fretmeister Posted February 8, 2021 Author Share Posted February 8, 2021 28 minutes ago, Cuzzie said: You know me - I have already clocked the new Dead Daisies album. For anyone wanting a crushing phenomenal bass tone - Glenn and this is the song - it’s phenomenal https://youtu.be/Gc1oOsGxoAk I've started to learn that tune. It's brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted February 8, 2021 Author Share Posted February 8, 2021 8 minutes ago, Cuzzie said: Glenn dUg Corey Glover Chris Cornell Lane Staley If you could fuse all them together - perfection With a sprinkle of Devin Townsend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 1 hour ago, fretmeister said: With a sprinkle of Devin Townsend! Oh go on then 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted February 15, 2021 Author Share Posted February 15, 2021 Went back to the hand therapist today. It's not progressing as they want so the splint has been re-shaped and is back on again for another month-ish. Then we'll have another look. 1 finger typing continues. Annoying because I can touch type normally. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 1 hour ago, fretmeister said: Went back to the hand therapist today. It's not progressing as they want so the splint has been re-shaped and is back on again for another month-ish. Then we'll have another look. 1 finger typing continues. Annoying because I can touch type normally. Sorry to hear that pal, but you could pick Chris Eubanks nostrils even with a splint 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted February 16, 2021 Author Share Posted February 16, 2021 I've adapted to most things reasonably well. Typing and calculator use is very annoying as I could touch type and use the calculator without looking as well. Shoe laces are a right pain in the derrière, as are bottle tops and jar lids. But on the plus side I haven't done any washing up since December! At some point the kids will rebel and buy me some Marigolds but they haven't thought of that yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 I am so lucky... Two days ago I topped up a plastic container with some bits of tooling, it isn't big but now weighed a few Kg. As I lifted it up it slipped and all its weight went on to my right hand ring finger which couldn't take it pulled back and snapped out like a bowstring. I really thought I had pinged the flexor tendon, but fortunately I still have full movement. It's still a bit sore and pretty painful whenever I accidentally put a load on it - even picking up my phone. The pain is in my palm and the top of my forearm, so I think both tendon and muscle have been hurt. Ibuprofen helps a bit although I'm not meant to take it, and I can still play with my index and middle fingers and gently with the ring finger so hopefully no long term issues. Main worry is on Thursday all my machine tools are being moved so I will have to be very careful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 I tore the scapholunate ligament in my left wrist a couple of years ago. Two surgeries, 6 months of physio & a year's patience later, and I have a wrist full of screws and 90% of my pre-injury movement range. I was originally given a gloomier outlook. I know it's a different injury and we all recover differently, but I suppose what I'm saying is that I feel your pain, I know where you are physically and to an extent mentally, and am rooting for you mate. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfJames Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 Had my right wrist broken in Aus playing rugby league, it was at 90 degrees to my forearm. Three ops later, wrist fused, titanium pins out, metal plate out, carpal tunnel problems but can still pluck...........18 years ago 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted March 30, 2021 Author Share Posted March 30, 2021 Quick update. Therapists remain unhappy so now my finger is in a cast that is replaced every week. Joy. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted March 30, 2021 Share Posted March 30, 2021 Hope all turns out well , Just to keep your fretting hand exercised and for a different tone, have you tried playing with the thumb for a while, I quite like it myself 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted April 15, 2021 Author Share Posted April 15, 2021 Update. It seems that I have now developed something called a "Swan Neck Deformity" where the joint nearest the knuckle is hyperextended causing the last joint to be unable to straighten. It's slight at the moment but needs to be fixed before it gets worse. I'm in this extended cast for a week. It has a rod along the underside of the finder to help it stay in shape, then next week I get another new splint made that will keep my finger in a "slightly odd" position to try to fix it. I am getting quite bored with this. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBass Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 8 hours ago, fretmeister said: I am getting quite bored with this. I bet! How is the pick technique progressing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 9 hours ago, fretmeister said: I am getting quite bored with this. At least you've got a great excuse to give people the finger... My pulled tendon is not recovering very fast, it still twinges, the hand works but I can't pull my fingertips into my palm with any force. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vin Venal Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 You can also get nylon and rubber picks which are supposed to sound more like fingering. More inspiration in terms of musicians who overcame physical limitations- Mike Ness from social distortion lost the use of his index finger on his fretting hand. Dave Mustaine suffered nerve damage and temporarily lost the use of his left hand, although I can't help but kind of wish he'd stayed retired... Best of luck to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ1 Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 I don't know if it's been said - but I find it really helpful to do handfinger exercises before a session - that is basically extensive finger wriggling in every possible direction/position. That and taking the time to find a comfortable playing position. Like in Althetics/football these warm up exercises may decrease the risk of long term injury. