTS!) into the muscles and tissue.
Another thing I'm slowly adapting to is a more ketogenic diet. I've done that before with very good results on health in general, but it especially helps my mood, inflammations, energy levels and general stamina.
Foods rich in carbs/sugars are well known to increase inflammation.
Might also want to consider NOT taking any ibuprofen etc, as this might numb the pain, but increase inflammation over time due to it just supressing it, not fixing it..
Other stuff to consider: Warming up your shoulders more before playing long sessions, massage-gun/targeted deep tissue massage, oxygen/enriched plasma treatment, and much more. But I'd say the probably biggest one of them all is the one people hate to hear the most; -regular exercise-.
Not running or walking, but lifting weights. Keep your muscles strong and happy, so that they can deal with those long sessions. Also proven to have other benefits but, who cares, we all just wanna play the bass as long as we can, right?

 

[Gruff]

Some days it will hurt if I sleep on it wrong. But for the most part, it's just a mild nuisance. if it flares up, Advil does the trick.

You don't mention your age, but I've found as I've got older things take AGES to heal, I'm in my 50s now. I strained my left wrist while cycling - it two years to heal. I hit my thumb joint with a mallet - no break just soft tissue damage, but also two years. I injured my neck transcribing jazz scores - too much looking down to the music then up to the screen. That was two years ago, but it still bothers me if I do anything overly repetitive. Anyway, long story short, as I've got older I've been surprised how long soft tissue injuries take to heal and how "completely better" doesn't always happen now.

 

[Ewo]

Family history of severe arthritis problems, on my father's side. He died too young for it to show up, I guess--but I always figured I was in for it as I aged.

Sure enough...gradually started to lose the ability to lift up my right arm. Gutted it out with joint supplements for a while, until I couldn't lift that arm much above waist level. Total shoulder replacement #1 in my late 60s. That one was an unpleasant adventure; when I came out of the anesthesia, I had no sensation below the shoulder and no ability to move any muscle in the arm. The operation had run long, and the brachial plexus nerve had died. Yep--that put me through some wicked changes, for sure. It was a couple months before I could pick up a pen and write my name. Eventually (with long-term physical therapy) the nerve grew back (whew!) pretty well. I could pick up the bass and play again after IIRC three or four months, but it was more like six before I was back to my pre-op level of ability.

The left shoulder gave out several years after that, so it was total shoulder replacement #2. No nerve damage from that one, and the recovery was normal.

I count myself as fortunate in many respects. Unlike my paternal grandfather, who was completely debilitated by arthritis, I had access to surgical repair that fixed it well enough I can still play bass at 72 and have fun doing it. (Some links in my sig, below.) Guess it helped that although I've never been all that much of an athlete, from my 30s on I've tried to keep in decent physical condition with biking, machines, and weights. Quit biking after the first shoulder replacement (too much stress on the replacement parts, I figured) and eventually got bored with machines, but I still do a dumbbell workout twice a week. Definitely helps.

 

[themickster]

A few years back, I had a twinge in my left shoulder. You know the one... the shoulder my bass hangs on?

About that time, I began icing it and doing some therapy exercise. I sold my 10lb basses and picked up basses in the 8lb range. It eventually got better. (That was actually the beginning of me buying/selling basses... hmmm)

Fast forward to a month ago... I was moving a piece of furniture and felt a *pop* in that same shoulder. This was different than before. I talked with my doctor. He said surgery would likely not be necessary. So he gave me some exercises and told me to go back to icing it. Most of the time, it doesn't affect my bass playing. Last weekend I played 3 nights and even after hours of a bass hanging around my neck, there was a dull ache but nothing major.

Playing upright is a different story. the angle of the arm makes it a little more uncomfortable, but still doable.

Some days it will hurt if I sleep on it wrong. But for the most part, it's just a mild nuisance. if it flares up, Advil does the trick.

Curious if anyone else here has dealt with a shoulder injury or even pain. Anyone have surgery?

I have a steel plate on my left collar after a car shattered the bone and put the joint out. Have you seen the straps that go over both shoulders? You could set it to take most of the weight on the good shoulder. https://www.daddario.com/products/a...-bass-straps/standard-leather-end/dare-strap/

An Ibanez SRH might be right for you.

 

[-Stingray]

If you don't own a light bass (something in the 6-7 pound range) consider picking one up. I just posted in another thread up here that I've been dealing with back pain for a few years and a light bass (my Steinberberger Spirit is just a tad over 6 pounds) really helps me get though a four hour set painlessly.

 

[spvmhc]

Yes...shoulder separation that required surgical repair. And this is why I deeply appreciate Warwick tuners that are canted toward the bassist. Holding my arm our straight to the side while tuning is uncomfortable. Warwick figured out an ergonomic solution that doesn't come with trade-offs. I think shorter scale basses are helpful as well-less extension.

Good luck..I hope you find comfortable ways to play.

