Got the cast off my hand last thurs., whistle is comming back fairly quickly but I am just about having to start from scratch on the pipes, can only play for about 10-15 minutes at a stretch before my left thumb starts giving me hell, doc says it will get better and less painful with time
Ron,
did he suggest exercise or therapy (heat/cold) to speed up the healing?
There’s a great thing for hands (it seems to work nicely when your hands are cold, but I’m not a doctor and haven’t consulted a doctor so take it with a grain of ‘salt’) that you can get at most home stores (kmart/fred meyer/&c) or health stores. It’s a heated pariffin wax ‘bath’ that you dip your hands into. Feels nice for the joints. I have had doctors also reccomend Glucosamine-chondroitin, but it’s terribly expensive.
Dionys
I’m no doctor, so please take this with a grain of salt as well. I HIGHLY recommend stretching, and LIGHT exercise for your hand.
When soft tissue and joints suffer a traumatic injury some of the damaged tissue can remain in the injured area…even after healing. If you don’t “work it” the stuff can interfere with proper joint behavior, etc.
I hurt my right hand in an explosion a few years back. No broken fingers etc, but there was TERRIBLE bruising, my second finger was “bent” and swollen. The FIRST thing the Doctoe told me was to work it. To stretch the fingers gently and flex them constantly. He also suggested soaking my hanbd in hot water, then cold water repeatedly a few times a day..all the while “working it”..basically chewing up the damaged tissue and getting it out of the area of the joints. My finger is still slightly bent and a tiny bit swollen!
Also..you will need to SLOWLY rebuild your muscles in your hand. ALL pipers should stretch before the play. Professional musicians will tell you the value of stretching…after all…musicians are atheletes too! Don’t believe me? Try an experiment..for 15 minutes (or as I do..for an hour+ before I practice…I casually stretch my hands and fingers) stretch just ONE hand…then play some tunes. I’d bet that you’d notice a difference..I certainly did! WOW!
So…from my own stupidity and mistakes. My advice is:
- STretch the muscles and joints
- Excercise the hand lightly to regain muscle strength.
And most importantly..don’t OVERDO IT!! You can seriously damage your hand my overdoing it!
I also use glucosamine for my severe osteoarthritis in my knees…I’m not sure if it helps…but many people and some doctors swear that it does help! Actually..my knees always seem best when I regularly stretch and exercise them!..hmm!
OOPS! sorry…didn’t mean to ramble…I’m just very sensitive about my hands and apparently I had a lot to say!
CL