Tendonitis Misery

[Slothrox]

Hi guys.

I was diagnosed with tendonitis in my right wrist about 9 months ago, during which time i haven't even sat down at my kit.
After taking ibroprufen for months i was sent to a physiotherapist three times. He gave me advice and a number of stretches to do, but i'm still suffering.

I miss playing so damn much, it was my life!

My question is aimed at drummers who have had the same problem, or know someone who has.

Did it get better? How did you fix it? Can you give me just a small amount of hope that i'll be playing again one day?

Many thanks

[nio]

Sorry to hear of your condition, Sloth. I wish you full recovery and hope that you are able to find a way to get back on the kit as soon as possible !

[Sugar-and-spice]

That sounds terrible! How much chance of recovery does the physiotherapist think you have?

[Nik276]

You don't have to give up drumming. Just use your left hand.
For fills, you can do hand to feet combos and stuff like that.
If I were you I would just think of this as a chance to get my left hand stronger.
Good luck bro

[Slothrox]

Sorry to hear of your condition, Sloth. I wish you full recovery and hope that you are able to find a way to get back on the kit as soon as possible !

Thanks for your words dude. I hope so too!

[Slothrox]

That sounds terrible! How much chance of recovery does the physiotherapist think you have?

The therapist has said that the next course of action is direct injections of anti-inflammatory medicine into the tendon.

After that, an operation to loosen it...

He did say that there are signs of improvement since i first saw him, so that's kind of good.

I'm going to keep this thread updated in the hopes that it will help future drummers with this issue.

[Slothrox]

You don't have to give up drumming. Just use your left hand.
For fills, you can do hand to feet combos and stuff like that.
If I were you I would just think of this as a chance to get my left hand stronger.
Good luck bro

Appreciate the advice dude. I have been working a lot on my left handed strokes with my practice pad, so not all is lost.

Time to look at Rick Allen for some inspiration methinks!

[Slothrox]

So for anyone who may have tendonitis and who is looking for advice/knowledge, here's a brief history of my condition.

December 2009
- Two hours of playing results in an increasingly stiff pain in my right wrist. I stopped to stretch for ten minutes then continued to play ok.
- Next week, after only one hour, the pain returned, i tried to stretch and carry on but the pain would not stop. Our band stopped practicing, we cancelled our upcoming gigs.

January 2010
- A visit to the doctor confirmed i had tendonitis. She suggested taking ibroprofen one month, twice a day and resting it as much as possible.
- I did this for two months.

March 2010
- The pain DID subside so i attempted to play our set with the band.
- Two songs in, still no pain!
- Halfway through song 3, the old, tight pain returned. (The pain seems to run all the way down the forearm and into the fingers also)

April 2010
- I went back onto the ibroprofen, beleiving it to be a sufficent cure. Two more months of pills and rest.

June 2010
- Still in pain, returned to the doc. They refferred me to a physiotherapist.

July 2010
- First physio appointment. Many stretches, muscle loosening, muscle strengthening. He gave me three stretches to do daily and suggested a powerball to strengthen the wrist, followed by icing it for 20 mins each night.
-Also did some ultrasound therapy to speed healing process.

August 2010
- Two more visits with the same treatments.
- Continued stretches/powerball/ice every day.
- ....to be continued

[MartyM]

Slothrox, first how old are you..if you are in your twenties then I might avoid any surgery, rest and maybe a elastic band over your middle forearm might help, they sell these at most pharmacy stores, I am no doctor, but have had in the past the same thing..and I healed nicely with above perscribed treatment. good luck and heal well

[late8]

I have a friend who suffered from tendonitis in the wrists and he sought advice from his doctors and they prescribed the same meds you were given. The pain continued for months and the medications provided little comfort. As a final desparate measure, he sought a board certified acupunturist for his tendonitis and as of today, he is pain free. I'm not endorsing acupunture in any way nor have I ever had any treatments but I do know of friends who have had success in their treatment. As desparate as you sound, you might want to explore that option. Good luck and I hope you heal fast!

[Slothrox]

I have a friend who suffered from tendonitis in the wrists and he sought advice from his doctors and they prescribed the same meds you were given. The pain continued for months and the medications provided little comfort. As a final desparate measure, he sought a board certified acupunturist for his tendonitis and as of today, he is pain free. I'm not endorsing acupunture in any way nor have I ever had any treatments but I do know of friends who have had success in their treatment. As desparate as you sound, you might want to explore that option. Good luck and I hope you heal fast!

Sounds like an option. There's a few acupuncture places near my town. Thanks, i'll chcek it out.
Was your friend also a drummer? Is he still drumming?

[Slothrox]

Slothrox, first how old are you..if you are in your twenties then I might avoid any surgery, rest and maybe a elastic band over your middle forearm might help, they sell these at most pharmacy stores, I am no doctor, but have had in the past the same thing..and I healed nicely with above perscribed treatment. good luck and heal well

Hey man, i'm 27.
I've been told that surgery is the last resort.
The next stage is anti-inflammatory injections directly into the tendon.
REEEEALY looking forward to THAT!

[Slothrox]

I want to thank you all for your healing words and karma.
Who better to turn to than fellow drummers.
Thanks!

[AndyC]

About 10 years ago, I developed tendinitis in my left elbow. I too took ibuprofen daily, and eventually had a cortizone injection that sorted it out. Having got it sorted, now, If I ever get any twinges, I resort to using proper technique, and let the sticks do the work, and stop the "Arms Waving everywhere," style that I enjoy, but can cause me problems.

