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Playing Injured


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About 10 years ago I dislocated my left thumb and had to have hand surgery. Only missed 1 gig and managed to fight through the rest through the healing process.

 

Well different kind of injury this time...Friday morning I took a spill hurt the side of my back. Tried just laying down most of the day hoping it would improve but it didn't. My daughter had a musical that I didn't want to miss, so I went to that and headed straight from there to the ER. After a 3-1/2hr wait to get in followed by x-rays, CT scans, blood work, etc....finally discharged 5:30am Saturday with 2 broken ribs. Can't really do anything about it except prescribe pain meds.

 

Well I had a gig Saturday night and this is the original band, and we don't do many shows. Plus at one point we had been double booked and made a big deal out of it so that the other band was cancelled, and not us. So I told the band I could do the gig, but needed somebody to load and setup/teardown my gear. Guitar player came to my house and loaded my car, a couple band members carried my gear to/from the car, and singer set up my rig per my instructions.

 

Actually didn't seem to bad on stage and a few people said it was our best gig yet. However, by the time I got home, I was pretty sore, and this morning I didn't think I was going to be able to get myself out of bed.

 

I have another gig next Saturday with a cover band - I know for a fact that I already got the call because their normal go-to guy wasn't available, so I don't want to cancel. I think I'm fine with the playing part, but definitely need somebody to carry my stuff and setup/teardown. Think I'll hire a keyboard roadie. This gig pays well enough that there's room for it.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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I played a 3 hour gig one week after knee replacement surgery. I wouldn't cancel because it was a club we had been trying to get into for a while. The other guys in the band just pitched in and carried and set up all of my stuff without me asking them to help. The people in the cover band may jump in and help if you ask. Hope you heal quickly.
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I had a finger broken in May of 2015 after a Judo workout. It was a bad fracture and was killing me while playing a festival. I didn't realize it other than it hurt a lot. I thought it was a sprain.

"Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello"

 

 

noblevibes.com

 

 

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Ive played a couple gigs where my back went out and i had to wear dual braces to be able to stand. Rough duty. Once back in the 80s i punched a wall (yeah, she was a sweet girl) - played with a broken hand. It was left hand and we were pretty medicated. Dont recommend any of this story to anyone lol.

 

one gig 3 yrs ago i ate bad Chinese at lunch, so later that evening right as we went on i got massive fever and started puking. It was house of blues, so the show had to go on. I had a trash can just off stage right, i puked 3x during the set. I tried to get a lil rock n roll motion going and got so dizzy i almost passed out. Had to stand still to not start spinning. With 3 songs left i grabbed bass player and yelled - you gotta cut one song, i only have 2 left. That was the roughest set i ever played, worse than pain.

The baiting I do is purely for entertainment value. Please feel free to ignore it.
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I've played many times with a broken heart, but that deosn't count I guess... :rolleyes: I guess I'm OT again!

 

I've hurt myself 'on' gigs, spraining my hand once while playing and singing and concentrating a bit too much on my vocal! I over reached for a chords and it sprained the top of my RH on a very cold night in NY... I could feel my hands effected by the cold that night even though this was an hour or so after load in and setup!

 CP-50, YC 73,  FP-80, PX5-S, NE-5d61, Kurzweil SP6, XK-3, CX-3, Hammond XK-3, Yamaha YUX Upright, '66 B3/Leslie 145/122

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About 20 years ago I tore my right index finger up at the joint 4 hours before a gig. Went to emergency urgent care where they applied about 10 stiches. They told me to rest the finger and gave me pain killers. I played the gig that night and stumbled through it. By midnight the throb was almost unbearable. Right after the gig the lead guitar player came up to me and said "hey, no offense, but you really sucked tonight". He was as serious as a heart attack.....