 

[s van order]

You don't mention your age, but I've found as I've got older things take AGES to heal, I'm in my 50s now. I strained my left wrist while cycling - it two years to heal. I hit my thumb joint with a mallet - no break just soft tissue damage, but also two years. I injured my neck transcribing jazz scores - too much looking down to the music then up to the screen. That was two years ago, but it still bothers me if I do anything overly repetitive. Anyway, long story short, as I've got older I've been surprised how long soft tissue injuries take to heal and how "completely better" doesn't always happen now.

Say it brother! If you strain it you own it.

 

[two fingers]

1) Find a functional medicine doctor. Western medicine doctors (mostly) aren't trained to care about root causes. They find, and treat, symptoms. (i.e. You got pain? Here's a pill.) If you find one that does, that person has gone off the reservation and decided on their own to pursue other avenues. A functional medicine doctor will try to get at the root cause. They will also try to throw diet and lifestyle solutions at problem before turning to pills. Of course, one of the main reasons western medicine is so popular is the utter DISDAIN for making the necessary diet and lifestyle changes required for better health in our culture. So it's not all the doctors' fault. And I say all of this as someone who is married to a general practitioner.

2) Resistance training. Yes, start light. Yes, stop if it hurts. No, I'm not a doctor.

That said, I can point you to a zillion studies that show ridiculous amounts of health benefits that come from resistance training (physical, emotional, cognitive, etc. Yes, resistance training is even good for your brain). No, I didn't say "exercise". I said RESISTANCE training (weights, cable machines, resistance bands, even body weight exercises). You strengthen the muscles around that joint, and you'll very likely feel less pain. There's no need to join a gym (although that would be great). You can get cheap resistance bands on Amazon. You can also look into a suspension trainer. It's literally some straps that use body weight to create the resistance. Add some protein to your diet so the muscles can grow. Whey protein powders are cheap. Or I prefer to just eat enough meat, fish, and eggs to fill a shopping cart every day.

Seriously, one of the major benefits of resistance training is an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.

Amazon.com : FITI DARE Portable Pilates Bar Kit with Adjustable Resistance Band (25,30,35lb) | Home Workout Equipment for Women&Men of All Heights | Fitness Bands Set | Outdoor Full Body Exercise Gym with Video : Sports & Outdoors

[This invalid link has been removed]

3) NATURAL anti-inflammatory supplements.

Fish oil - also good for your brain.
Quercetin - also can be good for allergies
Turmeric - Active anti-inflammatory ingredient is curcumin, so find one that is either high in it or just curcumin.
Zinc - Bulletproof makes a good one that also has copper in it. (Copper is off topic but also good for you.)
Ginger - I just use it as a spice, but you can find it in supplement form.

4) Eat WHOLE foods when possible. Processed foods are terribly inflammatory. A study came out recently showing that processed foods make up about 60% of the average westerner's diet. You can find about a billion articles online showing you which foods are particularly anti-inflammatory in nature. Avocados, salmon, blueberries, olive oil, very dark chocolate (at least 80% cacao), and walnuts usually wind up on most top-20 lists.

Don't throw in the towel. Don't just chalk it up to "getting older". Don't just pop more ibuprofen and keep buying lighter basses.

I will not go quietly into that good night. I didn't really start training until late February or early March. Now (at 51 years old) I'm benching well over 200 lbs (90 kilos) and heading toward a 350 lb (around 160 kilos) squat. I have actually GAINED weight (from 190lbs/86 kilos to 215 lbs 98/kilos) but reduced my pants waist from a tight 34"/86cm to a loose 33"/83cm.

The best part? I FEEL BETTER! I don't get out of bed and walk like the tin man with no oil in his joints for the first half hour anymore. I don't suffer from nagging aches and pains daily. Even headaches are very rare for me. On the rare occasion I do feel pain worth treating I have to remember where we keep the ibuprofen in my house. I'm not weak like many my age in my area. And I'm simply not falling apart. I stand in a circle with neighbors and the conversation almost always turns to this pain or that doctor visit or this favorite activity they can no longer participate in. I'm not going to be that guy. I've already told my wife that the day after I retire I'm starting surfing lessons.

Sorry for the long post.

 

[Johnny StingRay]

No.

 

[Paul New]

If your rotator cuff muscles are torn, no amount of supplements or exercise will cause them to reattach.

 

[Razman]

Try to avoid surgery if at all possible. I used to be in the medical field but really feel this way due to experience - the human body is a pretty well made creation; opening it up unnecessarily and poking/moving things around is something it doesn't like all that much. That said, I wish I hadn't had my left knee cleaned out a year ago, but I digress...

Dislocated my left shoulder in 2007. Had surgery, PT, was 95% after that. I'm a little worse than that now, but going to the gym and stretching helps. I have 12 lb basses and still use them, but granted I'm not standing and holding them up for 3 hours at a time.

