The middle and ring finger of both my hands are double-jointed. Flat is not on option with my mid. & ring fingers - they’re either bent double-jointed or arched. This is a gift for my guitar playing (it makes some chords a lot easier), but a curse for big flute or whistle playing, because my double-jointed fingers naturally break into the double-jointed position and limit my fingers’ range of movement. When I play the smaller D whistle or the Boehm flute, I’m able to keep my fingers arched, and so can play faster and more comfortably. On the big whistles & wooden flutes, however, my fingers get stuck double-jointed. It’s even worse with the piper’s grip.
This leads me to a few questions:
1 - Are there any other whistlers & tooters out there who have double-jointed fingers? (Mine are double-jointed at the 1st joint up from the knuckle.)
2 - If so, how do you deal with playing the big instruments?
3 - Does anyone know of any ‘famous’ double-jointed player’s recordings? (For inspiration…)
4 - Where are you double-jointed, and has it been an asset or a hindrance?
I have double jointed thumbs so I can commiserate, Aldon. My right hand thumb in particular was/is always a problem when I play clarinet as it collapses when it needs to stay straight. Same thing happens when I play pipes; it causes pressure on my right hand/chanter that causes my tendonitis to return.
Have you looked for a Musicians’ Clinic in your locale? I have many musician friends that have been happily treated at the two that exist in my area.
I am double-jointed. In fact someone once told me I had arachnidactylis (“spider-fingeredness”), but she also told me that I was gorgeous, brilliant and the love of her life, so you can’t take that too seriously.
The only ill-effects I have (apart from the incontinence, of course) are that my fingers sometimes get stiff, tired, locked into pressed-past-straight position, and that the ring-finger of my top hand (L3) locks on me which makes playing fast stuff or A rolls difficult. I have to very careful to keep that finger (and the pinkie) straight otherwise the double-joint slows me down. Still, I often miss the tap part on the A roll. But the simple-minded and single-jointed struggle with the tap on the A roll, too, so I am not worried about it.
On the low whistle interestingly, it is not a problem. The reason is that I use pipers grip and cover the holes with the second pad, so that the double-joint cant really bend on me. My double-jointed thumbs don’t give me any trouble, and if my thumb gets tired playing the low D for a while, I don’t know if that is related to its double-jointedness.
That hyperextending you’re doing on the guitar is NOT helping your joints!
Now, with that out of my system, let me direct you to http://www.silverringsplint.com/. I have a three of these to support arthritis-damaged joints and while they make typing for a long time easier, I really got them to support my fingers while playing the flute.
I first learned of them from a guitar-player who got a severe talking-to from a hand therapist.
The splints are made of sterling silver (or gold, depending on your budget) and are stunning to look at (I expect to be starting a new jewelry trend). But to get them, you must visit a hand therapist who will examine your joints, decide which splint will work best for you, and then measure and fit you. It took two or three tries to get one of them right, but that’s part of the cost. The Silver Ring Splint Company is the only legitimate place to get them, too, as they’ve copyrighted and trademarked the designs as medical devices.
Also, if you know anyone whose fingers are severely damaged by rheumatoid arthritis, these splits can help the person recover some mobility and dexterity. Mine were covered by my health insurance.
Although I’m not double-jointed and therefore have nothing to add of value to this thread, as a founding member of SMISWAR (Simple-Minded Struggling With the A Roll), I’d like to express my feelings on your post, Bloo:
all my fingers are double-jointed. isn’t it natural to have 2 joints in every finger, except the thumbs? seriously now, I don’t understand what you are talking about. could you post an X-ray?
It is my understanding that our posters are using the term “double-jointed” when they mean “hyperextended.” If I understand them correctly, the finger joints also bend “backward,” or from curled to straight to an angle in the “wrong” direction–the direction I’d bend someone’s finger if I wanted to disjoint it (but only if attacked first).
It’s considered a serious deformation that can lead to pain and problems in flexibility. As they (and the Silver Ring Splint site) noted, the joints can tend to “lock” and response time is slowed.
Good luck! I wanted one for my left-hand thumb, but she (the therapist) said I didn’t really need it. sigh It was so cool looking.
I’ve got them on the last joints of my two pinkies and the left middle finger. I’m afraid they’ll come flying off so I just use them as needed. Other folks who get them on the middle joints are better able to wear them all day.
Hey Bloo, everytime I re-read about your arachnia-thingity I cringe: “Oooohhhhh, spider fingers!!” (Yes, I re-read it - a coupla times…) The name gives me the willies! I’m still working on the piper’s grip…
Mvhplank, thanks for the advice. I rarely use the ‘hyper-x’ chords (I like that name: “Hyper-X Chords.” It sounds like a mutant acid-recorder ensemble, or something…) I’ve always found that the more ways I learned how to do something the better off things were in the long run. Fortunately, I also applied this to my guitar chording hand. I will be much more aware about the times I do hyper-extend though, and hope to eliminate using hyper-x chords altogether… Thanks for the heads-up.
And also, thanks for the link. The splints look soooo comfortable. (AND cool!) I’m hoping to get some. They look like they’d help tremendously.
I like your explanation mvplank- clears up the term “double-jointed”- I could just see someone unfamiliar with that term picturing 2 joints- literally
anyway… I first realized I had this problem when in high school, in the olden days, ring fingers on both hands, but worse on the right. It use to drive me crazy if I had to do a trill with this one…
I ended up learning not to hyperextend that finger and it is less of a problem now that arthritis has set in
I have no problem with low whistles or pipe chanter, but then since piping came first, I use piper’s grip on all whistles.
You’re welcome–I wish more people knew about these things, but so many folks just plod along figuring the damage is done and nothing will help. And, sadly, the rings are not cheap (as though anything that cool would be). It can make a real difference in quality of life in some people by just making it easier to pick things up and hold them.
I see you’re in San Jose–my darling daughter moved out there with her boyfriend about a year ago. She’s leading tours at the Winchester house and loving it.
