Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
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BenPerkins
New member
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
I had a stroke in 2000. Picking hand was affected (still is) but it motivated me to learn more chords and what I could do with my left hand. Just gotta focus on what you CAN do, as opposed to what you can't. I learned a lot about myself and my love for music.
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I had a stroke in 2000. Picking hand was affected (still is) but it motivated me to learn more chords and what I could do with my left hand. Just gotta focus on what you CAN do, as opposed to what you can't. I learned a lot about myself and my love for music.
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jtougas
New member
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
Twice - both were injuries to my left wrist.
1st time - working on a computer, managed to cut open my left wrist, severing a vein and nicking a tendon. On the 4th of July. While on vacation. In the middle of nowhere, NC. Wasn't really playing a lot at that time, so I can't say how much that affected my playing, but it definitely was a few months before I felt 100% (and it still twinges if I do something really f***ing stupid with that hand)
For instance:
2nd time - running out of a bbq joint to return a sweater to the family of a little girl that had just left, tripped over a parking bumper, and broke one of the bones in the scapula. Did you know there are actually eight tiny f*****ng bones in your wrist? I managed to crack the outermost like a walnut when I fell - split it in half, in the one orientation that meant surgery would only have made it worse. Had to just splint it and let it heal.
Twice - both were injuries to my left wrist.
1st time - working on a computer, managed to cut open my left wrist, severing a vein and nicking a tendon. On the 4th of July. While on vacation. In the middle of nowhere, NC. Wasn't really playing a lot at that time, so I can't say how much that affected my playing, but it definitely was a few months before I felt 100% (and it still twinges if I do something really f***ing stupid with that hand)
For instance:
2nd time - running out of a bbq joint to return a sweater to the family of a little girl that had just left, tripped over a parking bumper, and broke one of the bones in the scapula. Did you know there are actually eight tiny f*****ng bones in your wrist? I managed to crack the outermost like a walnut when I fell - split it in half, in the one orientation that meant surgery would only have made it worse. Had to just splint it and let it heal.
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Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
4 months out due to wrist scaphoid fracture of left (fretting) hand. No probs.
4 months out due to wrist scaphoid fracture of left (fretting) hand. No probs.
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
ouch... man super glue was a joke right?
ouch... man super glue was a joke right?
hydro
Prayin' to Cheeses
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
No actually it works really well. I was still bleeding a little but it held through most of the gig and healed up pretty well. It wasn't a terrible cut, just in a bad place.
If I understand right, superglue was originally developed as a type of emergency bandage.
I have also heard of guitar players using it to create callouses on their fingers if they are getting back into playing after a long break.
No actually it works really well. I was still bleeding a little but it held through most of the gig and healed up pretty well. It wasn't a terrible cut, just in a bad place.
If I understand right, superglue was originally developed as a type of emergency bandage.
I have also heard of guitar players using it to create callouses on their fingers if they are getting back into playing after a long break.
kherman
New member
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
Just had rotator cuff surgery.
Be in therapy for at least 12 weeks.
Right now I'm not allowed to raise my arm on my own. I'm using a special chair that raises it for me. Do that for an hour 3 times a day. Then other stretch exercises. Rest of the time arm has to stay in a sling. Watching lots of Netflix.
Just had rotator cuff surgery.
Be in therapy for at least 12 weeks.
Right now I'm not allowed to raise my arm on my own. I'm using a special chair that raises it for me. Do that for an hour 3 times a day. Then other stretch exercises. Rest of the time arm has to stay in a sling. Watching lots of Netflix.
posite63
New member
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
Haha, yes. LOTS of Netflix, and sleeping in a recliner for months.
I had my right rotator cuff/labrum done a year ago. It's a very long recovery, so be patient (I'm still not 100%). A few weeks after surgery I would try to stick my guitar awkwardly under the sling and play. Being that the only motion I was capable of was limited to the wrist, it was very difficult to play. You normally don't realize how much inward pressure you exert when playing, the normal position of your shoulder, etc.
I can't remember for sure, but I want to say it took a solid 4 months before I could play without being afraid to use my picking hand, and 6-8 mos. before the pain became minimal. Still got some mechanical work to do, but it doesn't hurt much anymore to play.
Haha, yes. LOTS of Netflix, and sleeping in a recliner for months.
I had my right rotator cuff/labrum done a year ago. It's a very long recovery, so be patient (I'm still not 100%). A few weeks after surgery I would try to stick my guitar awkwardly under the sling and play. Being that the only motion I was capable of was limited to the wrist, it was very difficult to play. You normally don't realize how much inward pressure you exert when playing, the normal position of your shoulder, etc.
I can't remember for sure, but I want to say it took a solid 4 months before I could play without being afraid to use my picking hand, and 6-8 mos. before the pain became minimal. Still got some mechanical work to do, but it doesn't hurt much anymore to play.
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C-Martin
New member
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
Happened twice to me, second time worst than the first.
About 10 years ago I cut my index finger on my left hand pretty bad and had to have it bandaged for a few weeks. Something heavy fell on it and i actually think one of my knuckles got crooked a bit because of it, even though the docs say they don't see nothing wrong, I can see it. Lost a bit of play ability when that happened but was able to recuperate and even get better than i was before the accident.
