Body issues affecting playing.

[itu]

I was playing a gig, and forgot that my right hand does not like the body shape of the J bass. I had to shorten the strap a bit and then my right hand started to lie on top of the body. That affects the circulation in my hand, and at the end of the gig my hand felt like a log. I really need a muscle hammer now.

 

What issues you've had that have prevented or hindered your playing? How did you survive?

 

Some words mentioned earlier:

CTS = carpal tunnel syndrome

back, or neck pain

arthritis

ischias

bursitis

[itu]

I found these two threads:

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/286315-arthritis-in-neck-vertebrae-arm-neck-hand-chest-pain-vertigo-advice-needed/

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/326376-back-ache-any-tips-to-avoid/

[casapete]

11 minutes ago, itu said:

Some words mentioned earlier:

CTS = carpal tunnel syndrome

back, or neck pain

arthritis

ischias

bursitis

Dupytrens Contracture sufferer here! Had it in my left hand for over 10 years now.

 

This is a condition where nodules appear in the palm which gradually pull the fingers down into

a contracted state. Once it gets worse then movement of the fingers gets restricted, with surgery

or recently injections the only solution. Fortunately mine has not progressed over the last few years,

and although it can sometimes give me gyp, it hasn't impacted upon my playing / earning a living.

Apparently it is common with string players generally, and the operations to rectify it can be very painful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[neepheid]

The only times I've had physical difficulties while playing have been self inflicted - bruised ribs one time and more recently I shut my left index finger in a door in the week leading up to a gig.

 

Nothing really, compared to people struggling with real, long term conditions that hamper their playing.

[Lozz196]

I’ve a tear in my rotator cuff muscle in my right shoulder that over the years has affected my whole back with regards to posture amongst other stuff. This year I’ve also put my lower back out a few times including a bad one around Feb where I was in constant pain and had (and still have) restricted mobility, though fortunately not too bad. As such I’m now at the point where the weight of a bass is a very important factor, for this reason have gone short scale. 

[sandy_r]

1 hour ago, casapete said:

Dupytrens Contracture sufferer here! Had it in my left hand for over 10 years now.

 

This is a condition where nodules appear in the palm which gradually pull the fingers down into

a contracted state. Once it gets worse then movement of the fingers gets restricted, with surgery

or recently injections the only solution. Fortunately mine has not progressed over the last few years,

and although it can sometimes give me gyp, it hasn't impacted upon my playing / earning a living.

Apparently it is common with string players generally, and the operations to rectify it can be very painful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snap!  same condition, noticed it a couple of years ago - mirror image of the nodule on your hand on my right. No obvious restriction of movement yet, but i notice that my right hand is slightly curved inwards now, when at rest

 

Also had a weird thing happen after a low-key (not B!) gig, where i was playing sitting down (as i might at song-learning practices) - i was sitting with one leg over the other knee, 'tapping' my foot to the rhythm of the songs. At the end of the gig when i stood up, i found it difficult to walk - my foot just flapped - no tendon control. It lasted a few days then cleared up, never to be experienced again. What was that all about?!?

 

[JazzyJ]

Arthritis in both thumb I.P joints, cannot bend them without extreme pain but doesn't affect my playing too much. Worked with a guy some years ago with Dupytrens in both hands and feet, had the ops but the condition returned, can't work now. 

[mr4stringz]

Prolapsed L4 and L5 discs 20+ years ago have left me with pretty crap long term back issues. Gigs are once in a blue moon for me these days (probably fortunately) so we largely just play in a shared lockup where our gear is pretty much set up and good to go. Disappeared down a rabbit hole of a cocktail of Tramadol and alcohol a good few years ago that ended up as successful a treatment plan as you’d expect. Fortunately I saw the other side of it and now manage it largely through Pilates exercises and walking as much as I’m able stop me from being constantly in the worst state I sometimes reach to be honest. That said, I’m only a ‘wrong’ sneeze or twist away from a nightmare time.

 

Largely using Mustangs and BF cabs plus having a real diamond of a best mate of a drummer helps me out like you wouldn’t believe too.

[LowB_FTW]

Frozen right shoulder in Dec. 2020, couldn’t get to see anyone about it for ages, so it was just pain management for a long time until I finally got a GP appointment to confirm the issue. That lead to physio treatment and I now have exercises to do and I don't think I'll ever get full 100% movement back in it.

This all means I can't now play bass sitting down, so I have to stand whilst playing, and my posture has changed whilst wearing my bass so I now have to play it in a different position than how I played it pre condition.

It's like I have literally had to start playing again from scratch.

