Pain in the hand - I need help!!!!

[Colin Y]

Hiya,
Been a while since I looked at the website so I wonder if anyone can help me.

I've been taking my conga practice quite seriously for near on 3 years now - only really having dabbled prior to this.

Problem is that I have developed a big time pain in my right hand (I'm right handed) - also my middle finger on my right hand doesn't seem to want to move with the rest of my fingers. For example, if I flex my wrist to raise my hand my middle finger doesn't lift properly and seems to have a mind of its own! Its got to the stage where I cannot play a basic open tone because I cant seem to hit the rim of the drum and keep my fingers raised off the drum head - and its getting worse by the day!! Each time I try an open tone it just sounds flat - it doesn't 'sing'......and after 2 or 3 minutes the pain starts and my wrist mvement becomes restricted. Also cant seem to keep my hand flat out in front of me - my middle finger always starts to drop down. Left hand is not a problem.

It's starting to put me off practising because my right hand feels so un-natural when playing an open note (doesn't seem to bother me much when playing a slap though).

I am hoping someone out there can offer any advice. May be that I have to stop playing with my right hand for a while - but not to play long term is not an option......cos ah'm completely hooked!

HELP!!!!!!!

THANKS....Col.

[JohnnyConga]

Without being able to see u play, I would have to say it's because of "bad technique?"...have u ever fractured or break your right hand?.....is their a video of you,that I could see how u approach the drum?....Johnny Conga...

[JimG]

Welcome Colin,

A doctor will be best able to diagnose your injury and it's treatment. And 9 times out of 10, a doctor will tell you to rest the injured area. (11 out of 10 they'll tell you to take anti inflammatory medication) If that means taking a rest from drumming, then you will have to. Unfortunately, the first treatment of muscle strain and tendonitis is rest. Of course, the easiest thing to say is that if it hurts when you do this, don't do it.

Speaking to your healing. While you feel the pain in your wrist, hand and finger, the problem is most likely higher up the arm. The forearm muscles operate most wrist and hand flexion and extension. All drummers, regardless of age, should/must warm up and stretch these areas for continued and even better performance. Rubbing or massaging the forearm with the other hand is useful for both the forearm worked and the forearm working. I use a tool I found through my high school soccer coaching. It works so well, I became a retailer. It's called the TriggerWheel. It is a deep self-massaging tool that can prepare small muscle groups for activity as well as speed healing of abused areas. PM if you want more information.

Whether with a tool or by yourself, it is important to warm up and cool down the areas of use for drumming. The hands, wrist and forearm. Something often overlooked by drummers is conditioning of other non-contact areas to drumming. The core, neck, feet and knees. Core for posture both seated and standing. Neck for strain... often you can strain in unbalanced positions. Feet and knees for standing long periods if you play standing.

Good luck,,,

JimG

[Colin Y]

Johnny Conga,
THANKS for your reply - I reckon I'd have to agree that my problem is partly due to bad technique. Also broke the ring finger on my right hand - 30 odd years ago - never been right since. I'm not sure how I'd be able to let you see a video of how I approach the drum - probably a 'you-tube' type thing - I'll try and figure out how to do that and let you know.

JimG
THANKS for your advice also. Last thing I want to do is rest although I think I may have to. I'm going to try the fore arm massage in the mean time. Wasn't sure about visiting my doc as its not really a medical problem as such....I'll see how I get on with the massage.

Cheers

Col

[Paqui]

>> massage?

Give me a break!!

Forget about massages, that's for girls. You're a HAND-drummer and HAND-drummers gotta be tough. No typer soft-hande boy with carpal tunnel syndrome was playing Tumbadoras 50 years ago. Hand-drummers were always hard-working people (tough guys) who worked in the fields, shipyards, building sites, factories, etc. They used to spend more than 8 hrs per day exercising their hands, so they had no problem breaking up those skins.

Nowadays, people want to play drums, but don't want tough hands (por mariconerias y otras razones.) Based on your comments, your problem seems serious, so, you have two choices: Stop playing or stop going to the manicurist.

If you choose to keep playing, then you don't have to quit your White-collar job, but you need to start training those muscles.

Here are some of the tools I use to keep my hands, wrists and forearms in shape. I have more than 15 different ones, on top of I can walk with my hands.
I'm going to just name a few, but if you want the whole list, you can email me.

1. FOREARM DEVELOPER BY NORDICTRACK:
Here is one that you can adjust:
http://cgi.ebay.com/WRIST-FOREARM-GRIP- ... 286.c0.m14


2. A real men's hand gripper (The Ironmind Captain of Crush)
With this one start with the rehab one -60 lbs- and walk your way to the top. -I'm working with # 2 now; my goal is # 4.
Here is the site:
http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencm ... crush.html

They also have the Expand-Your-Hand Bands that are excellent and other tools for rehab.
http://74.205.126.46/ironmind/opencms/i ... ealth.html

3. Powerballs
These are a must to have for drummers:
http://www.nsdpowerballs.com/store.cfm? ... GgodY1KYYw

4. WristRipper
Always put your thumbs on top and work it slow down and up.
http://www.wristripper.com/?gclid=COKjp ... HgodamBKYw


Good Luck!