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 13, 2021 Author Share Posted June 13, 2021 I am finally out of a cast & splint during the day. I still have to splint it at night During the day the ring stops me from hyper extending the middle joint and the tape is to support the end a bit. There is quite a bit of droop on the end that probably won't straighten anymore, but at least I can type with my right hand properly now. I am also allowed to do very gentle playing with that finger as a form of exercise. Few minutes at a time, couple of times per day. Being in a splint / cast for 6 months means that the joints are very stiff and the range of movement is pretty small. I've gone from Colorado Bulldog to finding U2 difficult - all because of the stiffness of the finger. I have also discovered that all my callus has gone. This was after only 5 mins with flatwounds!! I can also hold a pen reasonably normally now as long as I've stretched. I have to stretch every hour. I'm also allowed to lift light things too - like a cup of tea. Still - after the way it's been going over the last half a sodding year, I'll take any improvement I can take. No idea if I'll be able to play with fingers in September when the band is supposed to be rehearsing again, but we'll see. Fingers crossed! - (I can almost do that now!) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBass Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 Yes, fingers crossed. Your post seems upbeat so I assume you are happy with how its progressing; which is marvellous news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 13, 2021 Author Share Posted June 13, 2021 I quite enjoyed getting that blister - even if it is a bit sore! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamg67 Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 1 hour ago, fretmeister said: There is quite a bit of droop on the end that probably won't straighten anymore, but at least I can type with my right hand properly now. I really was surprised how mine kept gradually improving even after it was pretty much healed. When it was all signed off as okay to use, it still wouldn't straighten properly, a while after that (didnt' keep notes, just checked one day and noticed) you could barely see the difference between that and the same finger on the other hand. If you've got to where you are, I would bet you will get back to full use. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 13, 2021 Author Share Posted June 13, 2021 That's good to know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 21, 2021 Author Share Posted June 21, 2021 I managed to play for 10 mins yesterday. Nothing mad - no Sheehan stuff - just a bit of Duck Dunn sort of thing. TI Flats so nice low tension Loads of mistakes caused by the finger not reacting how it used to, but still far better than I expected. I'm going to try and do 10 mins twice a day for simple tunes and then hopefully I won't get replaced with my big band meets again in September. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zbd1960 Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 Hope it recovers. I had a complete rupture of my left Achilles' Tendon 2 years ago - separated by 6mm. I had to wear a boot 24x7 for 4 months and I had physio most weeks for 9 months. It was only last September I was fully signed-off. It has fully repaired and the work of the physio has got rid of the lumps and restored full function. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted August 31, 2021 Author Share Posted August 31, 2021 (edited) An update. I have a bit of a droopy finger that won't straighten fully - this is expected for this sort of injury. The tendon is longer than it used to be. The long period of splint and cast use has caused arthritis in the proximal joint (1st one from the knuckle). I need to do about 15-20mins exercises when I wake up as it is basically swollen and rigid first thing in the morning, although that can be helped if bind the joint a bit overnight. A little bit of pressure stops the swelling. Anti-inflammatories help too. I do other 5 minute exercise sessions every couple of hours through the day as well. The therapists have been brilliant, wanting to understand the movements of a bass playing finger and figuring out how to assist. One of the exercises is to have a flat bit of paper on a table and put the hand on it flat and then pull all the fingers in to crumple it - sliding the fingers on the table. That is remarkably similar to plucking a string while using a ramp, drawing a finger along a flat surface with a string just being in the way. So I raised a flat topped pickup on my Sandberg to act as a ramp and it is letting me play far better than I have been recently. I have more control and just as importantly it's preventing my finger from hooking too much and stopping the fingernail catching on the string. I can now play as therapy as well. 2 of my basses have flat topped EMG pickups so they will get raised to be ramps. I've bought some epoxy for the others following Billy Sheehan's old method of covering exposed pole pieces with it and then sanding to shape them. I've been videoing some of my playing - close up right hand - so I can see what I'm doing more easily and adapt a bit. It seems that if I rotate my hand leftwards a little, so the string contact is closer to the left side of the finger rather than the middle of the finger pad, the movement restriction is less of an issue, particularly when the tempo is a bit higher. Also the therapists have come up with a strapping system that gives a bit more control in strengthening the finger while trying to straighten the tip, and that won't get in the way of playing. I can play at home without it, but I can strap it for gigs / rehearsals where I'm likely to play harder. The overall position now is that I can play the stuff my big band plays - not as well as I used to yet, but very close. The Billy Sheehan type stuff is a long way off, but I don't play that sort of thing very often anymore as I've become old and boring! Rehearsals start on the 18th Sept. Be interesting to see how it goes. Edited August 31, 2021 by fretmeister 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted September 1, 2021 Share Posted September 1, 2021 On 17/12/2020 at 18:31, fretmeister said: I am not holding out much hope with those odds. Just remember all is NEVER lost! Look at this man for inspirationL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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