Any medical advice for a poor old banjoist?

[thereallyniceman]

Some people complain when they get "Tennis Elbow", some complain when they get "Golfers' Elbow".

 I went to the doctor's last week to be informed that I have BOTH Tennis and Golfers' Elbow in my picking arm... but do I complain??

BUT she has suggested cortisone injections into the joint and that it may hurt "a little".

Anyone on here had this done? Would you consider it a good idea for an aspiring banjoist to have needles and chemicals stuck in their elbow?

[Shawn McSweeny]

First, I am no MD, but have been coping with banjo-induced RSI (repetitive stress injury ) in the left arm for some time. Both Tennis Elbow and Golfer's Elbow are forearm tendon-related repetitive stress injuries, likely originating in your right arm from your three finger plucking motion. Google both for more detailed info about them and more importantly, Google their treatment therapies or exercises. Lots of info and videos are available to help.

Cortisone injections will likely hurt and at best provide temporary relief, but will not cure the problem. (Think band-aid solution). Rest and therapeutic exercises in the early stages are more likely to bring recovery. Changes in activity, hand position or motion should also help.

If it were me, and I was unwilling to stay away from the banjo completely,  I would  play less for a while, put on lighter guage strings, position my plucking hand about 2" further from the bridge and change my hand/finger posture. Elevating the palm will naturally reduce the curl in the plucking fingers (clench) and ease the stress on the forearm tendons.

 I realize the suggested position and posture changes will significantly affect tone and go against your playing style. But your elbow is telling you that style is no longer working for you. Doesn't that suggest having a go at adapting posture and motion to reduce the stress is worthwhile? If that doesn't suit, you can always go the injection route and hope for the best.

[Joel Hooks]

I am also no Doctor.

Question, when was the last time you did some resistant exercise?

Pushups, sit-ups, chin-ups, dumbbell curls, squats, strand-pulling and club swinging might help and could not hurt in moderation.

You could let Charles Atlas make a man out of you! (thereallynicelady would like this)

[Trapdoor2]

My initals may be M.D., but I'm not a doctor either.

My father had similar problems and took cortisone injections whenever he couldn't stand to move his arm (I can't recall which side it was...it was back in the early '80s). The only time I ever saw him actually show pain was just before and just after the injections. He would go into hiding after the injection for about an hour and then he was OK for another few months.

I like the Mr. Atlas leopard-print pants...but I doubt I could find a tent-maker that would stitch up a pair to fit me. ;-)

[thereallyniceman]

Ah Dr Shawn,

Your prognosis may be correct but diagnosis may be suspect.

 

Before Christmas, prematurely following Joel's slightly belated advice (and Mrsthereallyniceman's instructions) I set about the task of removing a tree in our garden that was causing unpleasantness to the wall, footpath and pedestrians.

 

 

The tree came down OK, but I then set about digging out the roots and every time I hit one with my spade it sent a hefty jolt up my arm. After several days of digging and jarring even Charles Atlas would have succumbed, but not me, I continued until the job was complete...

 

 

Now, six weeks later, I am in agony with inflamed tendons and muscles around the elbow.

 

I have convinced myself it can't be the banjo, but I am a little concerned that having a Doctor puncturing my elbow may not be the best path to follow, but a man can only stand so much pain :-)

 

Thank you for the suggestions Joel..  The Indian Club sounds good... shall we meet in there for a few beers?

[Shawn McSweeny]

Aha! Thanks for the follow up, informing us of your Paul Bunyan tendencies. This I can relate to, as my problems started after holding a long bladed hedge trimmer, arms outstretched, for too many hours, followed by way too much arm-straining demolition and renovation work.

Your arm muscles and tendons are still taut and inflamed. Playing the banjo while they are in this state only aggravates the condition. Again, I am no MD, but from experience can advise Rest, Rest and More Rest for your arms, until this passes. From the web or a physiotherapist, get appropriate daily exercises to relax forearm muscles. Keep the banjo in the case for a while. Keep away from the computer keyboard. You may also want to take anti-inflammatories for a while until the pain reduces. Give the arms a chance to settle down and heal.