Paqui

[JimG]

I was offering an opinion to the healing, not strengthening. Regardless of your daytime employment, rubbin dirt on it won't heal an injury. If there is an injury, like acute tendonitis, muscle strain or carpal tunnel, it must heal before strengthened. To suggest simply to man-up or walk away lacks some conventional wisdom. The first part of healing is rest. It may be only a couple of days, maybe a week or two. During that rest massaging or rubbing the area increases blood flow (speeds healing) and tends to myofascial release (eliminates pain and restores motion). Massaging or rubbin your arm doesn't mean you will forget how to use a shovel.
Then a continued program of strengthening and conditioning the muscles in and around the affected area will help to prevent it from happening again and increase performance.

Paqui does offer some great tools for stengthening. I particularly like the finger bands and squeeze ball for both flexion and extension.

Jim

[Colin Y]

Hiya Paqui,

Ha!Ha! In Scotland you'd be referring to me as a 'Big Jessie'........Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post. This problem I'm having has been going on too long now. For the first few months after I noticed it I just kept on playing / practicing cos I've always been one of those blokes who thinks 'the more you work it the quicker it will go away'!!! I do use a hand grip and a power spring - but, while I dont have a problem excercising and using force, it hasn't eased the hand pain whilst playing.

I reckon I will lay off for a week or two then see how it goes.....so I will be fluffing up me pillow and wrapping meself in cotton wool. Think I'll invest in one of those powerballs that you say is a must for hand drummers. Never seen one before but its got my attention!

THANKS, again. Cheers.....Col

JimG - Thanks for your advice again. I'll post again soon with an update.

Cheers Col

[jorge]

Hi Colin,
It is hard to know exactly what is going on from a verbal description, but what you describe sounds like you may have either a tendon problem or a muscle problem in your hand, maybe resulting from an old injury combined with overuse or incorrect technique. This warrants a cautious approach. I am both a physician and a conga player, and your description of not being able to move your middle finger in the way you want concerns me. If you are serious about playing congas, you really need to get your hand checked by a physician. No one can tell you with confidence how to treat your injury until you get a proper diagnosis. This requires a careful hand, arm, shoulder, and neck examination by a physician who specializes in rehabilitation medicine (physiatry), hand surgery, or orthopedic surgery. The physician will then probably refer you for physical therapy; if not, request it. Physical therapy can be extremely useful in healing and strengthening your hand, especially if you get the physical therapist to give you exercises to do at home and in the future.

Some of the best and strongest conga players, Mongo, Changuito, and Patato are examples, had serious (and different) problems with their hands. Once you have healed and strengthened your hand with a well guided course of physical therapy (which may take weeks or months), you need to examine your playing technique and possibly change it so you don't injure yourself playing. A good teacher can help you with that, but the best is if you can watch a master drummer with good technique and no hand problems play, there are some with such good technique that they have been playing for years and years without seriously injuring their hands.

Paqui, no es nada de mariconeria, the "no pain, no gain" approach sometimes backfires when you are dealing with repetitive hand movements doing things like playing musical instruments. Some excellent conga players (Abakuas bien machistas) have had to quit or seriously curtail their playing due to hand injuries from playing. Strengthening is important, but only after healing and knowing what kind of injury it is.

[zumbi]

>> massage?

Give me a break!!

Forget about massages, that's for girls. You're a HAND-drummer and HAND-drummers gotta be tough. No typer soft-hande boy with carpal tunnel syndrome was playing Tumbadoras 50 years ago. Hand-drummers were always hard-working people (tough guys) who worked in the fields, shipyards, building sites, factories, etc. They used to spend more than 8 hrs per day exercising their hands, so they had no problem breaking up those skins.

Nowadays, people want to play drums, but don't want tough hands (por mariconerias y otras razones.) Based on your comments, your problem seems serious, so, you have two choices: Stop playing or stop going to the manicurist.

I

Paqui

paqui,
i see some contradictions in your affirmations:
the though guys you referred to didn't used to get hand massages but i am sure didn't spend they're hard earned little money on body building items!
the hard life was well enough to build their strength.
so unless you're fortunate like me to be both a old style (mean no machines) farmer AND a drummer or i would say that using those commercial aids is just as much mariconeria as to get a hand massage.
after all how come all those "macho" body builder shaves their body more than some girls shave their legs?

[Congadelica]

I agree with you zumbi. pratice and proper technique is the way to go . after all those machines work the muscle groups in a different way than when you play Congas. Swimming is a good exercise pumping up the fore amrs is not the way to go .
repetition of exercises and rudements is what its about .

Mark

[Amber]

Hi Colin,

someone once said that the bamboo might be stronger than an oak tree because it doesnt break during an heavy thunderstorm, flexibility is the key. Fortunately even the strongest man' s body is not made from iron which uses to rott over time but from flesh and can renew itself !!
I recommend seriously that you see a doctor. Maybe you suffer from tendinitis, maybe your problems with your finger is a so called snapping finger syndrom (sorry, don't know the correct term in English), but that needs operation in most cases. Anyway, go to a specialist.

Hope that helps Amber