Physical Problems and Retirement

[Richard Sinkler]

Recently, I had to leave a band I loved playing with because my picking hand was getting stiff and inflexible. I had been wrestling with this problems for at least 6 months and probably more like a year. I would go to pick a string and miss it. So I decided it was time to hang up my picks and retire.

A good friend of mine took my place. Both he and the band told me I could have the position back when and if my hand got better. The new steel player told me that he was just keeping my seat warm. It remains to be seen that I could actually have the job back, and I really don't like taking someone elses gig.

My question is, how many of you quit playing for the same types of problem? How did you handle it? Music has been mi life for some 50 years, and I am not handling this decision to retire very well.

Some folks agree with me that is was from practicing too much. I had 50 - 60 songs to learn for my band starting in February. Then in the last month and a half, I have gotten 2 calls from bands to fill in for their steel player. Again I had 20 or so songs to learn for each of them. I essentially have been practicing, actually learning songs, almost every day around 3 to 6 hours a day. My "last" gig was 5/31.

[Larry Dering]

Richard, give it some rest, 2 weeks at least and see what happens. At 65, I have had similar problems and the rest was the answer. We just cannot go long anymore. It comes with age. Me thinks you have over used it. Try the rest and hope for the best. Good luck.

[Dave Hopping]

Richard, that's the very picture of professionalism and giving the very best value when you're doing work for someone. In the hopeful event your picking hand has just taken matters in hand(sorry!)and decided to take a break, it might be a good idea when you come back to restrict future gigs to ones where you're already familiar with the setlist.

For the moment,my thought is that making music is something so vital that if your picking hand doesn't improve on its own,or doesn't improve enough, you should consider getting some medical eyes on the problem.

[Richard Sinkler]

Richard, that's the very picture of professionalism and giving the very best value when you're doing work for someone. In the hopeful event your picking hand has just taken matters in hand(sorry!)and decided to take a break, it might be a good idea when you come back to restrict future gigs to ones where you're already familiar with the setlist.

For the moment,my thought is that making music is something so vital that if your picking hand doesn't improve on its own,or doesn't improve enough, you should consider getting some medical eyes on the problem.

I keep telling myself that I need to say "no" when I am asked to fill in for a steel guitar player. Problem is, the bands are my friends, so it is hard to say no. One consolation is that I pretty much know their stuff, so there wouldn't be as much work getting ready if they call again after my hand gets better.

I have already had a doctor look at it. I had to take a "physical" for my SSDI application. The doctor was an orthopedic doctor. The most likely cause is some nerve damage that I suffered years ago that I am aggravating. She ran a nerve conduction test on my arm. She said surgery might be necessary to make it better. I am not willing to do more surgery on my arm because I don't have many years left and don't want the pain and physical therapy. She also told me that physical therapy now most likely would not help as it is not muscle weakness, but actual nerve problems which doesn't go away with physical therapy. I actually did 6 months of PT when I had the arm operated on in 2006. If it wasn't that the physical therapist was gorgeous, I would have stopped going as it really didn't help much.

The plus side is, it seems to be getting better already. It's been one week and I'm starting to get some flexibility back in my fingers and my thumb is hurting less.

[Barry Blackwood]

Rest, then play. Repeat.

[Rick Schacter]

My question is, how many of you quit playing for the same types of problem? How did you handle it?

I don't play my guitar or steel guitar much anymore because my muscles started twitching (fasciculation).

I had to get an MRI and I was examined by a neurologist.
The good news is that apparently these "twitches" that I'm experiencing aren't likely a serious disease... but they are annoying as hell and can make playing guitar not very pleasant.

The way I deal with it? Find other ways to be musical. When I play my keyboard or tinker around on my drum set, the twitching doesn't seem to be as noticeable.

Things do seem to be getting better for me, so maybe I'll be able to begin practicing on my guitar and steel guitar again soon.

Good luck with your recovery.

Rick

[John Macy]

Pitchers get dead arm and just have to rest up for a while....

[Richard Sinkler]

Rest, then play. Repeat.

Or, take 2 Buddy Emmons instrumentals and call me in the morning.

[John Macy]

Pitchers get dead arm and just have to rest up for a while....

[Billy Carr]

Tennis balls work me. I regularly use them for strength improvement. Had a stroke in April 2012 that put me down for a while. My right hand is even better than before now. Slow process but works for me, as I still use the tennis balls. Good luck buddy.

[Richard Sinkler]

My problem isn't strength. I could probably crush a coconut with my picking fingers (OK, a slight exaggeration). It's when I tell my finger to go to a specific string, it doesn't go there and misses the string and will hit the one next to it. If anything, due to the amount of practicing I did, the stiffness might be due to over "exercising" them (what my primary care doctor thinks). The Orthopedic doctor that did my SSDI exam was shocked that my right arm was weaker than my left when doing the test where they ask you to push on their hand, but my thumb and first 2 finger were really strong. So far, the fingers are starting to relax a little to where I have better control.

[Richard Sinkler]

Update: I know I said I was through playing music. But after a week and a half of resting my hand, it is no longer real stiff. The pain in my thumb is also gone. I'm not 100%, but am close. Now I really regret quitting my band. I was talking to my therapist on Wednesday, and she says I am a "All or nothing" guy. If I can't be 100%, I have the thoughts that I have to quit, and this happens in other things besides music.
So, I am going to myself out there for fill-in gigs or full time band.

People that told me just to rest, Thank you all. Sorry to all for posting this thread in the first place. So, we'll see what happens.

[Dale Rottacker]

Thats good new Richard...would hate for you to have to quit doing something you love, and perhaps the plus on just filling in for awhile will allow you to heal up a little more.