If the above regimen offers no signs of improvement after two or three weeks, then consider the cortisone.

[Jody Stecher]

I have the same medical credentials as the other respondents: none. I recommend applying ice (a pack of frozen peas is as good as anything) several times a day and at least a month of resting the arm. That means no banjo playing. Any activity that does not hurt can be continued. Any activity that causes pain must be suspended.  Anti-inflamatory foods and medicines should help. Limited use of ibuprofen is safe for most folks.  If it were me I would try one cortisone injection and see what I think. I had one in my foot once. It hurt but not for long. Have you heard of anyone getting such an injection in the elbow and then not being able to use the fingers on the banjo?

[thereallyniceman]

Joking aside, you got it there Jody.

I don't know if any musician who has had cortisone injections in the elbow has lost use of fingers.. that is what concerns me!   But maybe no news is good news?

Lynn, where are the frozen peas?

:-)

[Jackie Cook]

I can't speak for those with "tennis elbow", but I am recovering from rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder, which was done 5 weeks ago. I am into my therapy now and will be continuing that for many more weeks. If you have a good orthopedic doctor, then you should have your elbow checked out. They may want to do an MRI to determine the problem. I endured about a year and a half's worth of cortisone shots and they are very painful, as it is injected into the joint. The shot usually lasts about 3 months. If your pain is due to spending many hours playing banjo, perhaps that is because the joint is getting stiff. Hope this info helps.

[thereallyniceman]

Thank you Jackie. I am sorry to hear about your surgery, but even more sorry to hear that the injections are painful as I have mine tomorrow :-(

Let's hope that we both get better soon and back to playing the banjo. Fortunately my elbow hurts much less when I keep it bent, so banjo playing may well be part of the cure... well that is what I keep telling myself!

[Hal Allert]

I just had an injection today near my right shoulder blade. For some time, my arm and fingers have been numb and tingly. This is not the same as your problem, ian, but you may be looking at the wrong source of pain. In my case, the nerves coming off the spine at T7-8 had become inflamed due to arthritic (calcium) spurs pinching them. The blood flows along nerves around the outside of the nerve like a little net wrapped around the nerve. I must have done something that inflamed the nerve so it could not allow blood flow through that tiny space. Since September of last year, I have been in pain throughout my right arm, rotator cup, and shoulder blade. I had been going to Chiropractic and Physical Therapy but they did all they could do and it still didn't give me longterm relief. 

A few weeks ago I started seeing an accupuncturist, I had seen one many times before for my low back with success. After 3 sessions, I really was getting relief, my pain subsided from 80% of the time to about 20% of the time.(I can post the MRIs if you like, but you will probably think it is a badly photographed piano from the Titanic.)

In summing all this up, you are in a world of hurt, granted. But, at our age, things happen to our spinal column, vertebrae and nerves. (I used to be 6' 2" and now I am 5'11"). Given that you did the work of 3 young people by yourself, I would suggest you talk to your doctor about your back, or more specifically, a pinched nerve from your spine. There is a nerve that affects the top of your right arm and another nerve that affects the bottom of your arm, which is what I had. It is too early for me to tell if my steroid injection has helped, but I will keep you posted.

I would also consider accupunture. It is not voodoo and it can help your mojo. (aren't I hip?) The second point I would make is that, because of this inflammation, examine your posture. You don't need to change the way you pick, when a nerve is inflamed like this what makes it worse is leaning forward and then lifting your head to see the screen. At the computer, I tend to lean in closer and closer and with bifocals I have to raise my head to see through the bottom part of the lenses. I could go 10 minutes on the computer then have a lie-down with ice. Once I adopted a more laid-back approach, sitting back in my ergonomic chair, sitting upright and assuming the position of a palace guard, I could work for a lot longer time period before the pain overcame me. My hobbies are centered in my computer so this is not something I want to give up. Also, download a timer app and only work for 30 minutes then stand up, check out the neighbor's house, kick the cat around, and stretch.

I am not a doctor but I play one on the Ning site. That's my story and I am sticking to it.