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Has anyone developed weakness/pain in left hand/thumb area



 
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Rod Haney
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Joined: 22 Aug 2015
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:42 am    Post subject: Has anyone developed weakness/pain in left hand/thumb area Reply with quote

From playing. It’s probably come about from previous wear and tear not due to trumpet. But it seems to be worse after a long session. Any suggestions on distributing weight differently. I use 3rd finger on 3rd valve and thumb for trigger and use neither often, just hold for most part. I also use minimum pressure back toward mouth or try not to. Any suggestions?
Rod
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Brassnose
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Joined: 07 Mar 2016
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Location: Germany

PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 7:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have the same issue. It’s worse with the rotary trumpet and I had to adjust the way I hold that horn. I have been thinking about adding an additional ring on the piston horn to not have to open my hand as much. Not sure if this will work - it’s an after Covid project.
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jmock
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Joined: 06 Feb 2021
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This could be a hand over-use injury and as such would be comparable to carpel tunnel syndrome faced by people who do excessive typing. The good new is, unless very severe, you can most likely avoid any kind of surgery.

Also there is a condition called "game keepers thumb" where the ligaments in the thumb can become sprained or inflamed (I once had a cast for 6 weeks due to this). To kill the birds, game keepers used their thumb to break the neck... Baseball catchers also can get this condition when their thumbs get jammed backwards toward them if they catch a pitch the wrong way.

In my job I use CADD for 8 hours or more per day. At times in the past my cadd mouse hand has become so sore that I had to switch hands for 6 or 8 weeks or so (it's a simple mouse setting adjustment to flip the buttons for lefthanded operation--for engineering design, we have at least a 3 button mouse).

Not everyone believes in chiropractic care but I am telling you that it works, and a good reputable chiropractor can most likely help any hand or wrist issues by adjusting the fingers, hand and wrist. Even ex-NFL Quarterback Joe Montana will tell you it works as there was one season that he was injured and made a comeback in time for the Super Bowl because he had the best chiropractor in the US at that time working with him. If it's good enough for Joe Montana, it's good enough for me (now most pro sports teams have both chiropractors and physical therapists on staff).

If you go to a medical doctor they will most likely prescribe pills to help reduce the pain, but that will not treat the underlying problem and can allow it to progress to where one might require surgery. If you go to a physical therapist, he will likely recommend some rest and/or give you exercises to strengthen/rehabilitate the muscles and perhaps an icing regimen. A good chiropractor may also give you some exercises but will also manipulate the joints, making minor adjustments to get things properly aligned (a few millimeters out of position can be all that it takes to cause the pain you are feeling).

I also have a friend who is a local lead trumpet player with range up to the double high b. Even though he is in top physical condition to play trumpet (can easily run 5 miles at age 57) he has issues with neck pain and sees a chiropractor to help keep the neck and upper back pain within manageable limits. It works for him and also helps to relieve stress.

Respectfully submitted--

John
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Rod Haney
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Joined: 22 Aug 2015
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I suspect the underlying problem is many years of martial arts and broken bones and bruises and strains from that. I’m now 68 and it might be time to check in with a Dr.. up until 30 or so I could beat the punishment but then marriage saved me from further problems related to sparring as I then had a new hobby😜. I’ve already had 2 trigger fingers fixed and a bad case of dupetrins (sp?) surgically corrected on right hand and now the left is getting bothersome. I have a high tolerance to pain and would rather have it corrected via surgery than take pain pills as one fixes the other covers. It sounds as if the catchers thumb might be the problem due to blocks and strikes and bruises and strains. I’ll see a hand specialist, none of the other surgeries kept me from playing. I’m sure some of the hand guys will have treated it if it has more to do with sports than music. I thought I’d found trumpet players hand😁
Rod
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Jeff_Purtle
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Joined: 14 Mar 2003
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Location: Greenville, South Carolina

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 3:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I tend to squeeze and grip my horn pretty firm with my left hand and wrap my left thumb way around the valves. When I started with Claude Gordon I was playing a Bach 37 and took a torch to it and removed the first valve hook and that pain went away. I soon after switched to a Claude Gordon Selmer that doesn’t have a first valve hook. That’s what I’ve played primarily since 1984. If I play my Schilke E3-L it has a hook like that and I just have to hold it much lighter or my thumb will literally go numb and turn blue.

You can have a repairman move the first and third valve hooks to fit your hand better. I had that done on my third valve ring so it feels perfect in my hand.

Jeff
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