Andy

[nucjd]

Hello Slothrox. A few questions... What/if any imaging studies were performed and exactly where on your wrist is the pain? Are you in the US? an MRI might prove helpful for location of you persistent problem. There are multiple etiologies other than tendonitis and you have to consider the fact while there may be a component of tendonitis as well as ligamentous injury, Triangular fibrocartilage complex injuries, bursal inflammation, and bony etiologies such as contusion, degenerative changes and avascular necrosis. Anyway, you can see there are multiple etiologies and if you are not getting better I would go see an orthopod/ hand specialist.

[atomcorr2]

i had the same problem last winter , just keep stretching it and ice it down after you play . it will go away by its self . mine is fine now , but it takes some time ,, and i also used a wrist brace when i played. good luck . and get well soon.

[old low&slo]

I had tendonitis very bad in both wrists. so bad that if put your fingers on my wrist you could feel the tendons moving. it was caused from working in a tire warehouse and grabbing 5 to 6 hundred tires a night by their sidewalls. so the doctor prescribd daypro and a nother brand of anti inflammatory drug and the worked good and I wore plates velcroed to my wrist so your wrist wont move inwaed. it keeps them straight.and so between the 2 it worked well.
no if my wrists get stiff I twirl sticks and that loosens them up

[Slothrox]

These are all very helpful suggestions and you've given me hope that i may be able to rock out again soon.

I have been icing my wrist every night and all the stretches seem to have helped (according to the physio) but it's still noticable.
I want to be totally sure it's gone before i attempt to play again. Last time i played, it just came back with a vengance.
I'm going to head back into the doctors this week and get this cortizone injection arranged. I've already been reccomended for it and it sounds like it worked for Andy C.

I'm in the UK, so not sure if i can qualify for an MRI, but i will ask. I'm also gonna ask for some acupuncture on the NHS (Or private). AND...i've just ordered a decent wrist brace.

So, one, if not all of these things, should fix me! Here's hopin'

Thanks again for your helpful advice Drum Chatters. I'll update the thread soon with some results.

[itchie]

good luck bro

[Andreeew]

I was diagnosed with Tendinitis about 2 years ago (or was it 3?) I'm 21. I underwent therapy and had to wear a splint for both my hands. My left one healed first the right hand took a while. After a week of therapy and about a month or two of wearing splint and some wrist exercise I'm back to drumming. The experience was an eye opener for me, for then on I had to master good hand technique and always stretch before playing.

Its not just drumming that caused it, it was also my keyboard/computer chair position.

[Slothrox]

So for anyone who may have tendonitis and who is looking for advice/knowledge, here's a brief history of my condition.

December 2009
- Two hours of playing results in an increasingly stiff pain in my right wrist. I stopped to stretch for ten minutes then continued to play ok.
- Next week, after only one hour, the pain returned, i tried to stretch and carry on but the pain would not stop. Our band stopped practicing, we cancelled our upcoming gigs.

January 2010
- A visit to the doctor confirmed i had tendonitis. She suggested taking ibroprofen one month, twice a day and resting it as much as possible.
- I did this for two months.

March 2010
- The pain DID subside so i attempted to play our set with the band.
- Two songs in, still no pain!
- Halfway through song 3, the old, tight pain returned. (The pain seems to run all the way down the forearm and into the fingers also)

April 2010
- I went back onto the ibroprofen, beleiving it to be a sufficent cure. Two more months of pills and rest.

June 2010
- Still in pain, returned to the doc. They refferred me to a physiotherapist.

July 2010
- First physio appointment. Many stretches, muscle loosening, muscle strengthening. He gave me three stretches to do daily and suggested a powerball to strengthen the wrist, followed by icing it for 20 mins each night.
-Also did some ultrasound therapy to speed healing process.

August 2010
- Two more visits with the same treatments.
- Continued stretches/powerball/ice every day.
- ....to be continued

UPDATE:

September 2010
- In much more pain due to the physioterapy
- Reffered to my doctor for a Cortizone injection.
- Doctor refused to do the injection because he felt 'uncomfortable with it!'
- Prescribed me powerful anti-inflamitory medicine (Voltorol), also reffered me to a specialist hand and wrist clinic to determine if i actually have tendonitis or not!
- The pain seems better since the Voltorol...awaiting hand/wrist diagnosis....

[Jerzey Street Band (JSB)]

I just read all of this thread for the first time, I'm so sorry to hear that you have something that stops you from drumming, that must be awful. Unfortunately, I cannot offer any words of hope, I have never had tendonitis nor do I know anyone who has, I just hope you get it sorted soon so you can start enjoying the drumkit again...all the best.

[pastor_bob]

Slothrox, the "uncomfortable with it" comment means that he is not sure the current diagnosis is correct. Sounds like you will be getting another opinion, and that is a good thing.

[late8]

Sounds like an option. There's a few acupuncture places near my town. Thanks, i'll chcek it out.
Was your friend also a drummer? Is he still drumming?

He's a guitar player and yes he's still can throw down some good guitar playing!

[Geo Rose]

I'm a little late myself with this post but I've had that dreaded tendonitius crap. It effected my piano playing more than my drumming. So what the doctor told me was:

to go to the pharmacy and get a wrist support at a local pharmacy like this.


I wore mine at home, at work, while I slept, and the tendonitis went away. Also while on a computer I used a keyboard palm support, to support my wrists. That helped as well! Keep us updated!