Off Topic Dumb sporting injuries that stop you playing your EBMMs

[DavidOfOz]

I was once told “Musicians should avoid playing most forms of sport.” I thought it might be interesting to start a thread for those of us who have not heeded that dubious piece of advice but should have! What sporting injury have you done to yourself that has stopped or hindered you playing with your EBMMs?? It’s also been said that laughing at yourself can be therapeutic, so I’ll start off:

Last weekend, while I was playing basketball, I attempted a defensive rebound against a dude twice my size and half my age. Big mistake. During the tussle for the ball that ensued, I felt a sharp pain in the little finger on my right hand. I thought nothing of it until I’d gotten the ball clear and my team mates had disappeared with the ball.

I looked down at my hand: the top half of my little finger was bent sideways at a surreal 45 degrees to the rest of that finger. My very first thought was: “This could make playing guitar a little bit awkward.”

Fortunately, despite the bandages, I can still hold a pick! (Fingerstyle stuff is out...the bandages get caught in the strings and it hurts too much!)

So guys and gals, what sporting mishaps have temporarily kept you away from your EBMMs? (Reassure me that I’m not the only idiot to let sport get in the way of music!)

 

[DJ.]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Hope you heal fast!

 

[robelinda2]

Had to stop playing cricket due to thumb and finger injuries, just small ones but enough to have to cancel gigs.

 

[GWDavis28]

Broke my radial head in the right arm last fall roller blading with my kids. Normally, there wouldn't have been a problem, bjut I thought I'd be slick and try to catch my little one heading back to the table, dumb, dumb, dumb.

Glenn |B)

 

[Marcus2]

I posted this awhile ago in a different thread (sorry to be redundant), but here the story of how I came to MM guitars.

3 years ago I was on errands in town using my mountain bike to get around. There were some intermittent problems with gears catching or not. As a result, I'd go from having propulsion when peddling, to none, and then back again.

I had just started riding, when my bike decided to have a series of fits and starts with gears catching and then not. As a result, I lost my balance on the bike and my entire weight along with that of the bike fell on my left hand's index finger, right under the handlebar of the bike.

It was ugly, but I'm lucky I didn't shatter the finger. I did, however, tear all the skin off my knuckle.

It took a few months to hear, and required PT to get the flexibility back. When all was said and done, my trusty guitar made by another company was uncomfortable to play.

So my search began for a new guitar that was a joy to play, and I found my MM guitars.

I so appreciate them, and all the great things EBMM does.

Sorry for the long story. The process was not fun, but all's well that ends well.

Cheers,
Marc

 

[mbgreene]

last summer
Road Bike with skinny tires + crack in blacktop + two-way traffic =
grade two separated shoulder + 5 weeks in a sling.
I could do some minimal strumming while seated after the first two weeks but nothing interesting as I was supposed to keep the shoulder immobilized as much as possible.

On a non sporting note -
14 year old + lawn mower + neighbors shin high grass =
really limited finger picking.
longer story from a long time ago.

 

[Dizzy]

Had plenty, but here are some of the more memorable

* Motocross accident - emergency ward etc etc, lucky not to be in a wheelchair etc etc. (back in gigging days)


* Football.

as most Aussies will know, when you're a big key forward, there are PLENTY of punches from behind to spoil, many in the hands, and a fair few in the head.

-Knocked out cold by a triple team polax - couldn't gig at the club that night (that's also the incident that gave me my nickname)
-Dislocated thumb (right hand) - couldn't play for AGES.
-Dislocated ring finger (left hand) - "piggyback" dislocation - directly backwards at middle knuckle, fingernail almost touching bottom knuckle. Swelling so bad that fingernail distorted / mutated and has never got smaller.
- Many other hand injuries.

Missed AMEB practical exam as a kid from a broken finger I got from playing school cricket. Mate tried to hit a stray ball back (with all his might) at the same time as I went to pick up the ball - shattered right index finger.
Got my cast off and broke my A(nular) finger when I punched my brother in the head a month later. d'oh.

With all those hand injuries, I'm sh!tting myself about arthritis when I get older.

(unbroken) fingers crossed.

 

[koogie2k]

My parachute canopy collapse and I took a bounce at 40+ feet. I walked away....then was so sore I couldn't pick up a fork. Whole body ache....lasted a week.

Broke my pinky while playing at a gig...well...not broke. The tendon snapped and it sheared the pinky bone....rather cool looking X-ray to say the least.

About as sporting as I get.

