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Topic: Tennis elbow and steel guitar |
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 7 Sep 2015 6:32 pm |
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I have been experiencing tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis, as diagnosed by my doctor, almost the entire summer. It eventually got to the point where it would be difficult for me to even lift an umbrella with my left arm. I am working on healing it with some physical therapy and it seems to be going pretty well. It was definitely serious enough where the usual tennis elbow strap and icing was not doing the trick.
Anyway, it is in my bar hand arm, and I think I can pinpoint exactly how it has happened. I've been working a lot on trying to introduce a more slippery sound into my playing, and I have been doing a lot of unusual slanting lately. I never realized the kind of toll it would take on my arm.
I've always been into the Alexander Technique and the idea of using the self correctly, so it is time to reassess my playing. I have always thought my technique to be pretty sound.
Anyone else ever have this experience?
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 8 Sep 2015 1:53 am
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I've had other neuropathies, but not the one you describe.
I'd recommend for all musicians Oliver Sacks' Musicophelia. He's (was; just passed away) a great writer, a musician,
and a sensitive human being and neurologist. All of his books are a good read, especially this one.
Of particular interest was the chapter on 'The One-Armed Pianist,' about Leon Fleischer, who lost the use of his right hand
and gained it back after some time, and after changing his approach to playing.
You may gain some insight from it; it was that chapter in which he pin-pointed my difficulty (torticollis) as a focal dystonia. |
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Ralph Czitrom
From:
Ringwood, New Jersey
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Posted 8 Sep 2015 6:28 am
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| Mike - A few years ago, I developed a similar condition from carrying a bag of firewood incorrectly. I was advised to rest it, which I did (without improvement) for months. My wife suggested that I try acupuncture, based on her own experience. Luckily for me, after not more than four treatments, the disappeared and has never returned. I've been a believer in acupuncture ever since. It's worth investigating. Good luck. |
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 8 Sep 2015 6:30 am
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Sorry to hear that Mike. Glad you can pinpoint the culprit as to your new and unusual slanting.
A couple of things come to mind. One, just lay-off the steel for 2 weeks and let the arm just rest, relax and heal. Then, reintroduce the steel, and then when ready, limit yourself to 5-10 minutes per day on the new/unusual slanting. You are doing way too much with your left arm and I'm surprised the doc hasn't told you to completely lay-off for a while.
What you describe is pretty serious and if you aren't careful, you're going to make a mess out of your left arm.
I'm a racquetball player and my right arm is the consistency of concrete. I did something to my arm, don't know what, but it caused me "tennis elbow" pain for even simple stuff.
I laid off everything for 2 weeks and very gradually worked back into racquetball, just hitting gently for 2 minutes, then 5, then 10 and now I'm fine.
Leo Kottke, acclaimed fingerpicker, had to totally change the way he fingerpicked because he developed carpal tunnel syndrome, or something akin to it.
Good luck and keep us posted. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 8 Sep 2015 6:56 am
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Thanks, I am making significant progress. While the tendonitis has not affected my playing much, it has in other areas. However, I have been using the Flexbar and doing an exercise called the Tyler twist, and I am noticing a marked improvement in my strength. I would say my strength is back to about 50% after one week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2QQaVfeI4U
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Roger Fletcher
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 8 Sep 2015 7:12 am
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Mike - another suggestion: I believe that learning to relax so that we use only as much muscle tension as is required and no more would help. It also improves the quality of the vibrato!
That is easier said than done, because the harder we try to relax, the more elusive it becomes. I found learning tai chi to be a great help. |
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Peter Lindelauf
From:
Penticton, BC
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Posted 8 Sep 2015 9:48 am
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Another acupuncture recommendation. I developed tennis elbow while doing forestry fieldwork and using a small axe one handed. Two acupuncture treatments and I had no further tennis elbow problems. Plus I made sure I used the axe two handed.
The other thing you might consider is a chiropractic assessment of your cervical and thoracic spine as that's where arm and hand problems are often rooted. I have "sympathetically mediated dysfunction due to biomechanical injury." That is, Raynaud's-like symptoms from bad falls while doing forestry fieldwork. This means having to be very mindful of posture while playing keyboard or lapsteel, in my case. Sounds like you already are.
Finding a good physiotherapist, chiropractor, or acupuncturist is a lot like looking for a honest mechanic. If you consider acupuncture, I'd recommend someone trained Chinese style. There are a lot of people (physiotherapists, for example) doing 'sports acupuncture' in NA. In my experience, that has been the least beneficial.
Good luck sorting it out, Mike.
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...but you are the music / while the music lasts (TS Eliot) |
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Asa Brosius
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Posted 8 Sep 2015 4:54 pm
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Were I a doctor, I'd prescribe pedal steel guitar to address your slanting pathology.
