Coping with Injury and time off from playing live....

AndySol

Hi Folks,

I'm new here really, but figured this would be as good a place as any to have a chat about this!

I'd say about five years ago I started noticing it was getting increasingly difficult to play certain things, my picking hand started to feel like it was constrained (I'm a guitar player). To cut a long story short, progressively this got worse and worse. My fingers started tensing up, I lost all dexterity in my wrist and holding a pick to play became extremely difficult, eventually even playing with fingers was extremely hard. 

It got to the point whereby the prospect of playing a gig was really stressful, and as such the last gig I played was 1yr and 11mo. ago. 

During this time I've had surgery for ulnar nerve decompression in my right elbow (Dec '23) and seen countless doctors/consultants etc. 

For context it's not just playing guitar, it's typing, hand writing and anything that requires me to maintain a grip or repetitive use of my fingers. (Typing this causes discomfort and pain!) 

Not being able to pick my guitar up and play what I want, when I want is killing me, and while I only play in a cover band, I love it and miss it terribly. 

The prognosis of success after my surgery was if it works it could take 18 months or this might be how you are now.... I reckon at present I've got about 20% of my ability.

Has anybody else suffered or is suffering from anything that's stopped you playing? How are you coping? 

It's really getting me down! However, I did recently by myself a new amp to try and motivate myself towards playing live again (Bogner 3534 50 W and matching cab!)  

I'd love to engage in some chat about this as I feel this environment will be populated by people who understand!

Thanks folks!

Funkfingers

The pain and immobility that you are experiencing is your body trying to tell you something.

About twenty years ago, I developed Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome - to the extent that the only relief from it was being asleep. I had to give up working in mechanical engineering.

Cut to October 2023. I suddenly developed trigger finger in my left (usually fretting) hand. My third finger would either not move when I wanted it to or would stick in a bent position until I manually unstuck it. I presented the problem to my GP, was referred to a specialist for assessment and, a mere six months later, received a steroid injection. No more locking.

Trigger finger did not entirely prevent me from playing guitar or bass but it did prompt a fair few retakes on my home recordings.

Your condition lies somewhere between my two - both in terms of severity and in the prospect of obtaining lasting relief. 

If playing guitar becomes excessively painful or physically impossible, you will just have to find another way to make noise. If one or two fingers are okay for picking, switch to bass. If you have a smartphone or tablet, download GeoShredPlay. See how you get on with that - especially left-handed. 

guitarfishbay

I went to a physio who was a guitar player themselves, and had to go back a few times (probably me over doing it tbf). My ring and pinky finger used to go numb on my fretting hand, and I had elbow and shoulder issues on the same side. Fortunately I didn’t need any surgery and the physio plan worked for me.

My experience is the approach taken by physios varies but it can really help if you get a good plan and stick with it. 

Hope you manage to recover further!

AntonHunter

Really sorry to hear that! Hope you make a full recovery soon.

Not that I'm suggesting you're not getting the right treatment at all, but I always tell students to get in touch with BAPAM (British Association for Performing Arts Medecine) when it comes to playing injuries (and in general anyway, they have great warm-up factsheets etc) as they are the experts with anything performance related.

https://www.bapam.org.uk/

Sounds like you're under specialist care already, but worth keeping them in mind for future, or for anyone else reading this struggling with injuries.

AndySol

AntonHunter said:

Really sorry to hear that! Hope you make a full recovery soon.

Not that I'm suggesting you're not getting the right treatment at all, but I always tell students to get in touch with BAPAM (British Association for Performing Arts Medecine) when it comes to playing injuries (and in general anyway, they have great warm-up factsheets etc) as they are the experts with anything performance related.

https://www.bapam.org.uk/

Sounds like you're under specialist care already, but worth keeping them in mind for future, or for anyone else reading this struggling with injuries.

Hey!

It's BAPAM who put me onto the chap who runs this website:

https://www.musicianshandclinic.co.uk/

They were brilliant - I eventually had surgey via the NHS with the consultant who runs the website above. So yeah BAPAM were instrumental in my journey - so yep, I agree! 

AndySol

Funkfingers said:

The pain and immobility that you are experiencing is your body trying to tell you something.

About twenty years ago, I developed Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome - to the extent that the only relief from it was being asleep. I had to give up working in mechanical engineering.

Cut to October 2023. I suddenly developed trigger finger in my left (usually fretting) hand. My third finger would either not move when I wanted it to or would stick in a bent position until I manually unstuck it. I presented the problem to my GP, was referred to a specialist for assessment and, a mere six months later, received a steroid injection. No more locking.

Trigger finger did not entirely prevent me from playing guitar or bass but it did prompt a fair few retakes on my home recordings.

Your condition lies somewhere between my two - both in terms of severity and in the prospect of obtaining lasting relief. 

If playing guitar becomes excessively painful or physically impossible, you will just have to find another way to make noise. If one or two fingers are okay for picking, switch to bass. If you have a smartphone or tablet, download GeoShredPlay. See how you get on with that - especially left-handed. 

Yeah - I'm listening to my body and not playing - but I'm not at the point where I'm anywhere near ready to give it up jjust yet! :-)