This summer i broke my left clavicle in two places and had surgery. I couldn't use my arm at all for weeks, even lifting something as simple as a coffee cup was painful. After about 3 months i started playing again but had lost all my calluses so i got blisters. My skills were pretty rusty, i was amazed by how fast and how much you can lose actually. However, I'm now back to almost fully recovered and can play the same i did before, perhaps even slightly improved again since I've had a lot of downtime while healing to work on my playing. Still haven't been able to use a strap though, last time i tried it hurt too much to continue so for now I'm playing sitting down. I believe it's just a matter of time before i'm 100% back to playing strapped up and gigging.
Happened twice to me, second time worst than the first.
About 10 years ago I cut my index finger on my left hand pretty bad and had to have it bandaged for a few weeks. Something heavy fell on it and i actually think one of my knuckles got crooked a bit because of it, even though the docs say they don't see nothing wrong, I can see it. Lost a bit of play ability when that happened but was able to recuperate and even get better than i was before the accident.
This summer i broke my left clavicle in two places and had surgery. I couldn't use my arm at all for weeks, even lifting something as simple as a coffee cup was painful. After about 3 months i started playing again but had lost all my calluses so i got blisters. My skills were pretty rusty, i was amazed by how fast and how much you can lose actually. However, I'm now back to almost fully recovered and can play the same i did before, perhaps even slightly improved again since I've had a lot of downtime while healing to work on my playing. Still haven't been able to use a strap though, last time i tried it hurt too much to continue so for now I'm playing sitting down. I believe it's just a matter of time before i'm 100% back to playing strapped up and gigging.
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
Man, so many of these stories involve an actual injury. Worst I've had was the strap falling off and the e b and g strings cut down my arm as I tried to catch it (this is why I buy strap locks now..). It wasn't deep, but there was blood, and stung like hell. But yeah.. not really much of a stop to playing.
Man, so many of these stories involve an actual injury. Worst I've had was the strap falling off and the e b and g strings cut down my arm as I tried to catch it (this is why I buy strap locks now..). It wasn't deep, but there was blood, and stung like hell. But yeah.. not really much of a stop to playing.
Jocelyn
New member
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
I have not being playing since first week of November . Except for last week when I played the jumbo for a few minutes. I had told a few of few of you guys that i had a heart attack on November 4th and have had a angioplasty and a stent put the next day. Then a month later was again rushed to the hospital when I had chest pain and fainted had another angioplasty and stent put. I felt that very weak after the first trip to the hospital and even my walk had slowed down a lot and something like having a bath was a task. I feel much better now but the doc has told me to avoid lifting anything heavy so just avoiding playing the electrics which are in their cases for a while . I guess the acoustic is fine. But keeping away for now.
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I have not being playing since first week of November . Except for last week when I played the jumbo for a few minutes. I had told a few of few of you guys that i had a heart attack on November 4th and have had a angioplasty and a stent put the next day. Then a month later was again rushed to the hospital when I had chest pain and fainted had another angioplasty and stent put. I felt that very weak after the first trip to the hospital and even my walk had slowed down a lot and something like having a bath was a task. I feel much better now but the doc has told me to avoid lifting anything heavy so just avoiding playing the electrics which are in their cases for a while . I guess the acoustic is fine. But keeping away for now.
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KeeperOS
New member
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
About 6 or so years ago, my right hand had tenonditis/tendonitis/tendinitis and was completely locked into the state of a Ken-doll's. While it softened up in a couple of months or so, full mobility without pain returned a good 6 months later.
I remember after the 2nd month I was REALLY itching to return to playing, come to think of it, that's when I really gotten my hammer ons/pull ofs down
About 6 or so years ago, my right hand had tenonditis/tendonitis/tendinitis and was completely locked into the state of a Ken-doll's. While it softened up in a couple of months or so, full mobility without pain returned a good 6 months later.
I remember after the 2nd month I was REALLY itching to return to playing, come to think of it, that's when I really gotten my hammer ons/pull ofs down
rgand
New member
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
I tore three of the four muscles that comprise the rotator cuff in my left shoulder about a year ago. For three months or so I couldn't reach forward but could bend the elbow and use my hand. I'd lay the guitar flat on the table then lift the guitar strap over my head with my right arm and stand up with it. Then I'd bring my left hand up to the neck with my right. Once on the neck, I could play somewhat for a half hour or so. I didn't get too badly out of practice.
I tore three of the four muscles that comprise the rotator cuff in my left shoulder about a year ago. For three months or so I couldn't reach forward but could bend the elbow and use my hand. I'd lay the guitar flat on the table then lift the guitar strap over my head with my right arm and stand up with it. Then I'd bring my left hand up to the neck with my right. Once on the neck, I could play somewhat for a half hour or so. I didn't get too badly out of practice.
posite63
New member
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
I just learned that I'll be having another surgery on the same shoulder. The first one just didn't seem to heal. That means I'm sidelined until at least December... discouragement.
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I hope the recovery is going well and you're back to playing comfortably!
I just learned that I'll be having another surgery on the same shoulder. The first one just didn't seem to heal. That means I'm sidelined until at least December... discouragement.
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kramersteen
PowerMetalRaph
Re: Have you ever stopped playing because of an injury? How'd it go?
I got a blister the other day that was pretty nuts. It's been awhile.
I got a blister the other day that was pretty nuts. It's been awhile.