57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn

Delaware Dave

Exit93band

 

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Back around 2002 I took a spill while walking in the woods and dislocated my right elbow. My arm blew up to roughly the size of my leg. I missed 10 days worth of gigs and came back on New Year's Eve with my arm in a splint. I played wearing that thing for 4 months. Good times.....
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Hi Dan,

 

Just saw your post and wanted to send you some wishes for a speedy recovery. I hope that your injuries heal fast and that you feel much better soon. ~ Anthony

 

 

Thanks! Unfortunately they can't really do anything except prescribe pain meds. Usually about 6 weeks to heal, longer if you're older or less healthy. Our bass player said it took him about 10 weeks.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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Wow, some rough stories all around, including Dan's. I have never had to play through anything worse than minor injuries, hand cramps and the like. I hope I never have to, after reading this.

 

There are some seriously aging musicians in my Florida town. It's not unusual to be at a gig with one or more musos who are 70+. You can tell they used to bring some decent game, but -- these days -- not so much.

 

By 80 they are all done. It seems to be a hard wall, regardless of genetics, etc.

 

I'm turning 60 this year, so I'm figuring another 15 years of doing what I love. Anything beyond that will be a bonus. I'll consider that a win, all things considered.

 

As a side note, Bonnie Raitt did The Late Show recently. I've always adored her vocals and guitar. Jeez, could she bring game. She's going to be 70 in November. It was great to see her doing her wonderful thing. But it was clear time was not on her side.

 

Cancer, strokes, heart attacks, dementia, etc. -- seems to be part of the 65+ package. Yikes!

 

People usually recover (thankfully!), and the venue owners seem to be understanding in this regard, e.g. our bass player is on chemo, or similar. Better than having a drummer in drug rehab, I guess.

 

I am not looking forward to getting old, based on what I have seen here. But one thing is for sure, I'm going to go down fighting -- as I've seen others do.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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There's a lot to be said for adrenaline. :)

:like:

 

Unfortunately, it also makes it easy to overdo it!

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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I know it hurts like H$$L, as I was in a car accident several years ago and broke three ribs and my sternum! That was a Friday night and I was at work Tuesday as a one armed massage therapist!!! I would take Aleve (Naproxen Sodium) for pain as on the bottle ( 1000mg) and rest when you can. It took me several weeks before I could lift even little things. How you heal quickly!!!

Jimmy

 

Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. Groucho

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I'm headed for shoulder surgery (three damaged rotator cuff tendons AND torn labrum) but still played a gig Saturday night.

 

There's a lot to be said for adrenaline. :)

 

dB

 

I had a torn labrum fixed years ago, but now developed bursitis in that left shoulder. There were times I said I have to get it fixed as I couldn't even sleep on that side in bed. Doing stride irritates it. I can feel it as I type, but been putting up with it as it has gotten better and can now sleep on that side. Not sure what to do. In my sixties. Ortho said he could shave the burr off. Wonder about recovery time. Have steady solo gig.

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Had my second gig since breaking the ribs just over a week ago. More challenging gig, but I was also able to do more. Still hurting after the gig. Decided to bring out the sax. Wasn't sure I'd be able to play it and didn't even try until the afternoon before the gig, but ended up doing just fine and it was a big hit. Now time to ice down the ribs, take a percaset, and hopefully get some sleep!

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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I need talk to my friend Ed to find out what his secret is, A sax player in his 80s, he still brings game and plays a LOT of gigs. Always in good shape.

 

Im 45 and starting to struggle, a lot. I turned the wrong way at work in early December and aggravated an old neck disc injury. I couldnt practice and could barely do my day job for two months. Actually, I did a lot of managing at work and took a coding break.....my right hand wasnt working right and I could barely hold my head up. I limped through gigs and begged no solos

 

Last month, I turned the wrong way setting down an empty flight case at a show after moving 3000 lbs of shit earlier that day and collapsed, unable to get back up....back muscle spasm. Finally I was able to and had to play the show hunched over at 90 degrees from the waist. Running the PA wiring was fun. Took me almost two weeks to get back to normal. The shows in that time were okay but a challenge.

 

Last Saturday, end of the night, I turned the wrong way after strapping speakers into the van...separating a rib. Now Im in agony every time I cough, which is a lot right now because my gastric reflux is acting up again.

 

I would do almost anything to have my 20 year old body back again. At least I still wear the same size pants.

Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3

Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H

Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9

Roland: VR-09, RD-800

 

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