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Topic: Broken finger? |
Jeff Metz Jr.
From:
York, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2017 7:43 pm |
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So low and behold , while working on my truck this afternoon I Broke my right hand's pointer finger in 3 places. 2 mirrored breaks in the middle phalanx and a curved break in the proximal phalanx.
It had to be reset due to the nature of the break.
Im very worried that It will affect my playing in the long run.
Has anybody here broke a picking finger before?
Is there anything i can do to aid in full recovery?
I was playing tonight with thumb and middle, ring fingers and get by but It sure isn't ideal.
I want to maintain full range of motion. Any Tips or similar experiences are welcomed and appreciated.
Thanks
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Mullen G2 SD10 , Lil Izzy Buffer, Goodrich 120 volume pedal, Boss DD-7, Peterson Strobo flip, Peavey Nashville 112 |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2017 8:55 pm
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😎
_________________
Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe.
Last edited by Rick Barnhart on 6 Jul 2017 2:00 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Tim Russell
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2017 9:40 pm
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Yes, where there's a will, there's a way. Anything can be overcome with persistence. And, you may develop new ways of doing things, approaching your playing. I remember hearing Don Helms in an interview talking about when one of his fingers was severely damaged in an accident, and he completely recovered, through will, and the grace of God.
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Sierra Crown D-10 |
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Joseph Napolitano
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2017 3:57 am
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| Go to Physical or Occupational Therapy, with a Certified Hand Specialist, as soon as Orthopedist says it's ok. |
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Jeff Metz Jr.
From:
York, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2017 7:54 am
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Thanks for the support guys! I will definitely look into P.T. once I start healing more. For now I will just take a break(pun intended) from playing until the pain subsides.
Thanks.
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Mullen G2 SD10 , Lil Izzy Buffer, Goodrich 120 volume pedal, Boss DD-7, Peterson Strobo flip, Peavey Nashville 112 |
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Dan Robinson
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2017 9:48 am
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| Joseph Napolitano wrote: |
| Go to Physical or Occupational Therapy, with a Certified Hand Specialist, as soon as Orthopedist says it's ok. |
^
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This.
If you can find a hand surgeon, it's a very specialized specialty. I'm fortunate to have a hand doc who is also a fine guitar player. They will have good recommendation for PT.
Hope you have a good outcome, Jeff. |
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Bud Angelotti
From:
Larryville, NJ, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2017 10:51 am
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Jeff - Go to the health food store and get arnica jell. Wash the area and put alot on for a few days. !!
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Just 'cause I look stupid, don't mean I'm not. |
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Jeff Metz Jr.
From:
York, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2017 12:02 pm
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Well guys It turned out that I needed surgery to insert pins and a plate in my finger.
I had to forego that option despite knowing whats best for me and against the surgeons advice. I was told that I would be out of work for 8 weeks and I just can't afford that. So Wish me luck! Hopefully I can get by without a pointer finger.
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Mullen G2 SD10 , Lil Izzy Buffer, Goodrich 120 volume pedal, Boss DD-7, Peterson Strobo flip, Peavey Nashville 112 |
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Jeff Garden
From:
Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2017 12:30 pm
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| Just my humble opinion Jeff, but you might want to reconsider the surgery (or at least get a second opinion). I realize 8 weeks out of work would be quite a financial hardship but if you're serious about music, not having a functional index finger on your picking hand will affect you for the rest of your life. Is there any kind of part-time work you could pick up for 8 weeks that you might be able to do with your finger immobilized and still make some money? |
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Jon Jaffe
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 29 Jun 2017 2:46 pm
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| Hand surgeons are all about function. You will be out of work far longer without surgery than with. At least get another surgical opinion and consider intense PT. |
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Dennis Lee
From:
Forest Grove, Oregon, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2017 3:02 pm Body Parts
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| Fractured my left radial bone at the head in January. There were three places of fracture. After 5 weeks in a cast, some physical therapy, I am back playing for the past couple of months or so, though the nerves are the last part to heal. There was a time I thought I might be putting my equipment on the selling blocks, but see now that was premature. Hang in there, it does get better! |
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Jeff Metz Jr.
From:
York, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2017 3:14 pm
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Thanks guys. Yes it does really have me bummed. Im still in the beginning stages of pedal steel. Approx 5 years in. Its a sad day but In all reality Its impossible to take 8 weeks or more off work. My Job is secure for 12 weeks unpaid, but Ill have to maintain my medical benefit deductions bi weekly $150 twice monthly, Rent, credit card dept, Utilities, Food etc. All while incurring additional medical bills.
Im more than serious about my playing and thats what makes it so hard. I apologize for venting here publicly. Just want to talk about this I suppose.
29 years old a may be forced into giving up on the dream. Thanks for sharing and support all!
Jeff
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Mullen G2 SD10 , Lil Izzy Buffer, Goodrich 120 volume pedal, Boss DD-7, Peterson Strobo flip, Peavey Nashville 112 |
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Jim Robbins
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 29 Jun 2017 7:03 pm
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| PM sent |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2017 7:31 pm
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😎
_________________
Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe.
