Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

A

Ampedandtied

New member
I recently hurt my right hand pretty badly lifting. Have been out of the game for about 3 weeks now, but I think I'll be good to play (though not too intensely) in another week or so. Funny cause I've gone longer periods of time without playing due to life but I am really itching to jam out right now.

Anyone else ever been temporarily decommissioned cause of an injury?
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

Twice. First time was a nasty cut on my picking hand. Thankfully no nerve damage, but no playing for a while to let it heal. I could kind of strum pretty quickly though. The second time was a guitar injury. I was trying to master the Hendrix Thumb-Over technique and I WAY overdid it. I should have stopped playing immediately but I pushed through. I was down for several months, and it sucked big time since I was in serious guitar mood...
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

I had tendinitis in my left hand, and couldn't play any of my guitars without pain. I went to the doc, took his advice to put it away for 6 weeks or so, rubbed MSM glucosamine lotion into my wrist and forearm, and did a course of anti-inflammatory meds.

Once I did start playing again, I figured out which guitar had the most comfortable neck, strung it with 9s and low action. After awhile, I was back to playing whatever guitar with whatever strings and medium high action.
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

2x once because I did the best I could to take my thumb off, another I split my left index finger to the bone.

Got mild CTS and some heavy tendinitis right now. Might need a small break soon.
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

I've struggled with carpal tunnel syndrome for basically my entire adult life (almost two decades). It comes with various tech jobs and unergonomic computer setups.

Once it got so bad that I had to decrease string gauge. I didn't want to stop playing because playing is what feeds my soul.

My string gauge then was super wimpy - 10-52 in drop C on a Gibson scale guitar. It was a taste of Billy Gibbons-style playing. It was interesting because things like vibrato and greasy slides became much more important and nuanced, since I wasn't zipping around the fretboard or busting out gutsy doublestop bends.

Eventually I got back to normal gauge strings. In a way, I'm grateful for the injury, because it forced me to learn a new way of playing, which I incorporated into my style.

The bluesman CeDell Davis has hands injured by polio, so he plays slide with a butter knife.

Fretting hand gets injured, maybe try picking up slide. Picking hand gets injured... I don't know. But an acquaintance of mine has one hand, and played guitar in the grindcore band Brain Famine, and now plays guitar for Siege, so obviously he makes it work.
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

About three years ago, I cut my left middle finger open at work with a box cutter on accident and had to bandage the whole thing up.

I tuned a guitar to open G and learned to play slide a lot better.
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

I broke my left arm a few years ago riding MX, had to have it screwed back together. Took a while to stretch everything back out after I could start playing again. It didn't take too long to get back, just take it slow and do some hand and forearm stretches before you play.
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

Back in 1995 I was welding pipes on a 50 foot high roof when it caved in and I fell,well,50 feet! Completely shattered my right wrist off of the rest of arm,broke both arms at the same time as this falling accident..I was pretty much "F'ed" for close to 1 year,and since then the tegular pain,carpal tunnel and lots of other pain throughout my body..I landed on a 15"slab of concrete,and supposedly died 4 times..all I remember was falling and seeing the roof going away from me..so I am here now,LUCKILY I GUESS,PAIN AND ALL!
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

Did last year by lifting something, turning my wrist for the fretting hand would be a little painful but enough to just not play comfortably. I did not go to doctor, I rather stopped playing for a while, looking at the bright side of things I put a lot of time to learn more about home recording and practicing with a DAW. Today I am just fine, however I would say don't do as I and visit your doctor, he/she is the authority to explain what is better for you.
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

I had Radial Nerve Palsy about a year ago which rendered my right arm and especially my hand completely numb! It's still not 100% but I've got 98% of the feeling back in my hand now, it SUCKS!!! Your brain body know what to do but it just doesn't translate into physical movement???
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

It's a royal beast trying to play hurt, but in my case it's part of the job. I've crested the hill of middle age, and that slope is a 4-diamond.

I've been playing since age 9. Broke an elbow in high school, and it sucked hard because I lost conditioning in my right hand. Took a while to build it up again.

I switch between guitar and bass much of the time. I have the barest beginnings of arthritis in my right elbow (the same one I broke in HS).
Too much strumming and slapping, I guess.
When I stretch my arms, or when I work out with light-to-medium weight machines, I hear it clicking and popping like an old 45.

I also have to be careful of cramping in my hands (a lefty who plays righty).
My fingering hand cramps up when I'm on guitar, and my picking/slapping hand nails me on bass.
If things get too dire, I have a resource for orthopedic treatment.
I'm just trying to avoid going down that rabbit hole, because surgery is always the last resort, and I kind of like staying awake with all my blood inside me.
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

What sort of lifting caused this unhandy trauma?
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

in 2008 i was in a bad car crash and it crushed my left wrist. i was in a straight brace for about 6 weeks. when i came to after surgery the first thing i asked the surgeon was if id ever play guitar again. he said that would be entirely up to me. It took three pins to piece my wrist back together again. when i started physical therapy they had to literally force the wrist to bend again. Yes i cried like a small child during this process. 6 weeks of complete hell. i literally sat in a bath of hot water (damn near melt your skin off hot) and would bend my wrist as much as i could stand it... back and forth and back and forth until finally i was able to somewhat bend it without force or pain. after several months i was able to pick up a guitar again. a year or so after the wreck i was able to play without pain or discomfort. no matter what happens to me i will do what i can to keep my passion alive. My inspiration these days is john dyer baizley from baroness. i saw his story and it kepts me pushing myself harder and harder.
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

I've had abdominal surgery, and that caused me to stop for a few weeks. That was bad, since I was stuck in bed, and all I did was read guitar mags. It took about 3-4 weeks until I could sit up (and was unmedicated enough) to sit for awhile and play. This was a pretty miserable time.
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

Nope. I've been fortunate in that regard. I've had a couple of times where I had cuts on my fingers and had to chill for a couple days, although sometimes I've played with band-aids on them. I definitely did that in the earliest days before my fingertips had toughened up. And every now and then, I've sensed it was time to take a "break" for a couple of days to let my hands and wrists recover.

I always do a 2-3 minute warmup of stretching and chords/scales while the tubes are warming up, sometimes more if I'm going to do any warp speed playing. It would be quite depressing to be unable to play guitar for a long time!! :crazy:
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

yes tendonitis and sore arm muscles. Just stopped playing all summer. Then playing again. Rest is the only cure.
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

Couple of years ago fell asleep drunk in my computer chair watching TV....head leaning to the left on the top of my hand...elbow on the table. Acute Radial Nerve Palsy or as the said in the ER "Saturday Night Palsy". Lost almost all function in the left wrist and hand...could not lift my wrist at all but could kind of squeeze with my fingers but not enough to pick up a pen. Three or so months of physical therapy to get back to normal. Played a lot of piano during that time as after a few weeks I could play octaves and fifths with my left hand using it like a club just with no power to grip like you need for guitar. So my piano chops actually improved during that time...just trying to find the good in a bad situation.
 
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?

Five year break for CTS ..been about the same time since I started playing again :)
 
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