 

[Astrofreq]

I stick with the rubiks cube. I'm down to 1:30 seconds.

Not lying, I gave a lesson to a student TODAY who was wearing a little cast on his right ring finger. He messed up a tendon PLAYING CARDS. I thought he was joking, but he wasn't.

All of our numbers will come up sometime.

 

[ScoobySteve]

Nothing like diving for a pass and catching the football on your fingers.

*cringe*

Can't help it though, love football as much as playing guitar

 

[Ernieballplayer]

I refuse to try anything that would put me at risk, iv had so many people trying to get me to play sports(I used too).

 

[SteveB]

It wasn't a sport (per se) but my Senior year of high school I had a gig in a bar one night. A friend drove my girlfriend and me to her house after school (the gig was later that night). My gf closed my hand in the car door.. my fretting hand no less, and then my friend started driving off! Dragged me about 10 feet before he realized I was caught in there! Hand hurt like crazy!

Amazingly, I didn't break any bones (well, I never even went to a doctor or hospital to have it checked).. I played the gig that night as planned!

 

[Stevie]

fractured right forearm from falling of my bike whilst riding home from work. fortunately i could do some hammerons but it was never the same during that period. as a result of the immobile arm i ended getting a frozen shoulder, whilst it did not stop me from playing guitar it stopped me from swimming as my arm movement was limited to forward movement and no higher than the top of my head. all's good now but it was six months one thing or another.

 

[paranoid70]

Playing basketball about 15 years ago, I severly sprained my right shoulder. I was going up for a rebound against a much stronger guy who not only got the ball, but practically pulled my arm out of it's socket. I don't think I played much guitar for a few months.

 

[kissmyaxe]

It wasn't a sport (per se) but my Senior year of high school I had a gig in a bar one night. A friend drove my girlfriend and me to her house after school (the gig was later that night). My gf closed my hand in the car door.. my fretting hand no less, and then my friend started driving off! Dragged me about 10 feet before he realized I was caught in there! Hand hurt like crazy!

Amazingly, I didn't break any bones (well, I never even went to a doctor or hospital to have it checked).. I played the gig that night as planned!

ha thats a crazy story man,the show must go on. I have had many hockey injuries(a couple concussions and a broken leg/ankle) but those were before my guitar playing days. I broke my right pinky playing football, trying to catch a pass from my cousin(a girl) with a fricking mini football, also before my guitar days but initially when learning it was impossible to even get my pinky on the fretboard but in good time I was able to devolop it so it wasnt such a constant chore.

edit:it seems like people named Steve should be ordering up the life insurance

 

[slukather]

I actually stopped playing sports because of guitar playing, l actually regret it now, l used to love playing softball, hockey and basketball.

I play softball now every so often, and l love it, but l'm not as good as what l used to be, and l would like to play basketball again, but i just don't have the time.

Scott.

 

[SharonG]

OK, don't laugh......

I was a cheerleader in college............(stop laughing - I got into the football games free, OK?!)


Anyway, I was an anchor, and a girl fell on my head. I was sore at the time, but had no problems with bass or guitar then, but ten years later I realized I had a herniated disc in my neck when my arm went numb. Long story short, the degeneration is now bad enough that I can only stand to play for one or 2 songs at a time. The weight of even a very light Bongo is too much, so most of the time I sit on a stool. The way I see it, though - at least I don't need surgery (yet) and I'm still playing!!!


..........don't ever be a cheerleader...................

 

[fbecir]

I was a cheerleader in college............(stop laughing - I got into the football games free, OK?!)

Can we have pics ?????

 

[marduke]

well no real sporting incidents.. but i was playing one night and after the practice we decided to go and get a drink... needless to say i closed my finger in the car door, and instantly filled with blood under the nail...... (picking hand thankfully) played the set so painful.. then afterwards found a very small drill bit and made a hole in my nail to release the blood pressure.. much to most of the females disgust.. haha

other than that nothing really, well a car accident i had last year has left my shoulder quite sore from time to time, been seeing a physio, but still seems to rear is ugly head now and then... when it hits i cant even lift the guitar strap over my head.... so painful, sometimes the pain is so bad i cant do anything without feeling like someone is stabbing me in the shoulder with a knife and twisting it around.....

also my job is pretty risky for my hands (motor mechanic) had MANY close calls, have nearly lost fingers.... and those annoying cuts on the tips of the fretting fingers....

 

[edrod]

I got put on an arm bar at a tourney and was not given enough time to tap. I did not fracture anything but my arm was very sore for a week or two.