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  #1  
Old 08-23-2019, 08:25 PM
David Rock David Rock is offline
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Default hand injury...

Being alive is dangerous!

Two days ago I went over the handlebars of my bicycle. My bad...Stupid is as stupid does.

I dislocated my left ring finger. Ow.

Today I played a half chromatic scale on one string. Simple is as simple does. I felt blessed and grateful. I hope in a couple of weeks to be whole again.

Much appreciation for simple things, always. I hope my fingers will point the right way again.



be well,
d

p.s. when bicycle meets immovable object, bike stops, rider doesn't
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Old 08-23-2019, 09:16 PM
Joscefi78 Joscefi78 is offline
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I tripped (no not acid) in the garage a few years back and dislocated the fret hand pinky. I stood there staring at it going, no, I'm not going to deal with the VA's bull crud. So I yanked it real quick then taped it up, it still feels a bit sore from time to time. Good luck.
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Old 08-23-2019, 10:00 PM
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You're lucky that's all it was. I've had a fretting hand injury where my fingers don't ride like they used to. Try to be more careful will you?
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Old 08-24-2019, 10:07 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David Rock View Post
I hope my fingers will point the right way again.
Hi David

I hope so too…I prayed they will.


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Old 08-25-2019, 12:52 PM
David Rock David Rock is offline
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Default Thanks!

Thanks everyone...My fingers are definitely not normal, but recovery is well underway.

It looks like it is back to "Pumping Nylon". I like to think that which does not kill you makes you stronger. Let us hope!

regards,
D
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  #6  
Old 09-22-2019, 02:44 PM
David Rock David Rock is offline
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Default One month update...

I searched AGF for other similar posts...apparently hand injuries do occur. Ugh.

A couple of notes about my improving hand (it has been a little over a month):

1. I played a song today! In fact I practiced for 30 minutes...and was spent.

2. JonPR had commented in a different post something like 'the only thing rigid (or hard) in the hand is bone' (everything else is flexible?)

3. My fingers (especially ring and pinky) don't 'look' right yet, but I see small, very small, improvement daily. As long as there is improvement, we're good.

4. Right now biggest difficulty is ring and pinky same fret, strings one apart (think G and C, E and A)

5. Most importantly...I wish I had better documentation of the songs I've written. Even a bad video would help. I hope I will remember the songs when I can play again. And I will document them!

6. It occurs to me this injury may change my approach to guitar (although I hope not). Meaning? Instead of 'chordal' based I might have to be more selective of which notes I chose (fewer notes).

7. I am back to riding (and running) -- all good -- Got to do that too.

We'll see...Be well
D

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Old 09-22-2019, 03:12 PM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
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Congrats on getting back on track. Slow and steady should do the trick.

Best,
Jayne
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Old 09-22-2019, 03:34 PM
DCCougar DCCougar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David Rock View Post
....Two days ago I went over the handlebars of my bicycle.... dislocated my left ring finger....
I hope your recovery keeps going well. People use their hands all the time - it's no wonder they can get hurt... or just get old. My left hand index and middle finger got broken many years ago. Still not fully flexible. And both thumbs are on the way to arthritic. I just play what I can!
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  #9  
Old 10-26-2019, 07:27 PM
David Rock David Rock is offline
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Default 3 month update...

I guess this post is for encouragement for all those who have to recover from hand injuries...and my own selfish request...

Three months on...I'm making progress slowly but visibly (every day). Occasionally my hand feels like and functions like my hand. I do have to have a conversation with it before I expect too much from it. I wake every morning with extreme stiffness that will work it's way out after an hour or so.

I am using ginger oil --benefit? Maybe, or not, probably. Still a little swelling. I am buddy taping ring and pinky for much of the day...that seems to help.

I can play exercises for up to an hour with a fair degree of accuracy.

I played a song a couple of days ago and didn't suck (but only one, then back to crap).

Here is my request: Although I should know this...I have lost awareness...

My ring and pinky don't want to "stack" well, they don't 'lay' next to each other like my right hand. When we/you build a stack of fingers, do they plant all at the same time - or - do you plant one then leverage the others off of it?

I hope the description of the question id enough...

Thanks and be well,
D
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Old 10-26-2019, 08:39 PM
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Clarify the question.
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Old 10-26-2019, 08:42 PM
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Oops. Forgot, no comments.
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Old 10-27-2019, 07:02 AM
David Rock David Rock is offline
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I apologize for the lack of clarity on the question...

When fretting (especially) four finger chords (think maj 7th or 9th), do all fingers hit the fret board at the same time? Or is there a nano second where a regular anchor finger hits first with others to follow?

BTW had some noticeable improvement with a super light touch exercise...just touching the string without depressing them in chord shapes...

D
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Old 10-27-2019, 07:22 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David Rock View Post
I apologize for the lack of clarity on the question...

When fretting (especially) four finger chords (think maj 7th or 9th), do all fingers hit the fret board at the same time? Or is there a nano second where a regular anchor finger hits first with others to follow?
Well, a nanosecond would - literally - make little difference, right?

In general, when I fret chords, all fingers come down together, as far as I'm aware. If you find you're unable to do that, the root finger should come down first. But the more you practice, the more your fingers should go to the learned shape all at once.

But remember what matters is that each finger needs to be on its string as soon as that string needs to sound. Depending how and what you're playing, that could mean that (a) you can take at least half a beat, maybe a whole beat, to move your fingers off the previous chord to give you time to get to the next one (often you can just keep strumming open strings in the meantime); or (b) you can get your finger on the chord root and let the others catch up (eg if playing fingerstyle).

Quote:
JonPR had commented in a different post something like 'the only thing rigid (or hard) in the hand is bone' (everything else is flexible?)
I don't remember saying anything like that! What I might have said is that hands are trainable; that what might seem like impossible stretches can become doable with practice. (Obviously some will remain impossible...)
I probably have said something elsewhere about fretting barre chords, using the bonier parts of the underside of the index on the necessary strings (not all strings need to be fretted).
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  #14  
Old 10-27-2019, 07:27 AM
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Bob Womack Bob Womack is offline
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I'm glad you are showing improvement. They do heal up. I've had four injuries to my fingers, the worst of which were:

1. a broken left little finger - football
2. a slice into my left little finger proximal joint that developed into an infection and a knot the size of a golf ball. The doctor had to do surgery to clean it out and remove scar tissue but the result was adhesion on the tendon that didn't free up for several years.
3. a broken right ring finger, also from football. It was forced to flex backwards. The tip of the proximal phalanx was broken off and shoved inboard and the middle phalanx was split. That was forty-five years ago and it behaves totally normally at this point with no pain but is a full ring size larger than the left ring finger because of the bone offset at that joint.

The big takeaway is that they do heal. In direct response to your question, I can plant any combination of fingers as a stacked chord or shape for melody lines.

Bob
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Old 10-27-2019, 02:18 PM
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I drilled into (1/8th" bit) the last joint on my LH index finger some years back. I was about mid way through a 30 year playing hiatus at the time so no big deal. But, the damage affected the entire finger as I severed some ligaments that balled up into the middle joint and prevented me from bending it for a couple years. I'd bend it with my right hand and then hold it in that position with my left thumb wrapped over top. Eventually that knot of ligaments compressed to the sides of the joint allowing me to bend it naturally. I never did seek medical attention. Now it's almost back to normal. That was 29 years ago, come to think of it, but I can make the open A chord by half barring it with the left index finger tip (again).
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