I've had to invest in a better strap to accommodate the longer time playing whilst standing, so I guess that's one positive that came out of this for me, but I do find it a PITA that I can't just grab a bass and play whilst sitting on the settee to fill a bit of time, it all seems much more formal when I have to play standing up, and I don't even play with others, it's just me by myself for myself.

I understand this is just a minor inconvenience compared to some of the things already posted in this thread, but it's still something I have to deal with on a daily basis and it does impact other aspects of my life as well.

 

Mark

[sandy_r]

4 hours ago, LowB_FTW said:

Frozen right shoulder ...

and I don't think I'll ever get full 100% movement back in it.

This all means I can't now play bass sitting down ... 

but I do find it a PITA that I can't just grab a bass and play whilst sitting on the settee ...

and it does impact other aspects of my life as well.

 

Sorry to hear of your health issues, not the same here but i can empathise with the sitting/standing restrictions as i can no longer stand for long with a heavy bass, preferring to sit if the situation permits

 

I can recommend trying out some alternative basses: travel basses and Uke basses - you can get some regular-scale travel basses which are very light and still comfortable to play whilst sitting, and uBasses give an amazing bass sound for what seems like 0kg!  ...isn't Christmas coming soon?!? 😉 

 

All the best

 

[tauzero]

A motorcycle crash in 2001 left me with broken ribs and a punctured lung. The lung and the ribs healed, but there was a fair amount of soft tissue damage as well, and standing for the full 45 minutes of a set left me feeling as if I'd had a hit dagger stuck in my back. I found that playing seated helped enormously. I think it's got better now but I can't be sure as lower back issues mean I've had to keep on playing seated.

 

More recently, in February I suddenly experienced considerably reduced movement in my left shoulder - diagnosed as bursitis and I was told I'd be referred to orthopaedics but for some reason I wasn't. I could get down to the fourth or fifth fret, just about, aided by playing a headless and not a Warwick Thumb, and as I'm a five-string player and the band were still at the rehearsal stage at the time it didn't have too deleterious an effect. I have finally been referred and have had an X-ray and ultrasound - I've got a lot more movement in the shoulder but it's still not 100%, but it's recovered enough that I don't get any discomfort from playing.

[LowB_FTW]

On 26/11/2023 at 09:16, sandy_r said:

 

Sorry to hear of your health issues, not the same here but i can empathise with the sitting/standing restrictions as i can no longer stand for long with a heavy bass, preferring to sit if the situation permits

 

I can recommend trying out some alternative basses: travel basses and Uke basses - you can get some regular-scale travel basses which are very light and still comfortable to play whilst sitting, and uBasses give an amazing bass sound for what seems like 0kg!  ...isn't Christmas coming soon?!? 😉 

 

All the best

 

Thanks for that, much appreciated.

The scale of bass doesn’t really impact me at the moment, as the issue is with my right shoulder so playing standing up the bass is slung on my left shoulder, and despite having some lower back issues, as I am only playing for my own pleasure I don't need to be stood up for three hours practicing - also, for the moment at least, the weight of the bass isn't an issue for me.

 

Lighter weight/shorter scale basses may be something that I'll have to look into at some as yet unspecified time in the future, but for the time being I am managing the situation.

 

Mark

[Cliff Edge]

My fingers are starting to look a bit Keith Richards, predicting the onset of arthritis . Fortunately no pain yet and no impact on my ability to play the bass. However I do have issues opening some screw bottle tops these days. I’m sure they are done up tighter in manufacturing than in the past. Probably part of the inevitable health and safety. Can’t have the kiddies drinking the bleach can we. 

[ash]

Dupytrens here too. I’ve had a couple of operations so far and both have failed. My fretting hand has a very poor span now and the scarring and nerve damage means I have little sensation in my hand at the side and top of my little finger. Also my little finger is at right angles and can’t straighten so I’m always getting it hooked in my pockets. It’s annoying and does prevent me playing double bass and some wider necked basses. I find it difficult to play as nimbly as I used to and also have difficulty on keyboards. Still looking at solutions both instrument and treatment wise. If I had a pound for every person who has said ‘just turn it upside down and play it the other way round’ I’d be buying a 1967 Fender Mustang! 🤣

[PaulThePlug]

Dislocated left shoulder, rotator cuff damage... Broken left wrist.... (Darn' Scooter!...)

Broken Tib 'n Fib at left ankle... Can't tap my foot in time, nothing to do with the injury mind ;-)... (Darn' Dogs...)

Beer Belly... (Pin't and an All Day Brunch...Darn' 'Spoons...)

Broken Heart...

