AM1 Posted December 21, 2008 Author Share Posted December 21, 2008 [quote name='Kirky' post='360539' date='Dec 21 2008, 10:24 PM']Well, whatever you reasons, and no matter how valid they are, do you really think you can go through life without ever needing a doctor? You have to come to terms somehow with your issues. Have you [i]never[/i] seen a doctor you trusted? Who was helpful? Ever?[/quote] Hopefully. No. No. No. I apologise for the inappropriate nature of my comments. I am just a bit frustrated. I just want some practical advice on adapting, whether that means switching playing style or switching the bass around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mokl Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 There is that guy who manages to play the bass one handed, he is absoultely amazing! The problem you will face is that you'll have to flip the bass over (or buy a lefty bass) and learn to fret the neck with your dominant hand. I wouldn't hold out much hope of being able to use your left hand for plucking if it is giving you as much pain as you say it is - it is often the plucking hand which experiences the most tendon and wrist problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 [quote name='AM1' post='360543' date='Dec 21 2008, 10:31 PM']I just want some practical advice on adapting, whether that means switching playing style or switching the bass around.[/quote] Hello Anne Marie. Welcome to the world of Bass,its,as you have found out a tad physical,and causes pain,I dont know how old you are,or what style you play,or anything,but hey here goes,the ARGH is in..... OK,when practicing,or playing,are you standing,or sitting? can you post a piccy of how your left hand is,in regards of position,in relationship to the neck,when fretting notes on the instrument,and where is the pain,is it subtle (dull throb) obvious...it happens and hurts and stops when you stop (like a touched bruise) or is it sharp and instant...(like a trapped nerve). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM1 Posted December 21, 2008 Author Share Posted December 21, 2008 (edited) [quote name='Mokl' post='360552' date='Dec 21 2008, 10:44 PM']There is that guy who manages to play the bass one handed, he is absoultely amazing! The problem you will face is that you'll have to flip the bass over (or buy a lefty bass) and learn to fret the neck with your dominant hand. I wouldn't hold out much hope of being able to use your left hand for plucking if it is giving you as much pain as you say it is - it is often the plucking hand which experiences the most tendon and wrist problems.[/quote] Hi Thank you, this is the constructive advice I was after. There is no pain in my hand normally, it is the fact that when I bend my wrist (more than say 40 degrees), the pain starts building up. If I can pluck with my left hand, then there will be less bending, therefore less pain. I don't know which guy you mean, do you have any more info? I have already tried flipping the bass over but this means that any tabs I want to use are then unworkable because the strings and fret positions in the tabs are for using the bass in the conventional position. I haven't yet seen a lefty bass, will have to look into it. Regards AM Edited December 21, 2008 by AM1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM1 Posted December 21, 2008 Author Share Posted December 21, 2008 (edited) [quote name='ARGH' post='360554' date='Dec 21 2008, 10:45 PM']Hello Anne Marie. Welcome to the world of Bass,its,as you have found out a tad physical,and causes pain,I dont know how old you are,or what style you play,or anything,but hey here goes,the ARGH is in..... OK,when practicing,or playing,are you standing,or sitting? can you post a piccy of how your left hand is,in regards of position,in relationship to the neck,when fretting notes on the instrument,and where is the pain,is it subtle (dull throb) obvious...it happens and hurts and stops when you stop (like a touched bruise) or is it sharp and instant...(like a trapped nerve).[/quote] Hello Thanks for the reply. I mainly stand when I am "practicing" but if I'm just messing around playing along with music, I tend to sit down. I am currently working on pentatonic scales and it is the bending of my wrist to play notes four frets apart on the lower strings that has absolutely jacked up the pain level this last week. I will ask someone to take a pic of my hand tomorrow on the neck or I can take one with a mobile phone and a photo of where the lump is on my hand so you can see what happens when I play. When I bend my wrist, the lump pops out, when my wrist is flat, nothing is there. So it's the bending that is the problem. It's not the physical nature of it that's the issue, I can carry roughly 140 lbs of diving equipment, which is more than my body weight and I am fit. It's just this stupid, annoying, frustrating lump on my hand that's the problem. Regards AM Edited December 21, 2008 by AM1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 [quote name='AM1' post='360556' date='Dec 21 2008, 10:50 PM']Hi Thank you, this is the constructive advice I was after. There is no pain in my hand normally, it is the fact that when I bend my wrist (more than say 40 degrees), the pain starts building up. If I can pluck with my left hand, then there will be less bending, therefore less pain. Regards AM[/quote] Is it a tightening feeling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM1 Posted December 21, 2008 Author Share Posted December 21, 2008 [quote name='ARGH' post='360561' date='Dec 21 2008, 10:55 PM']Is it a tightening feeling?