The Steel Guitar Forum

For the past several months I've had some issues with my right hand and wrist. Weakness, decreased mobility and severe pain. I assumed as my primary doctor did that it was arthritis. Yesterday I went to an orthopedic doctor and after x-rays I learned that I have a rare disease called Kienbocks Disease. It is a disease that causes among other things loss of blood flow to certain structures of the wrist and hand. In my case the Lunate bone. The doctor said it's likely brought on due to the fact that my ulner bone is shorter than my radious bone causing it to have to handle all the stress on the hand structures and not having the ulner bone to help support them (Figure 2). I got a cortisone shot today to help relieve the pain and can do that as long as it helps. At some point I will need one of two surgeries to stop the pain. One is a fusion that will let me keep what little strength I have but will effect dexterity in a big way (Not good for playing). The other is a surgery to remove the damaged lunate bone and a couple others to allow the remaining structures to be more balanced between the ulner and the radious bones. This will allow me to keep dexterity but the hand will be week. Things like using a hammer, pulling and pushing with that hand will be greatly diminished but I can still play, drive and have more range of motion. So at this point I'm going to do the injections and wear a brace as long as possible before I go under the knife hopefully until I get closer to retirement. The surgery has about a six week intial recovery but full recovery with physical therapy is about three months.
Below is a link that explains the disease in detail.

https://www.assh.org/handcare/condition ... ks-disease

Sure hate to hear that LB, hope you get better soon!

Johnny, so sorry to hear that. Do what you can to make the best decision on your mobility. I've been fighting off knee replacement for a few years now. The shot will help for some time with most issues. Take care.

More medical problems. Hell when your no longer 25.

Prayers for your recovery, sure hate hearing this.

Johnny, I'm sorry to hear of this situation. Before undergoing any type of radical surgery, I hope you'll get a second opinion from a hand specialist. I have no reason to doubt anything the first one said, but sometimes there are different options that one might tell you and the other one not mention, etc. It's always a good idea to get a second opinion before undergoing elective surgery.

Good luck with it, Johnny!

I wouldn't do it, period. Of course, this is strictly my opinion. Reason? I won't say, as it requires foul language, not appreciated on this Forum. However, I will say I have never had this problem. I'm just visualizing what could transpire later down the road. Have a good day.

Bill

Johnny, I know I can be overly suggestible at times, but I read your post yesterday with great concern. Then, in the middle of the night last night, my right hand started hurting. Painful spot in the middle of my palm, emanating into my fingers. It was uncomfortable to hold the phone or a coffee cup this morning, though I can still move my fingers with slight ache-y feelings. Maybe it's the onset of winter, or too much fishing lately... don't know. I'm seeing a new family GP doctor this week, so it might be on the plate for discussion.

Good luck, brother.

Johnny, If you are having wrist pain and tingling and numbness caused by the corporal tunnel condition have surgery as soon as possible. The longer you wait the more damage you will have to the nerves which in turn gives you the tingling and numbness which comes after surgery. Surgery stopped the night pain for me but I waited to long to have the surgery. So today I cannot hold the bar very well and the fingers do not go where you want them to. And I cannot feel the strings when I pick them. My Doctor told me the surgery would stop the pain but after waiting as long as I did he told me I might have 50% feeling back. Maybe do but the numbness is what bothers me. I have to look at whatever I go to pick up to make sure I have a hold of it. After rereading your post this may not apply to you but maybe it will give you something to think on. My wrist surgery was in 2012. I wish you the best of luck my friend. It sucks getting old. J.R. Rose

Johnny, I'm sorry you're going through this... IF, and I'm not trying to be Dr here, but IF there's an inflammation thing contributing to your pain and then restricting range of motion, I'd suggest Turmeric and Black Pepper capsules... I use the ones from Swanson. My Dr wanted to get me in 4 year or so ago, to fix the Bone on Bone pain I get at the base of both my thumbs. SO far, I'm better than I was 5 years ago, though not always great, I can hold a cup of coffee again and twist the lid off of whatever Andrea brings me to open, and I could not 4-5 year ago.

Good Luck Johnny

Herb; long time Austinite and HAAM contributor Dr. Alton Barron is mine and many many musicians around Austin, Orthopedic Surgeon. He lives in NYC now, as he has become one of the most advanced progressed in his field; but he comes to Austin EVERY Mon;Tues every week to help all of us as he started the MTF(musician treatment foundation). I; like Dale Rottacker have bone on bone bottom of thumb joint and top of wrist; and there should be a gap and after 35 years of constant motion there iS NONE...ha...so it creates swelling; weird movement triggers; with nerve circulation and tendon probs which creates pain; trigger thumb weird circulation pain in different areas ALL THE TIME. Right now and for last couple years I get; Like Johnny, the Cortisone shot right down through base of my thumb and that gives me 5 to 6 months of normal movement; less inflammation and no pain; but it always comes back and Dr. Barron said; surgery is inevitable because time between cortisone will disappear and for me; I'm down to 4 months. And when it gets that time(within a month)..Dr. Barron has already progress cutting bone to gap ...yes....with small hole and laser surgery and at that time sucks out longtime inflammation and he has already had some guitar players back playing NORMAL NO PAIN again in just 3 weeks....no more Cut open surgery which takes months to heal. See about Dr. Alton Barron here>
https://altonbarronmd.com/
Continue Stretching that joint;fingers/wrist; lots of rubber ball compression for circulation and like Dale the Turmeric w/Black Pepper is a dream....I've been on it for many other inflammations from my life of daredevilness(and allergies)...ha...for over 15 years. and helps with hand/wrist/thumb.
Good luck Johnny and Herb and others but you can have a normal hand again ONLY with Orthopedic which like Dr. Barron specializes in "Shoulder; Elbow/forearm; hand and wrist".
Ricky

Guys this must be a steel player affliction. I, too have pain in my right thumb joint. And for some reason, maybe the middle joint on my little finger sometimes catches and snaps when I bend it. I've been putting off seeing a doctor but after reading what you guys are going thru maybe it's time.

Yes Craig I too put it off for some time...and all that does is progress and prolong the injuries to many moving parts.(nerves; tendons; ligaments; circulation; bones...etc.)
I'm am sooooooooo glad I saw Dr. Barron Ortho....
I now know my hand(s) will survive to play for many many more years.
Ricky

I've had similar issues but found they were related to ulner nerve. I hate to hear what youre going through. Check out "nerve flossing" on the web. It might help. It helped me.