Edited November 27, 2023 by PaulThePlug

[Cliff Edge]

15 hours ago, ash said:

Dupytrens here too. I’ve had a couple of operations so far and both have failed. My fretting hand has a very poor span now and the scarring and nerve damage means I have little sensation in my hand at the side and top of my little finger. Also my little finger is at right angles and can’t straighten so I’m always getting it hooked in my pockets. It’s annoying and does prevent me playing double bass and some wider necked basses. I find it difficult to play as nimbly as I used to and also have difficulty on keyboards. Still looking at solutions both instrument and treatment wise. If I had a pound for every person who has said ‘just turn it upside down and play it the other way round’ I’d be buying a 1967 Fender Mustang! 🤣

If I were you I’d buy ‘67 Ford Mustang. 

[martthebass]

Rotator cuff - always reminds me of it's presence when lifting up one of the PA speakers

Menieres - a little occasional wobble due to wearing sunglasses on stage and the balance organ laughing in my face...

Mid set need to visit the porcelain wall - courtesy of a bladder that hates me.

[Lfalex v1.1]

Jeez.

I guess I'm pretty lucky!

No real issues that affect playing at all.

All the more remarkable given that I've used my hands, arms, shoulders, back and legs heavily at work for the last 30+ years. Could this actually have worked in my favour?

I damaged my patello-femoral ligament in May, and still can't ascend or descend stairs properly. It's taking forever to heal. No problem standing still and playing- the other 4 ligaments can keep me stable. 

Getting the Schroeder 21012 upstairs still isn't too problematic. I'm glad it's a "L" not an "R", though. 

[Cliff Edge]

 Broke a bone in my right foot a couple of years ago. Tripped and fell running up the stairs.  Don’t do that.  It’s healed but still aches occasionally and I’m sometimes aware I’m not always walking in a straight line, which is weird. Reading this thread makes me feel lucky as apart from the cancer last year, and hopefully I’ve seen the last of that according to the surgeon, there is nothing yet interfering with my playing. I can still stand through a 2-3 hour gig with a 10lb bass and only a mild back ache afterwards. Apologies if this sounds smug to those worse off, it is not meant that way. I’ve had other non physical issues in the past that did get in the way. 

[Len_derby]

Luckily, I haven’t had any body issues that have affected my playing.

However, five years ago I had a bout of Bell’s Palsy (facial paralysis).

I made a non-too-pretty band a whole lot uglier. 

[SamIAm]

Sadness that the years/life can afflict us so!

A back injury (Which ended my bedside nursing career) and pain in my fretting hand when playing a normal bass has meant that I now

Play sub-short scale, which helps with both issues as they are short and light.

Cannot stand for any length of time ... playing on a stool is still OK tho?

 

S'manth x

Edited November 28, 2023 by Smanth

[tauzero]

I forgot to mention one thing - when I was 21, I got beaten up and the carpal bone for my index finger on my right hand was broken. It healed a little bent, so my right forefinger is a little shorter than it should be and at least half a centimetre lower, which means that rapid alternate plucking is a bit impaired.

[Minininjarob]

This is a weird one and not an injury but more of a body shape issue. 
I started playing bass a year ago and struggled with the position of the instrument (p-bass). I was watching the videos online and saw how people played and I just couldn’t do it. Playing between the bridge and the pickup, resting their arm on the chamfer at the back of the body. I tried it and I just found it awkward like I was reaching behind me. If I did move the instrument then I couldn’t reach all the frets. 
I always knew I had short arms - not a disability- but this is the first time it had affected something I want to do. 
I’ve basically just accepted that I’m gonna be playing in front of the pickup most of the time in order to reach the lowest frets. it might look a bit funny as I have the bass quite far to the right in front of me. 
My feeling is that some of the best ever musicians overcame some interesting body issues and I just need to adapt and basically just forget about it as long as I’m comfy and it sounds ok. 
I don’t want to play anything other than a p-bass and certainly not a shorter scale instrument so I just gotta keep practising with my T-Rex arms and enjoy it. 😂

[LowB_FTW]

48 minutes ago, Minininjarob said:

I’ve basically just accepted that I’m gonna be playing in front of the pickup most of the time in order to reach the lowest frets. it might look a bit funny as I have the bass quite far to the right in front of me.

You are not alone in this.

My shoulder issue (outlined above) means I now have to play right at the end of the neck, and that position has to be right in front of me, which makes the lower note access fantastic, but I struggle higher up the fretboard for notes, especially as I play 5-sting basses exclusively, reaching for that low string up past the 8th fret can be a challenge.

Sometimes I feel I may as well be playing an upright.

 

Mark