[/quote] Yes. Then pain starts building up, but it was manageable right up until the last few days and now there is just pain there all the time even when not playing. I am deeply, deeply, deeply pissed off at this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 I would normally recommend you get a copy of Randall Kertz's book "The bassist's guide to injury management,prevention and better health", but he's a doctor (& bass player) so I guess its not an option. Only available from [url="http://www.drkertz.com/buy_book.html"]http://www.drkertz.com/buy_book.html[/url] as far as I'm aware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 [quote name='AM1' post='360560' date='Dec 21 2008, 10:54 PM']Hello Thanks for the reply. I mainly stand when I am "practicing" but if I'm just messing around playing along with music, I tend to sit down. I am currently working on pentatonic scales and it is the bending of my wrist to play notes four frets apart on the lower strings that has absolutely jacked up the pain level this last week. I will ask someone to take a pic of my hand tomorrow on the neck or I can take one with a mobile phone and a photo of where the lump is on my hand so you can see what happens when I play. When I bend my wrist, the lump pops out, when my wrist is flat, nothing is there. So it's the bending that is the problem. It's not the physical nature of it that's the issue, I can carry roughly 140 lbs of diving equipment, which is more than my body weight and I am fit. It's just this stupid, annoying, frustrating lump on my hand that's the problem. Regards AM[/quote] Whoopee doo..you have what I had on both wrists,Ganglion cysty things....They are harmless frustrating leaking tendon fluid,they used to piss me off summat chronic,anyways...could be worse,but they as you have found are a tad restrictive...how high upon yourself ,do you have the instrument? Waist...slung low ..real high near the chin.... coz positioning is the key here. And I can stop a bad spine too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM1 Posted December 21, 2008 Author Share Posted December 21, 2008 [quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='360578' date='Dec 21 2008, 11:05 PM']I would normally recommend you get a copy of Randall Kertz's book "The bassist's guide to injury management,prevention and better health", but he's a doctor (& bass player) so I guess its not an option. Only available from [url="http://www.drkertz.com/buy_book.html"]http://www.drkertz.com/buy_book.html[/url] as far as I'm aware.[/quote] Actually that book looks good. What does it say, if anything, about ganglion cysts (if that is what it is). Rgds AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 Whack it with a bible and you'll be sorted . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 (edited) These workarounds that you are proposing do nothing to address the root of the problem. Seeing as you don't seem to be willing/able to take steps necessary to address the root of the problem, your playing will always be compromised. Example (and please don't tell me to go boil my head because it isn't what you want to hear or feel that I am simplifying your (from your perspective) huge problems and therefore coming across as belittling you) - you're carving a piece of wood and your chisel is blunt. Do you 1) go and find a different tool which is less efficient but may give you an approximation of what you want or 2) go sharpen your chisel? Edited December 21, 2008 by neepheid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM1 Posted December 21, 2008 Author Share Posted December 21, 2008 [quote name='ARGH' post='360580' date='Dec 21 2008, 11:10 PM']Whoopee doo..you have what I had on both wrists,Ganglion cysty things....They are harmless frustrating leaking tendon fluid,they used to piss me off summat chronic,anyways...could be worse,but they as you have found are a tad restrictive...how high upon yourself ,do you have the instrument? Waist...slung low ..real high near the chin.... coz positioning is the key here. And I can stop a bad spine too.