[Tony Prior]

Age is a problem , you may very well have to limit how much you play and how much you practice. As well as change your playing style . My fingers go numb, both hands, after extended playing time. My left wrist can only handle so much exertion as well.

I hate it for you, I hate it for US !

[Tiny Olson]

I hope it keeps getting better for you Richard. I go through a little arthritis flare up in my right thumb every now and again so I can relate.

All the Best,
Chris "Tiny" O.

[Richard Sinkler]

I do know that I don't have arthritis (yet), according to my doctor. We discussed that last Monday when I saw her.

All the practicing I was doing was out of the ordinary because all bands I was working with had girl singers, and I haven't worked one since the late 80's. I know the songs now, so I don't need to abuse my hand (and my brain) any more.

[Dennis Russell]

I sympathize with you. I've only been playing pedal steel for 2 years, though I've been playing 6 string for 40 years. I'm age 51. I've always made my living playing or teaching music, or working music retail. I've had off and on tendonitis problems over the years, but nothing that a couple of chiropractic visits couldn't cure.

This last October, between gigs on six string, drums, and doing some recording on PSG for a friend's album, as well as reaching overhead to grab guitars off the wall for customers at the guitar shop where I worked, I had a flare up that slightly froze my left shoulder. I couldn't move my arm without severe pain and had numbness and tingling in my left pinky and ring fingers. Several visits to the chiro and a deep tissue massage therapist didn't help, in fact possibly made things worse. Finally, in February, an orthopedist wrote me a prescription for 6 weeks of rest for that arm and shoulder: no lifting, playing instruments, minimal typing, while walking the arm had to be supported. Because of the activity and overwork and slumped posture playing instruments, I had developed a condition called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, in which the nerves running through the shoulder area became inflamed and hypersensitive. Finally, after 4 months of physical therapy, I am able to play PSG again, practicing about 30 mins to an hour each day, and have been able to fight through a few three hour gigs the last couple of weeks. But still no 6 string playing since last February because I don't have the stamina to hold the instrument, and I cannot put a guitar strap on my shoulder without flare up. I've tried to pick up my acoustic a couple of times in the last week or so, but seem to have lost some dexterity, so it's really depressing.

While the therapy is working, and the therapist believes I'll have nearly a complete recovery, because of the pain I've endured recently ( and the orthopedist thinking that a relapse is not a matter of "if" but "when"), I really am looking at a future in which music may no longer be my profession because playing and practicing everyday for hours is physically not possible right now. It is pretty tough watching all my friends out playing music and publicizing their shows while I sit at home with a bum shoulder. I've been just about at the point of quitting my regular band for good, but since reading your post, perhaps I'll keep procrastinating doing that.

Anyway, I hope your hand and arm improve and you can get back at it!

[Donny Hinson]

Rest, then play. Repeat.

Or, take 2 Buddy Emmons instrumentals and call me in the morning.

No, no! The Buddy Emmons instrumentals are much too strong! Try one Pete Drake instrumental, first...then work your way up to two of the Buddy Emmons ones after a few days.

[Barry Blackwood]

Try one Pete Drake instrumental, first...

[Sandy Inglis]

Hi Richard
I have a problem with sore wrists/tendons after a long gig, so, after noticing a steel player on a DVD wearing Tennis wrist supports I bought a set and boy, what a difference! I even wear them at rehearsals. They have the 'big tick' logo on them so they also look cool. I just leave them in my pack-a-seat as part of my kit. I also take Omega 3 in the form of fish oil which helps. Anything that helps me keep playing is worth a try.
Good luck
Sandy

[David Mason]

After the nerve conductivity tests reported that my hands probably shouldn't work at all (big surprise to them and me) I wore the wrist supports at night, and it did help some, but I still had to have carpal tunnel surgery on my left hand. I "need" it on my right, but it doesn't agree yet. If it's that, or trigger finger, the operation doesn't really weaken anything, they're just opening up the channels so the lumpy old bits can slide through. Not practicing to be able to play better is a weird concept, but; like most of that stuff, I did most of the damage in my immortal 20's and 30's, working over-full time as a chef and playing full-time big heavy P-bass... Based on Chuck Darwin's numbers, everything past about 50 is all a freebie, I try to be glad I get any of it.

Looking at full-time, lifetime steel players, I wonder if a good bit of the back problems are as much posture as carrying it. It's like, exactly how you're not supposed to sit.

[Ollin Landers]

Richard,

I can relate to the nerve pain and stiffness. I had 3 herniated disk in my neck that were pressing on my spinal column for 3 years. I had a terrible time with pain in my left arm, numbness in my arm and hand and I lost about 40% of the strength in my left arm. Muscle pain can be overcome but nothing but very strong narcotics can mask nerve pain.

I was very limited in how much I could play per day. I just kept a positive attitude and the hope that one day I could get back to normal.

I finally had the disk removed and the vertebrae fused a year ago. Now I'm about 90% back to normal and no need for pain meds. I'll never be 100% again but the pain is gone.

Do what you can and don't feel guilty about the rest. Your body is probably telling you it's time to slowdown and rest. Listen to it. If you push yourself you may not have the chance to get better.

[Richard Sinkler]

Been through the pinched nerve thing. Really painful. I had to have 2 vertebrae in my neck fused.

I had 3 surgeries (all at the same time) done on my right arm back in 2005 or so. They had to re-attach a tendon at my elbow. Had to do an Ulnar Nerve transposition. And, carpal tunnel surgery.

[Roual Ranes]

I have that right hand problem and have had to do things differently.

[Richard Sinkler]

I have been resting the hand and doing very minimal playing/practicing. It is much better, but it is still not right. Looking at old videos and pictures, I am not doing anything different with my hand/arm. For several years I was playing with a 1" lift kit with no problems. I am trying it without the lift kit and it seems a little better.