Hi, I'm Lisa and I am new here. I joined today just so I could make a comment and start a discussion to get some ideas.
I developed tendinitis in my right arm early in June and believe it to be a combination of working out with my trainer and drumming. After a good rehearsal one evening with my band, my right arm felt like someone hit it with a baseball bat.
I made the mistake of reading about drummers and tendinitis several places online and by the time I was done I was just about convinced that my drumming days were over. Since i am a somewhat "seasoned" musician (old...lol) I really was depressed. My doc gave me some meds that made me feel like crap and I took a break for about 2 months as instructed. However, during that time I looked into physical therapy and began going twice a week.
I played my first gig this weekend (classic rock band) and had NO pain. I stretched between songs and iced my arm (like a quaterback, our bass player joked) and was fine!!
So, I just wanted to say...don't give up if this happens to you. Don't let them throw a bunch of meds at you and send you home. Get some help from professionals that know what they are talking about and get back on the throne! : )
I'd love to hear from anyone else who has had issues with tenidintis and/OR back issues.
There are some great videos on drumming ergonomics out there. I found out that I needed to move my crash cymbals in closer so I wasn't extending my arm too straight while hitting them. This was causing a great deal of stress on the tendons. Simple adjustements can make a HUGE difference!!
Thanks in advance for thoughts and more good advice
I developed tendinitis in my right arm early in June and believe it to be a combination of working out with my trainer and drumming. After a good rehearsal one evening with my band, my right arm felt like someone hit it with a baseball bat.
I made the mistake of reading about drummers and tendinitis several places online and by the time I was done I was just about convinced that my drumming days were over. Since i am a somewhat "seasoned" musician (old...lol) I really was depressed. My doc gave me some meds that made me feel like crap and I took a break for about 2 months as instructed. However, during that time I looked into physical therapy and began going twice a week.
I played my first gig this weekend (classic rock band) and had NO pain. I stretched between songs and iced my arm (like a quaterback, our bass player joked) and was fine!!
So, I just wanted to say...don't give up if this happens to you. Don't let them throw a bunch of meds at you and send you home. Get some help from professionals that know what they are talking about and get back on the throne! : )
I'd love to hear from anyone else who has had issues with tenidintis and/OR back issues.
There are some great videos on drumming ergonomics out there. I found out that I needed to move my crash cymbals in closer so I wasn't extending my arm too straight while hitting them. This was causing a great deal of stress on the tendons. Simple adjustements can make a HUGE difference!!
Thanks in advance for thoughts and more good advice