How to tackle tendinitis - will a grip change help?

Sam
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How to tackle tendinitis - will a grip change help?

Postby Sam » Sat Apr 18, 2020 2:23 am

So I developed tendinitis in my left wrist about 5 years ago. I'd been drumming at that stage for about 16 years, most rock and metal. At that point in my life, I wasn't interested in playing in any bands, and my living situation wouldn't allow for regular practice. With tendinitis now in the fold, I decided to take an indefinite break from drumming. I'm considering getting back to it some time soon, but will have to find a workaround with regard to the tendinitis.

I'd say American grip is where i'm at most of the time, and then in to French for fast singles. It seems to be finger control from the pinky and ring finger that aggravates it primarily. Given that - would spending more time developing German grip be useful? Possibly with finger control coming from the middle finger?

I know that only way for me to figure it out is to be slow, methodical and to listen to my body - but if anyone has been through anything similar and would have any advice at all it'd be hugely appreciated!
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Odd-Arne Oseberg
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Re: How to tackle tendinitis - will a grip change help?

Postby Odd-Arne Oseberg » Sat Apr 18, 2020 2:58 am

When athletes get tendonitis first things is eliminating all sugar. Even most carbs.

Obviously, look at overtraining, which may be technique, but over practicing is a real thing even with "good" technique.

Relaxation, stretching, varioius ways to loose things up, frequent rest/breaks and exercises that don't put a lot of strain on your joints, but improve mobility and circulation thus healing and so on?


It's a question for a doctor really, but with enough info some of us do know more than the average doc about this stuff.

Do you do tendonitis specific exercises like paper ball rolling, various movements to strengthen and use full movement etc...? Those rubber tubes or balls you squeese, towel twisting... There's a bunch.

Repeat stress
Lack of rest
Restricted blood flow
Diet that increases inflammation.

There isn't much else that can cause this issue. Eliminate causes and maybe even do something to decrease the possiblity which can be many different things depending on what you already do.

It should most of the time be possible to prevent and even heal stuff like this. Even in cases where it's thought to be cronic we have enough knowledge and tools available today to at the very least improve things a lot.

The exercises do a lot.

If the body doesn't heal properly, there is an allergy for sure. 95% chance. Anything that will help has very limited effect until those things are identified and removed.
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langmick
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Re: How to tackle tendinitis - will a grip change help?

Postby langmick » Sat Apr 18, 2020 5:20 am

One thing about joint pain is that it can certainly the result of an issue somewhere else in the body. I would suggest researching a good PT and seeing if they can diagnose any alignment or tightness. For example, I had bad knee pain in my left knee, this went on for a while, and thought about surgery. I went to a very good PT who looked at my gait and alignment, had me roll out my adductor muscle on the inside of my thigh, and 95% of the knee pain went away immediately. You might have something similar going on that's not in the wrist but in your elbow/shoulder/back. I would grab a lacrosse ball and get into releasing muscles all the way through your left torso.

This channel has a lot of good content.

https://www.youtube.com/user/physicaltherapyvideo/videos
Sam
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Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 4:13 pm

Re: How to tackle tendinitis - will a grip change help?

Postby Sam » Sun Apr 19, 2020 4:32 am

Odd-Arne Oseberg wrote: Do you do tendonitis specific exercises like paper ball rolling, various movements to strengthen and use full movement etc...?


When it kicked in initially I used a Powerball gyroscope daily for a while and that made a big difference. I never actually visited a PT, only my GP, and the advice was to let it rest, and with time the issue went away. I picked up the pad last week though and went hell for leather at the singles and felt a mild tingle coming on in the hours after. I've yet to run through a few warm up / stretching exercises and ease slowly back in to things, so I suppose I should see how I fare with that approach first.

langmick wrote:One thing about joint pain is that it can certainly the result of an issue somewhere else in the body. I would suggest researching a good PT and seeing if they can diagnose any alignment or tightness. For example, I had bad knee pain in my left knee, this went on for a while, and thought about surgery. I went to a very good PT who looked at my gait and alignment, had me roll out my adductor muscle on the inside of my thigh, and 95% of the knee pain went away immediately. You might have something similar going on that's not in the wrist but in your elbow/shoulder/back. I would grab a lacrosse ball and get into releasing muscles all the way through your left torso.

This channel has a lot of good content.

https://www.youtube.com/user/physicaltherapyvideo/videos


Good stuff. Will give that a look for sure. Thanks a million :)

I'll get in touch with a good PT first and take things from there I reckon.

I'm hoping too that there may be a way of preserving my singles without having to rely on too much finger motion, so any advice on technical adjustments that could be made are more than welcome!

Thanks guys :)
treeinrock
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Re: How to tackle tendinitis - will a grip change help?

Postby treeinrock » Tue Apr 21, 2020 7:23 pm

The comments above have great advice. Find out what foods are inflammatory. Squeeze a soft rubber ball to help with circulation (maybe check out squeezing with your pinky and ring finger). Be aware of your whole body and how minor things can affect the tendonitis. Don't over extend a joint. Don't over practice and over exert when getting back in the practice regiments.
Always warm up the joints before playing and getting in touch with your shoulders, back, elbows and wrist. Become very conscious of your body and posture

**
Since the lock-down I have been perusing youtube and watching Buddy Rich ( obviously crazy technique ) and then the really relaxed players like Chad Wackerman and Steve Gadd.

I come from more of a light player approach and have to be totally relaxed, but I would say Chad Wackerman would be a good player to check out since he played pretty heavy/loud gigs with Frank Zappa. Zappa's band would rehearse 5-8 hrs a day before a tour. Chad said he was never had any muscle problems. He's playing mostly matched group.
His teacher was Murray Spivack.


Chad Wackerman – Introduction to the Murray Spivack Method


Everyone is different, and every set-up is different and therefore different grips will be required to play different drums, cymbals. Hitting a snare drum sitting has a different technique than hitting a floor tom to the far right.
I think the key is to try to play as relaxed as possible at slow and build up to fast but not beyond the comfort threshold. "Keeping lots of headroom."

Buddy Rich (right hand) has a pinched fulcrum between the index finger and his thumb. His wrists were very strong, so I think he practiced playing mostly wrists and when playing with more speed, everything would loosen up and he would use his index and ring fingers to manipulate the sticks.
Buddy's left hand is another subject.

If you watch Buddy after playing he looks like he's a rag doll. He looks very relaxed.

Jack DeJohnette said he would play something as stiff as possible and then the same thing as loose as possible to find out about tension and release. So, Jack was checking into the mechanics of his body to see what was working and not working for him.


More:
CHAD WACKERMAN Jazz Rock Drummer, Studio Musician (Frank Zappa, Allan Holdsworth, James Taylor)



Carlos Vega is another very relaxed player.


Of course Dave Weckl has really loosened up his playing over the years.

And.....

Check out Gordy Knutson for all types of things. Here's a drum setup idea.
Gordy is like a Dr. when it comes to mechanics.

treeinrock
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Re: How to tackle tendinitis - will a grip change help?

Postby treeinrock » Sat Apr 25, 2020 1:31 pm

You might think I am going a little overboard on this, but I have had some problems with my wrist over the years as a result of most of my lively work is related to my wrists. I was doing yoga exercises the other a.m. and the next day I felt a soreness in my wrists. I do think drummers have wrists that are unlike other people, so we have to modify action on our wrists. I think Vinnie Colaiuta summed it up on his Saarbrücken clinic. Vinnie needs to warm up slowly and appropriately before playing, so he is ready to improvise freely. "A word to the wise."

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