CTS- Thomas Lang

Worth noting that the link and story are six years old, just in case anybody reads this and thinks he’s had to have more surgery or that it’s come out of the blue.
 
Worth noting that the link and story are six years old, just in case anybody reads this and thinks he’s had to have more surgery or that it’s come out of the blue.


Yup, 6 years ago and no follow up.

Anyone had CTS surgery, what's your take on it, better, same, worse, wish you never had?
 
I've read this article before seeing it here today. As a fan of Thomas' I'm glad he's better. I have a few pairs of his sticks that I got about 4-5 years ago so the ones I have are they the old model he was using before the surgery or do I have the new redesigned model?
 
Price to pay for all the slamming, trad grip and heavy sticks.

Changed his grip, designing new sticks, changed his set up.

Wouldn't blame the weight of the sticks, more than likely just an RSI from the ridiculous amount of practice he must have done down the years. Never mind the actual playing.

He's probable gone to a technique specialist and tweeked his playing that way.

Saw him last year in Manchester, the dude is a machine.
 
I saw Thomas playing a couple of months ago in a small venue. He was in great spirits and his playing was great!
 
I read this a few years ago. I always thought he held the sticks a bit more firmly than most, but at that level it's hard for me to question what a player is doing. I'm glad he's healed up and clearly his playing is no worse for wear. Not sure how traditional grip led to the problems with his right hand, which he says was worse than his left. But the main thing is he's recovered fully.
 
Wouldn't blame the weight of the sticks, more than likely just an RSI from the ridiculous amount of practice he must have done down the years. Never mind the actual playing.

He's probable gone to a technique specialist and tweeked his playing that way.
.

Maybe. Bill Cahn, a longtime percussionist with the Rochester Philharmonic, said that this younger generation of students seems to have a lot more trouble with RSI. I bet a lot of that is due to playing on Kevlar. Granted, this doesn’t apply to Thomas Lang. Still, I bet all those old calf heads were easier on the hands than the cranked Mylar that gets played on today, on snares.
 
I've read this article before seeing it here today. As a fan of Thomas' I'm glad he's better. I have a few pairs of his sticks that I got about 4-5 years ago so the ones I have are they the old model he was using before the surgery or do I have the new redesigned model?

I believe the taper changed from short to medium. Can’t say for sure when this happened. Maybe compare the taper to a new pair?

As for why he got it, Carpal Tunnel actually has a strong genetic risk factor;

https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/carpal-tunnel/news/20070216/carpal-tunnel-blame-genes-not-overuse

This, combined with the many thousands of hours those hands must have played through...
 
I read this a few years ago. I always thought he held the sticks a bit more firmly than most, but at that level it's hard for me to question what a player is doing. I'm glad he's healed up and clearly his playing is no worse for wear. Not sure how traditional grip led to the problems with his right hand, which he says was worse than his left. But the main thing is he's recovered fully.



You'd be correct in your observation, american and german (especially on the snare) grip, along with pounding 99% of the time is going to eventually do damage. No follow up, no chatter, no comment 'could' also mean he's not fully recovered, doesn't want to talk about it, that'd be my guess, he's probably playing in pain but doesn't want to shine any light on it.

Everyone I know who got cut (surgery) is not the same, nor back to normal, sure it is the nature of surgery. One can understand 'better' as better than the worst effects, tho its never going to be normal (as it once was).



A guitar player friend had the same hand surgery about two years ago. I txt'd him-

Me- Hey, how long has it been since your CTS surgery and are you better, same, worse?

He- Better, glad I got it. My wrists hurt continually. The left wrist surgery got rid of the CT numbness... but wrist pain is present. Definite improvement. Right hand still falls asleep at night but I can manage it.




Wouldn't blame the weight of the sticks, more than likely just an RSI from the ridiculous amount of practice he must have done down the years.


I've played STL sticks, they beat up your hands when playing hard. Not saying any stick won't, just that the size of STL's wreak havock easier/faster, they're very stiff, no flex, that kinetic energy has to go somewhere and it goes into your hands.
 
You'd be correct in your observation, american and german (especially on the snare) grip, along with pounding 99% of the time is going to eventually do damage. No follow up, no chatter, no comment 'could' also mean he's not fully recovered, doesn't want to talk about it, that'd be my guess, he's probably playing in pain but doesn't want to shine any light on it. Everyone I know who got cut (surgery) is not the same, nor back to normal, sure it is the nature of surgery. One can understand 'better' as better than the worst effects, tho its never going to be normal (as it once was). A guitar player friend had the same hand surgery about two years ago. I txt'd him- Me- Hey, how long has it been since your CTS surgery and are you better, same, worse? He- Better, glad I got it. My wrists hurt continually. The left wrist surgery got rid of the CT numbness... but wrist pain is present. Definite improvement. Right hand still falls asleep at night but I can manage it. I've played STL sticks, they beat up your hands when playing hard. Not saying any stick won't, just that the size of STL's wreak havock easier/faster, they're very stiff, no flex, that kinetic energy has to go somewhere and i
I read this a few years ago. I always thought he held the sticks a bit more firmly than most, but at that level it's hard for me to question what a player is doing. I'm glad he's healed up and clearly his playing is no worse for wear. Not sure how traditional grip led to the problems with his right hand, which he says was worse than his left. But the main thing is he's recovered fully.
great player glad he’s recovered; as a drummer myself I haven’t fortunately had a problem with either trad or matched and I’m always working on relaxed grip; CTS is horrible for anyone but agree Thomas might be holding the sticks a little tighter than some others!
 
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