Last edited by Rick Barnhart on 6 Jul 2017 1:59 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2017 7:45 pm
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It's good that you've considered, somehow, "giving up the dream." If you want to play it along, look at the other end of the entire spectrum, you will come out of it massively better than ever an' you become the big new star snorting cocaine outta movie starlet's belly-buttons on yer yacht in the South of France, an... a well, maybe you could take a little bite out of music theory at least?
Look at the entire spectrum, and choose your mark. Then go get it.
I went through a couple of years where my hands didn't work too well because my neck vertebrae were chewing on their nerves, and the spell after the cervical fusion was actually longer than the one before. Other things weren't working so hot, but I knew within about my first five minutes in a wheelchair I WAS GOING TO GET OUT AND STAY OUT OF THAT F$#%&KING WHEELCHAIR.
15 years so far.
Obviously shooting too high may lead to some disappointments (are your sure that was cocaine?) but shooting low, Jesus, dude. I CAN'T leave music, it's the only thing that ever made sense to me. It stalks me when I try to vacation too long & far... I had to learn to set goals, but not time limits as my health wobbled around, I still always have to negotiate with my F$#%&KING discs over every little piss-ant thing.
If you do have significant down time, shoot your TV so you don't just get stupid. One cool trick: getting a good CD, the right lead sheets, and reading along. That's all, stare at Miles' little dots, and why did he do THAT, when? Man was nuts. Chy-cowski and Beathoover's violin concertos taught me how to LISTEN to fast melodies, fat lot of good it did for my playing but I can HEAR speedy improvisation now regardless of how retarded my hands are.
I hate new-agey bimboesque kinda stuff, it seems like every jerk in the world can recite the correct cosmo-conscious goofery in front of a camera (you are NOT on a F$#%&KING JOURNEY O.K.? goddam) but a few things are kinda right there. You know, like when a witch doctor puts the whammy on you and you BELIEVE in witch doctors you die, right? Pay attention to what you tell yourself, pay attention to the opti/pessimist spectrum of the stuff you're reading about. Who chose that stuff?
29 years old? That's like... how lucky you are. Just GRAB all the stuff now, while the testosterone still blows hard instead of flickers.
I am still very wary about doctors - when I do my periodic carpal tunnel and trigger finger slicefests, I always make sure the doc knows it's not BECAUSE of playing, but so I can KEEP playing. Even though it's because of playing. 
Physical therapy is REALLY important, but after you figure out the purpose of each thing GET OUT OF THERE. Physical therapists believe that more physical therapy is the cure when you blow out your spine from too much physical therapy; IT'S SWELLING ON THE INSIDE YOU DUMB TWAT, LEAVE ME ALONE. Carpenter/hammer, they are so CHEERFUL while they're trying to kill you I get a whiff of pathology off the happiest ones, ranging from little to mighty. Those TEETH... You can figure out your hand, right?
Jimma Matejek
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS7Q57nvyUY
count the fingers.... If you look into just HOW screwed up Sonny Landreth's hands are, umm, Jack Pearson; I'm not able to listen to Black Sabbath and that jumpy 2-finger Django/French/Gypsy/whack-fest drives me screaming outta the room, but YOUR FINGER HURTS? Music is the most important thing in the world.  |
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Paul Awalt
From:
Greenwich, Ct.
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Posted 29 Jun 2017 7:51 pm Broken Finger
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| If you need pins its more than just broken. Its totally out of aline, and later if you don't listen to your Doctor(surgery), it will be worse down the road and too late to fix. Be there done that. Don't second guess the Doctor you might lose the whole finger. |
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Chris Templeton
From:
The Green Mountain State
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2017 7:23 pm Broken Finger
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My index finger and middle finger (Right Hand) have been through a lot. My index finger is OK. My middle finger curls into my index finger when I start closing my hand. I have to bend the blade on my middle finger pick so it hits the string square.
I know it may be a financial crunch. But getting your hand in shape so you can play steel means it is in shape for close movements. A Bad finger can ruin your whole hand use and service ability.
Good Luck and great recovery on this injury. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2017 9:00 am
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Yep to what all the others have said about doctor's orders. Especially Dave Mason, who appears to be the World's Foremost Authority on this topic.
Unfortunately, PA does not have a short term disability program. You could still apply for federal SSI or SSDI while you are recuperating. God knows when you would finally receive your benefits, but you probably do qualify.
At the very least, take SOME time off work and allow the bones to set, especially if you do physical labor. If you try to go back to work too soon, You will be compensating for the loss of your finger and may injure something else. |
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Bruce Bishop
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2017 12:25 pm Hand injury
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Jeff Ive been reading all these posts (my 2 cents )for what it's worth. I've been playing music for a long time and I'm just starting on the PSG , less than a yr now .
I have never had full movement of my right hand pointer since I was 17 due to a table saw injury ,so I use thumb, middle, ring ! Muscle memory really is key,may have to just retrain your hand if you don't get enough or full movement/ dexterity back . |
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