Recently I saw a PT about some problems I'm having when putting on a shirt/jacket or reaching for something. I was given some stretching exercises and have been doing them, along with keeping up with my gym routine. Getting older is not for the weak! Stay active, take care of it with strength training and stretching and you'll extend it's life.

Raz

 

[lomo]

Did your doctor tell what is causing the pain. If not, I would ask for a more definitive diagnosis. You can’t treat what you don’t know.

^^^^^^^^^YES!

I'm an amateur bassist with chronic strap-related shoulder pain. In my case it is due to rotator cuff tendonitis from previous episodes of strap pressure choking off the blood supply to my supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles and tendons. I solved it completely using this:

How do I spell shoulder/back relief? B-a-s-s b-e-l-t.

I will not give specific medical advice over the web, but as a radiologist with 25 years of experience who interprets shoulder MR/arthrograms and xrays daily, and does a lot of shoulder US (with and without injections) I will chime in a few generalities:

1)For bassists that get the shoulder trouble from the strap to begin with (as opposed to another injury); these are issues related to chronic pressure and repetitive motion. Working out and stretching will help, but you cannot expect to strengthen your way out of this. The pressure on the tendons and muscles under the strap (trapezius, deltoid, supra- and infraspinatus) must be alleviated. The longer it goes on for, the less likely/harder it will be to recover from. A wide, flexible strap (NEOPRENE IS BETTER THAN LEATHER) will help as well.

2)For bassists who have injuries incurred other than through playing the bass, be aware that "the shoulder", is a very complex joint. It's actually 2, because it includes the AC joint, as well as 2 bursae (which act like ziplock baggies containing lubricant to minimize friction), multiple tendons, muscles and a few key ligaments, not to mention articular cartilage (the figurative teflon between bones that articulate with each other). If your pain persists beyond 6 weeks and you haven't had at least US by a qualified radiologist or tech (=someone who does this every day) or an MRI, it is very likely you (and your therapist) do not completely understand what the problem(s) is/are. For example, differentiating capsulitis (=frozen shoulder) from cuff tendonitis is not hard on physical exam, BUT capsulitis usually occurs because of an underlying injury that came 1st, and can nag long after the capsule is stretched back. Having a confident diagnosis if pain persists despite therapy beyond 6-8 weeks is critical and requires imaging beyond xray. Treating the shoulder without knowing the diagnosis is like shooting arrows at the target while blindfolded. As is often the case, the subject of shoulder pain is much more complicated than it may sound to some. Partial information is often misleading, rather than helpful. I often quote a patient whose shoulder I was ultasounding who recounted all he had read on the web and then said he probably had a rotator cuff tear. He was an engineer...very sharp dude....then at the end he laughed and said : "I guess I am information rich but knowledge poor". He turned out to have a large labral tear and a wicked coracoid bursitis, and required injection of the latter and surgical repair of the former.

Keep on thumpin' ')

 

[dbsfgyd1]

A few years back, I had a twinge in my left shoulder. You know the one... the shoulder my bass hangs on?

About that time, I began icing it and doing some therapy exercise. I sold my 10lb basses and picked up basses in the 8lb range. It eventually got better. (That was actually the beginning of me buying/selling basses... hmmm)

Fast forward to a month ago... I was moving a piece of furniture and felt a *pop* in that same shoulder. This was different than before. I talked with my doctor. He said surgery would likely not be necessary. So he gave me some exercises and told me to go back to icing it. Most of the time, it doesn't affect my bass playing. Last weekend I played 3 nights and even after hours of a bass hanging around my neck, there was a dull ache but nothing major.

Playing upright is a different story. the angle of the arm makes it a little more uncomfortable, but still doable.

Some days it will hurt if I sleep on it wrong. But for the most part, it's just a mild nuisance. if it flares up, Advil does the trick.

Curious if anyone else here has dealt with a shoulder injury or even pain. Anyone have surgery?

Warning!! This is not medical advice! Always consult a medical professional before taking action.

Two blown cuffs right shoulder followed by 3 months of PT, prognosis shoulder replacement surgery or a life of pain and weakness.

I did research on shoulder replacements, they last an average of 15 years which meant I’d be looking at another surgery at about age 85. Once I stopped doing the PT (which I found out later was designed to build up musculature for the the replacement surgery, not making what you had left more functional or for pain relief). I just dealt with the discomfort, and trust me, it was uncomfortable for a while.

Then, our community pool opened up and I started swimming, and the pain started to subside. Every summer I swim laps and have been for the last 5 years. I can now throw a baseball pretty well for a 70 year old guy, and I can toss a football as well as long as I don’t over do it, and I’m swimming faster than I ever have in my life.

As for lifting objects over head, with both arms I can lift about 10 LBS with my right arm alone which is what you would expect after shoulder replacement surgery. Any discomfort I have today, limited as it is, is more from arthritis than from the initial damage.

I will say this, it was a gutty call on my part, dealing with pain effects some more than others and may not work for everybody. Just make sure whatever you do, don’t do further damage, alway stop at the point of pain.