Tendonitis & Musicians

[AngelCityOutlaw]

So I just got back from the doctor's. Work related injuries has given tendonitis like a motherfucker in both arm. I feel like I have friggin' T-Rex arms right now.

Fellow musicians, I have never had this before. but I know that you CAN get it via playing an instrument. Have you ever had it? How long did it take to recover?

[Garpocalypse]

First case was in highschool, minor overuse in my right wrist from practicing too much

Severe overuse wrist injury my second year at college, (if you are a cello player/teacher DO NOT TEACH BASSISTS!!!!) took several years to heal and I don't think it ever came back 100%.

Tore a few muscles in my wrist and jacked up the tendons during a local kyokushin tournament. Took almost a year to heal.

Result: Can't play anything anymore for more than 20 minutes at a time without pain. (Which is longer than it used to be just a couple of years ago)

Pay attention to your nutrition and make sure you're getting everything you need or healing will never happen for you. In my case I've had to invest in several Powerwebs and I think they have helped me regain the use of my butchered wrists. Tendons take alot longer to heal than bone.

Where do you work? I used to do physical labor in warehouses and grocery stores and I honestly wish I never did it. Overuse injuries were common enough just from that crap, then I would go home and practice.

Edited August 17, 2013 by Garpocalypse

[Dissidia]

I was getting strained very quickly when playing flute prior to getting a thumb grip add-on.

I can relate to what Gar was saying about working in store/storage/unpacking. I was afraid I'd snap my shit up and I was only there for two weeks.

[AngelCityOutlaw]

First case was in highschool, minor overuse in my right wrist from practicing too much

Severe overuse wrist injury my second year at college, (if you are a cello player/teacher DO NOT TEACH BASSISTS!!!!) took several years to heal and I don't think it ever came back 100%.

Tore a few muscles in my wrist and jacked up the tendons during a local kyokushin tournament. Took almost a year to heal.

Result: Can't play anything anymore for more than 20 minutes at a time without pain. (Which is longer than it used to be just a couple of years ago)

Pay attention to your nutrition and make sure you're getting everything you need or healing will never happen for you. In my case I've had to invest in several Powerwebs and I think they have helped me regain the use of my butchered wrists. Tendons take alot longer to heal than bone.

Where do you work? I used to do physical labor in warehouses and grocery stores and I honestly wish I never did it. Overuse injuries were common enough just from that crap, then I would go home and practice.

It was just a summer job setting up drive-in movies. Pretty much everything is heavy as shit. Especially with just two people sometimes. The company I worked for also had a LOT of shady as hell business practices.

So when I went to the doctor today I called them up and basically said "Yeah, shove it."

[dannthr]

I've had repetitive stress injuries to my left wrist that resulted in me being unable to lift more than a few pounds with my left hand perpendicular to the floor for a period of time (as well as numbness). I wouldn't call it tendonitis though, I don't think it was that serious.

Once from being a grocery cashier (that was the first time), and then again when driving bus.

I didn't have medical insurance, so I've never been to the doctor about it. I got a hard wrist brace for my left wrist which prevents my wrist from bending inappropriately--but I only wear it if it gets so aggravated that I go to sleep with some discomfort or pain.

Normally, I might get slight aggravation from extended typing or keyboarding--but playing keyboard or typing weren't the initial causes, I think because in both cases I learned from an instructor and that included posture/form training as well.

Obviously, playing an instrument is not supposed to hurt--if it does, cease immediately (don't grind through it).

I have accepted that wrist pain and discomfort will be an inevitable part of my future as I grow older since so much of my life is spent using my fingers and wrists (music, game dev, drawing, etc).

Nutrition and regular exercise are truly the best way to ensure that your form is strong--something that can be quite challenging if you're like me and work long hours in front of a computer.