Also support the recommendations above: physio, qualified massage therapist- I do know an excellent acupuncturist with 30+ years of experience in your area (pm if interested). Repetitive stress injuries need time and rest-there's no silver lining in trying to work through this type of pain- strengthening of supportive muscle groups, postural awareness, and pedals (what a friend calls 'cheater buttons') all help. |
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Joseph Napolitano
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 8 Sep 2015 5:26 pm
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| Stick with PT Mike. Just make sure you find a good one. Avoid the big mills, especially the ones owned by orthopedic surgeons ( unfortunately , this is rampant in New Jersey). Your best bet is a small, Therapist-owned practice ,where they will spend time with you. The difference in treatment rendered from one clinic to the next can be dramatic. If you plateau with PT ,PRP injections are often very effective, but typically not covered by insurance. I don't see chiropractic care being very effective for lateral or medial epicondylitis. Your problem is easy to diagnose ,but sometimes takes a while to resolve.I've been licensed as a PT in New Jersey for almost 30 years . |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 9 Sep 2015 4:10 am
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Thanks for the advice. Things are definitely getting better.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 9 Sep 2015 5:13 am
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I have permanent, unfixable problems in my discs, wrists, fingers. 25 years on the 12-lb. precision bass, numerous burnt candles, no fretless is NOT better... Besides the usual, I find VARIETY is really useful. Use an SP-2 for a while, use a giant delrin bar for a while, use a flatpick to increase your one-line counterpoint Bach-ish thinking. When you're not or can't play, read through a score along with a violin concerto, but try to keep up to a playing level of concentration. Transcribe a part off a record, without an instrument? Hoo-boy, talk about finding chinks in the armor! 
The concentration part (lack thereof-) is surprising, how often we let go when there would be benefits from hanging on. (Television may be the worst thing that ever happened to a musician's mind, with it's 100+ snippets of music samples per HOUR it trains your brain to treat music as trivial.) |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 9 Sep 2015 7:29 am
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I got it bad this summer in my right arm ... Cleaning my kids freakin' pool 
Hadn't seen a buddy of mine in about a year ... Saw him Sat. ... When I shook his hand I almost cried 
I got the KT tape, brace etc ... I can't take it anymore ... having Chrissy put a shot in it today ...   |
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Jonathan Lam
From:
Brooklyn, NY
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John Peay
From:
Cumming, Georgia USA
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Posted 11 Sep 2015 4:57 pm
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| Asa Brosius wrote: |
| Were I a doctor, I'd prescribe pedal steel guitar to address your slanting pathology... |
I had the same thought as I read this thread, then I came to your post! But alas, Mike has already tried pedals, and gone back to non-pedal (which to me, is harder than pedal steel).
Get well soon, Mike ! |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 15 Sep 2015 1:27 am
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I had lateral epicondylitis in my right elbow--I may as well have set my arm on fire. The ortho guy gave me a cortisone shot--Don't let anybody tell you different--The shot nearly killed me. So I was good, for a couple of months. Another shot. Only this time, I was OK for only a month or so. Another shot, and my elbow started hurting--I thought the doctor was trying to kill me.
He wound up doing surgery--Cut the tendon, and tie it back together with two loose stitches. But he told me that playing guitar was good therapy--and he had an old Martin, there in the office. Good luck, Mike. |
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Steven Cummings
From:
Texas
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Posted 15 Sep 2015 2:07 am
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I had a real tough time with tennis elbow several years ago. I was fortunate to be introduced to a chinese gal who performed acupuncture and it was what I would call miraculous. Never has come back to haunt me either. +1 for a knowledgeable acupuncturist.
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Lookin' on the sunny side.... |
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Joe Rouse
From:
San Antonio, Texas
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Posted 15 Sep 2015 3:45 am Tennis Elbow
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| I had the same thing probably 25 years ago and talked to a high school athletics trainer who told me to try squeezing a rubber ball or a grip trainer for 1 minute starting 3 times a day for one week and the next week for 2 minutes and so forth. Worked for me and hope it helps for you....jr (I still use the grip trainer for 40 plus squeezes each morning) |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 15 Sep 2015 5:12 am
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i unfortunately know what you are talking about. It's a nightmare. Along with what ever you are doing that works already I highly recommend one of those electric hand massage things. Use it on and around where it hurts and you can speed up recovery quite a bit. Try it. You can get them cheap all,over the place.
I made significant progress using one and still use it when I feel it starting to come back.
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Bob |
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Larry Lenhart
From:
Ponca City, Oklahoma
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Posted 15 Sep 2015 6:16 am
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I was experiencing a lot of fore arm, elbow, bicep pain this spring...went to a clinic in OKC and the dr said it was tennis elbow...he gave me a shot, I used the elbow wrap thingy and got over it in no time...lucky I guess...I never associated it with my steel playing but I was playing a lot of non pedal steel at that time, and still am for that matter. Knock on wood it doesnt come back, I still wear the elbow wrap from time to time.
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Zum Encore, Remington D8 non pedal, Hallmark Mosrite clone, Gretsch 6120 DSW, Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet Two 90,1976 Ibanez L5, Eastman archtop, Taylor Dreadnaught, Telonics pedal, Squire Tele, Squire Strat, Fender Tonemaster, Gold Tone 5 string banjo, Little Wonder tenor banjo, 3 Roland cubes 30s and 80, Carvin combo bass amp |
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