middle age drummers!!

[gonzo000]

are there any other drummers in there 40's/50's that are dealing with carpal tunnel or tennis elbow???? like me. just wondering.

[zarrdoss]

I Am slowly getting over tennis elbow but I didn't get it from drumming. It was work related and I went and got acupuncture and wore a brace for a month or so and its better now.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

How about 60's? My only complaint is my left hand at the base of my thumb where it meets the wrist. I wear a brace at work and take it off when I drum. Drumming is my only vice so I will continue. I feel no pain at all while drumming but afterward it bothers me.

[bobdadruma]

I have dealt with both of these issues but it wasn't from drumming.
I had problems with my left elbow and wrists during a 15 year period when I wasn't playing the drums at all. I was in my 40's. I am left hand dominant.
It was both work related, (Automotive Technician) and tennis related.
I learned better working techniques and tennis techniques and the problems subsided.
I have never had any ill effects from drumming except for mild stiffness in my left knee from playing the hat on 2 and 4 for extended periods in Jazz.
I have learned to relax when I play and control that better too.

[toddbishop]

No. I've had periods of weeks with a little stiffness in a wrist or shoulder, but it has always passed. I've never used hearing protection, and have probably lost some hearing, but nothing debilitating or real inconvenient. I'm 44, btw.

[mxo721]

unfortunatly I don't get to play enough right now, to know if these are going to be problems, I've had spinal cord surgery, and my hands go numb if I lay on my back when I sleep, I know what the waring signs are for sciatica in my back, from sitting too long, if that happens I get off the drum throne for an hour. I retire next year, and hope to be drumming more thatn I do now, and hope i don't have major issuse. good luck, hope your problems get betterr.

[mikel]

Yea, 60s now for me, as of last Thursday.

I have white finger from years in the engineering industry but drumming seems to actually help that.

I also have bone fragments floating in my right knee, but that only gives me problems after drumming, not during. Bass pedal angle is critical here.

Use it or lose it is the maxim. Dont lie down and let the body dictate to you, you are in charge.

[adesonic]

50 now, hips ache a bit after a long fast footwork session but no real problems

[Richard.J]

Yes, as well as a dislocated index finger on my right hand and nerve and tissue damage from a shop accident to my left thumb. Between the carpal, injuries and arthritis setting in, sticks are flying all over the place ... duck!

Whoever said that these are the golden years can KMA! lol

[bruin21]

no joint issues, but I do need a kidney...

[the_dude]

I need a kidney!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gary-S...44458518999413

[2bsticks]

58 here, setting up and tearing down my gear is not too much fun. I just go into tunnel vision and get it done. Playing I have no issues at all YET! However after gigging I have trouble falling asleep and the next morning I'm a bit stiff and tired. But at least I'm still able to play, no complaints....well don't ask my wife. Getting old is tough :-)

[MaryO]

44 here. No arm or wrist problems (yet) but developing problems with my left knee locking up. Hasn't affected me behind the kit (yet). Growing old ain't always so fun but better than the alternative.

[Shedboyxx]

I've started experiencing "I'm getting too old for this" feelings in a few select situations. FWIW: I'm 53.

* When I have to play for an extended period of time, especially at the end of the day. Like this Friday when I sub in a Top 40 band that does the typical 9:00-1:30 hours, 45 minutes from home. I'm also in charge of running the laptop that has the backing tracks. People are on the dance floor continuously so there is a bit of pressure to go one right after the other. Barely worth it but - I still do it for now since it's occasional.

* When I have to play especially hard. My hands feel it afterwards. I don't do it that often. I've started to use larger sticks to help

* Difficult load ins. Namely stairs or topography that my rolling gear can't navigate. I've had some gigs over the last few years, one of them was regular for a while where I had to load and unload, up and down, a healthy flight of stairs. I seriously started thinking of hiring a high school kid to do load in and setup but...hasn't gotten that bad yet.

I have to wonder how guys like Charlie Watts do it. I know he probably doesn't lift a finger until he sits down at the drums but he's how old?...close to 70? And the Rolling Stones still tour.

Since Classic Rock seems to be sticking around for a while as a money source (even if it's low), the drummers that have the experience and proclivity to drum in that style will skew older. Just tough seeing how doing some gigs will be do-able.

Jim

[Flareless]

Just getting back into it after about 30 years of nothing but rare sporadic playing.

A couple of injuries have caused me to change my playing habits a bit. First, a few landing injuries during my skydiving time have made hammering my bass drum pedal a bit trickier. I also smashed the hell out of my elbow in what can be termed a dancing accident. Finally, the onset of arthritis sometimes slows me down on damp days.

It's funny that once I reached a point in life where I have the time and cash to devote to this incredible passion my body has turned on me and made things more difficult.

I guess youth really is wasted on the young ; )

[Bo Eder]

At 46, the problems I'm experiencing are from the load-ins and load-outs. I went to my first band rehearsal last night in a long time (for Bermuda, no less!) and the playing was fine, but the twisting of the body to load drum cases in and out of the truck (into a Ford F-150 and I'm only 5' tall) really announced itself this morning. My whole upper chest felt really tight and with certain moves today, painful. It sucks.

I may have to break my hardware up into two smaller hardware bags. The drums aren't so bad if they go straight to and from their place on my Rock n Roller cart. I suppose stretching must become a way of life at this age. Remember when in your 20s, you could just jump to anything and not feel any kinda' pain? Not anymore ;)

[Kg_lee]

I just turned 40 and been playing since I was age 6 and started getting pains about 3 years ago in my wrists. I usually only feel it after playing live cause I play hard. When practicing at home I'm fine. I just wear braces on my hands at bed at night after playing hard and the pain goes away. I'm sure this will work for a little while but it's hard to tone down the hard live playing when that all I know from doing it for years.

[New Tricks]

Damn you guys are old :)

Legs and arms are in good shape from years of construction work and recreational sports.

The only pain I get is in my lower back from sitting too long. It's been with me half my life so I have just accepted it.

[larryace]

I'm 53 and besides stiffness in the joints, I have no pain. Loading in and out...I feel as I did in my 20's with the exceptions of the stiffness. I feel no stiffness drumming. If I sit real long and get up to walk, it takes about 10 feet of walking before I am standing up straight. Once I'm moving everything is loose, it's when I sit for a length of time and try and get up and walk, like after a car ride that I feel the stiffness.

[Odd-Arne Oseberg]

I'm only 35 so I might not qualify, but I've had all sorts of issues from a verry early age.

However. After getting into this whole superfood/superherb thing I'm back to issues at all and I can do 14 hour practice marthons every day if I want to without any issue. I learn new stuff all the time and I don't expect ever getting any issues either.

I got a second chance and more.

[Anthony Amodeo]

37 here....so not so much middle aged

I try to eat right and I walk a lot with the dog.

feel like I'm 18

aside from a tailbone issue thats a result of a skateboarding incident when I was 15 that acts up when I sit too long ...I feel like im in great shape

no issues at all while drumming ...yet.....thank goodness.....

I hope to feel as good as Larry feels at 53

[larryace]

And I do feel good G man. I am lucky in that I've never broken a bone or had an operation. All original parts. Mentally I feel as if I am in my 20's and physically, I can do anything I did then too. It's just a little stiffer feeling in the very beginning.

[Drumolator]

I am 55. I have loss of cartilage in my right knee and nerve problems in my upper right leg. Those do not affect my drumming very much. In the last week I have noticed some pain in my left elbow, which has me a little concerned. Oh well ,I have a gig tonight, so I will have to be careful how I move when we move the gear. Peace, goodwill, and blues.