[/quote] OK - do you also have a feeling like numbness going into your fingers during/after playing? I have the instrument at mid level but the neck angled up quite far as I just physically cannot play it otherwise due to the angle of bending. I have wanted to play bass for years and never had time to learn until now, but this is a major setback, after only a few weeks. Playing an instrument again has massively reawakened my passion for music but this is just so disappointing and frustrating. I just need to find a way to adapt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamble Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 ARGH, have you had anything done (medically, surgically) about your cysts? Or have you found that they aren't a problem if you work around them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 Ok AM...Numbness IS BAD... The cysts are causeing pressure on the nerves,you may have had a 'sublux' in the wrist too (sublux,very mild ,small dislocation in the joints). Where do you live by the way? And what is your age,and how long have you been playing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM1 Posted December 21, 2008 Author Share Posted December 21, 2008 (edited) [quote name='ARGH' post='360612' date='Dec 21 2008, 11:43 PM']Ok AM...Numbness IS BAD... The cysts are causeing pressure on the nerves,you may have had a 'sublux' in the wrist too (sublux,very mild ,small dislocation in the joints).[/quote] OK, do you have the same thing?? PM if preferred. I started playing the bass on 6th December. It seemed natural to play it the conventional way i.e. left hand on the fretboard but now I am obviously looking at other ways to play. What's your workaround? Edited December 22, 2008 by AM1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 [quote name='AM1' post='360581' date='Dec 21 2008, 11:11 PM']Actually that book looks good. What does it say, if anything, about ganglion cysts (if that is what it is). Rgds AM[/quote] on p34/35 he says (among other things) "don't whack it with a bible" it can be drained with a hyperdermic needle or surgically removed or if left alone it may go away on its own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Nope,I had them,for ages,years,and things turned a bit nasty during GCSE music,15+ years ago....all that tapping (Hard to believe I was using .85,60,35,25 in regular tuning...I now use 110 heavys) If you have only just started,I think you may have just caused a strain,as 'building up' takes a fair amount of time,and no squeezing of loorolls ,tennins balls,excercise machines is going to help....its simple weight training,stop,play,rest...etc A Chinese masseur might be able to get the swellings down,and sort out the pain,probably sort out a few probs. I wont tell you how I had mine removed,but they are a HELL of a lot easier to deal with than CTS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM1 Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 [quote name='ARGH' post='360632' date='Dec 22 2008, 12:16 AM']Nope,I had them,for ages,years,and things turned a bit nasty during GCSE music,15+ years ago....all that tapping (Hard to believe I was using .85,60,35,25 in regular tuning...I now use 110 heavys) If you have only just started,I think you may have just caused a strain,as 'building up' takes a fair amount of time,and no squeezing of loorolls ,tennins balls,excercise machines is going to help....its simple weight training,stop,play,rest...etc A Chinese masseur might be able to get the swellings down,and sort out the pain,probably sort out a few probs. I wont tell you how I had mine removed,but they are a HELL of a lot easier to deal with than CTS.[/quote] You have PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 As have you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM1 Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 [quote name='ARGH' post='360641' date='Dec 22 2008, 12:36 AM']As have you.[/quote] Ditto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timloudon Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 [quote name='AM1' post='360528' date='Dec 21 2008, 10:10 PM']I didn't expect YOU to bother listening to the fact that I have an innate [b]FEAR [/b]of going near a doctor. Practical advice on adapting/working around is what I am after, not your pathetic criticism.[/quote] That's some bad attitude! People are giving you practical advice. There's no need to react with such animosity. Seeing a doctor or a physiotherapist is practical advice - they are experts on these things after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mewsie Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Anne Marie has already dropped in a sorry, Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timloudon Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 My apologies. I didn't realise there were 3 pages, and made the comment based on the first page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mewsie Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 heh, things move fast around here, you blink, you miss something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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