Some advice.....

[Beedster]

Don't dislocate your middle finger . Without doubt the most painful injury I've had to date; can't play bass, can't do most things I normally take for granted (try cleaning your teeth with your wrong hand - toothpaste everywhere), and have a hand the size of a small melon!
Doing this has made me realise just how bloody valuable my hands are
Chris

[phsycoandy]

Sorry to hear that Beedy, is it too personal to tell us how that could possibly have happened

[kdphysio]

i've done a couple of them myself......not pleasant!! but use ice-baths (just for the hand) to ease the swelling and pain. it'll go numb, which will enable you to start gentle movements.

other than that, alcohol is the pain-killer of choice!!

Edited January 31, 2008 by kdphysio

[Thunderthumbs]

My mate's a guitarist, and last June got bumped while sawing, which immediately severed one of his fingers.

Had to have microsurgery to put it all back together again, but even now he's still not right. He says his biggest problem is his brain telling his finger whereabouts to go on the fretboard, but the finger decides elsewhere.

That made me think exactly the same....I just take it for granted I've got all my digits, and they're in working order.

[jwbassman]

I have nightmares about losing fingers

Edited January 31, 2008 by jwbassman

[Paul Cooke]

I went over the handlebars of my motorbike 25 years ago and the thumb on my left hand was badly dislocated... it still gives me problems now when playing... I sometimes have to wear a splint when playing to support the joint where the webbed bit starts as it can go back on itself...

[Cjac]

I broke my middle finger when I was little and my parents at the time didn't do anything other than ice it. So when I hold my fingers straight out now my middle finger is arched, if I move it to be straight like my other fingers it bends upwards. Though I was very young then and it hasn't affected my playing at all which is lucky ( I wouldn't know if it did anyway)

Edited January 31, 2008 by Cjac

[Hamster]

Ouch! - you gonna try the Jamerson method for a while then?

Hamster

[paul, the]

Youch, Chris.

I've had a few of the stumpy purples and hve dislocated a toe. It's not as funny as it looks.

[The_D]

Yeah Breaking/dislocating fingers is a nightmare. I have broken plenty (Arms, legs, feet, shoulderblade and fingers) and by far the greatest pain I have ever suffered in my entire life was breaking my pinky playing football in school. I broke my shoulderblade after that and the pain was nowhere near.