carpal tunnel surgery

Bennie Hensley · From: Yakima, Washington, USA

I had surgery on my left hand today. I know some of you have had this done. I was wondering how long it was before you could play? Did you practice anything with your string grips or anything with your picking hand? Thanks

Damir Besic · From: Nashville,TN.

I didn`t have carpal tunnel surgery yet but after my pitiful playing at the recording session today I`m going to have some brain surgery done...

Db

ps

wish you a fast recovery my friend
------------------

"Promat"
~when tone matters~ www.promatsteelguitars.com

[This message was edited by Damir Besic on 13 June 2006 at 10:27 PM.]

Donna Dodd · From: Acworth, Georgia, USA

Bennie,
You probably want to specify whether you had the traditional open-hand surgery - or the endoscopic type. Although there is a second entry point for the endoscope, the incisions are smaller and the recovery time is much faster.

I had the surgery, and didn't have ANY problems listening to Tommy play steel that very night!!

Good luck to you. You WON'T regret having it done!!

Donna Dodd

[This message was edited by Donna Dodd on 14 June 2006 at 01:33 AM.]

P Perry · From: Lebanon, OH, USA

I had double open hand surgery about 5 years ago and had the doctors OK to play 8 days later as long as I didn't have any pain. Of course I wasn't allowed to lift but I did play in 8 days without any serious pain. I think it helped my recovery greatly.

Bennie Hensley · From: Yakima, Washington, USA

You are right Donna. Thanks.. it was open hand. Thanks to all that responded.

Glyn Bone · From: Halifax.Nova Scotia. Canada * R.I.P.

Interesting topic.
There was an article on Canadian Morning TV on this very same subject.....doctors agree that musicians are the same as athletes inasmuch as they MUSY do warm-up excersises prior to a playing stint.....they suggest that `reverse` stretching of the fingers/hands/arms and circular hand movements as say a soccer player might do with his feet...seems the problem lies in the fact that we dont `warm-up` our hands/fingers/wrists /arms beforehand and we end up wityh serious problems like carpal tunnel and other similar types of repetitive injuries.....

Me? I`m gonna do warm ups in future

Just thought you all might like to know this.

Glyndwr

Carter SD 10 4x5 ( black of course)
Peavey NV 112 ( also black

)

Mark Lind-Hanson · From: Menlo Park, California, USA

I had surgery to repair a torn carpal tendon when I was 23. This occurred as the result of a violent assault, and along with that indignity, I soon found myself having to replace my guitar(stolen by a houseguest who saw me laid up with cast & all)-that took a little while to do- but generally, after the stitches healed, I think it was only a matter of about three weeks or so before I really had all my strength, once the cast came off.
Sitting around for almost a month, wondering if I ever would play again, that was the worst of it!
It rarely bothers me, except sometimes it will itch before it rains...

Ernest Cawby · From: Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Bennie ernie here in fl. I bought the guitar from you, hope you are well soon and back to playing. By the way love the guitar and our transaction was 2nd to none a great guy to do bussiness with.

cheers
ernie

Terry Wood · From: Lebanon, MO

Bennie,

I had it done to my right had years ago. I was hesitant in letting just anyone do it. I finally agreed to let my Filipino family doctor who was also a surgeon do the surgery. He done a great job but I started playing to soon.

Next, I actually played a gig in about a week after the surgery ad I fell off a ladder hanging some artwork up at the school where I teach art. Don't do what I done. Be patient. Patience is a virtue. You will be fine if you don't jump off the train or fall off the ladder like I did.

Good luck and May GOD bless!

Terry Wood
14 strings + 14 pedals = Steel Fun!

Ron Sodos · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

I have had both hands done as well as 3 trigger fingers. This was done in 3 separate surgeries. After my carpal tunnel surgery it took 2 months before I could play at all. Even longer before I could play on stage. I play rock and roll guitar in most of the bands I play with as well as steel. I couldn't even lift the guitar for 6+ weeks. However after I healed my playing got stronger than ever and my left hand on guitar is better than it has been in many years. So be patient and you won't regret it. My only problem is I need another trigger finger relase and surgery on both feet for bone spurs. It is the pits getting old......

Bennie Hensley · From: Yakima, Washington, USA

Thanks for all the well wishes..It is actually feeling pretty good...I get the stitches out Monday.

Donna Dodd · From: Acworth, Georgia, USA

Ron - After a very successful surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I developed a bone spur that was working its way through a tendon on the same hand. I had another surgery for that. Now, I have trigger finger in one of my fingers. Will you share a little bit about the trigger finger release surgery.

Thanks,
Donna

Steve English · From: Baja, Arizona

Bennie,
Glad to hear you're doing well. If your recovery goes like mine went, you'll be appreciating the absence of the pain and back to playing in no time!

Donna,
I also had trigger finger surgery on the first two fingers on both of my hands. My fingers began curling up and got quite painful, to the point that I couldn’t get change out of my pockets. I chose to have the left hand done first. At the time I was playing every Friday and Saturday night in a house band. My surgery was on Monday morning, and I played the following weekend, hand bandaged as the day of surgery. By the end of the 2nd set, I had removed the bandage and replaced it with a large bandaid. I never had any pain throughout the whole process and within two weeks was pretty much back to abnormal.

I had the right hand done a month later, same routine: Monday surgery, played the following weekend. However, since this was the picking hand, it did slow me down substantially. I played very simply and didn’t push it. By the 2nd weekend I was doing the bandaid thing and after playing a little each day, was feeling fine.

My surgeries each took about 45 minutes, local anesthesia with a valium, conversed with the nurses the whole time, home after about another hour of happy valium time, and then a lazy afternoon around the house. My right hand has been through other trauma years ago, and I also have arthritis problems, but really happy with the results of the trigger finger surgeries. It’s been two years and no issues.

I’m sure the carpal tunnel surgeries are much more serious and require a more disciplined recovery!

Don’t want to be morbid, but if you want to see pictures of what to physically expect, I have a few pics of the hands after surgery and after healing. I can email you the link if requested.

Couple of good sites with info:
http://www.handuniversity.com/topics.asp?Topic_ID=28
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=168&topcategory=Hand

Howdy Ron….loving the amp. Jason Stone says to tell you that Jimmy Dale is back in Tucson and doing ok. Steve

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