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Bump in my Guitar Journey Road!
Good Morning TAC Family. After almost two years in TAC, I have come to my first major hurdle. Rotator Cuff Surgery tomorrow. I tore it in November and living with the pain. Playing was painful at times, so it is time to get it fixed. I plan on staying active on this site and will be doing my challenges the best I can. I have a 662 day streak I have no intention on stopping. Although fretting will be difficult if not impossible at first, my plan is to work on my strumming and fingerpicking. although the sound won’t be there, I can work on the technique.
I believe Guitar will be my therapy. Wish me luck and if anyone else has experienced anything similar, I would love to hear it.
Steve
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9 Replies
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Oh yes @Bayvu2 , while it’s a setback it may very well have a silver lining if you do what have planned. Absolutely work on your right hand technique! To make it more pleasurable to your ears you can experiment with alternate tunings. Drop D for example will allow you to play some beautiful melodies with just one finger on the fretboard.
Wish you the best through your surgeries and recovery time!
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Thanks. Never thought about Drop D. I will try it.
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I think you have a good plan to deal with this “overhead of life” situation. Lord grant you quick healing.
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BV2–
Remember there are many ways to proceed on your journey– with no guitar in your lap at all.
Ideas:
Maybe organize- (or re-organize) all of your guitar-stuff; your guitars themselves, your books, your notebooks, your equipment- (metronome(s), tuners, capos, picks, extra sets of strings, cleaners, any cords/mics/interfaces/whatever….. every guitar student/player has stuff. Re-org it.
Maybe do some thinking about your overall “plan” is with your learning. I mean really give it some thought. I think we all gravitate to what suits us…… dig into that.
Maybe do some learning about things that will really help you in the future… (is this a good time to mention Fretboard Wizard- if you haven’t done that?)… Anyway– “dig in” a little– learn all about the Circle of Fifths; the basic chord shapes— knowing they are all moveable— (again- if you haven’t already). Learn how to build a chord matrix- (so you know HOW chords are built- (rather than just memorizing them. Learn about Keys, and Modes, and transposing. Give some thought to scribbling-down some notes with maybe some of your own song-ideas.
(Overall rabbit-hole alert!!!)— Don’t get too nutzo on this stuff all at once– just get your feet wet on some of it if you like. “Ya don’t know what ya don’t know”. It’s fun just to explore!!!
I guess what I’m saying is that there are lots of ways to “practice” to learn, to continue your journey— while you recover; I’ve been thru the whole rotator-cuff process; anybody who has…. “knows”…..
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Thanks for taking the time to post. Spring is coming really slow this year in Northern Michigan, so no hurry for spring projects. My guitar journey will continue.
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Hey @Bayvu2 How did you make out with your surgery? Rotator cuff is a tough one, but I can say from experience, your best friend will be the physical therapy exercises. It is really important to do them religiously. I had a complete tear, and I couldn’t get a doctor to take me seriously (talking late 90’s- early 2000’s. I didn’t play guitar then, but I golfed and did other things for 2 years, before I was forced to the ER from the pain, and only then did they realize how bad it was. It was a long recovery, but like anything else, it gets better over time and as you work at it.
Hang in there, and keep on plunking, even if only with your strumming hand. Buy a slide and do some lap playing. Take the Fretboard Wizard course. Answer questions in the forums. There is so much you can do to keep a foot in and your hand touching your guitar.
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Yup……. what Loraine said!
When I went thru the whole rotator-cuff process– (and yes, it is a process)– one of the things I remember most is just how hard it was to find a comfortable position to try to SLEEP.
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Good Morning TAC Family, and thanks for checking up on me. So 3 years ago I slipped on the ice and completely torn my right rotator cuff. I was still working. I had only been at the job for less than a year so I had no sick time and was not eligible for FMLA time. But my employer held my job for 6 months until I could return. That was a hard recovery and many ups and downs and painful times. And even though I went back at 6 months, I definitely was not 100%.
This time, it was a partial tear that has been giving me constant pain since November. so it was time to get it fixed. I am happy to report that I am very pleased with my progress one week in. Started PT yesterday. Pain is down, gaining movement. Still hard to sleep on my back with a sling.
I have put away my Martin (for now) and pulled out my Taylor Urban Ash. Nice Guitar and very light. A started just with some strumming and picking practice. On Monday, I could only reach around the 9th fret. But on Tuesday, I could make it all the way to the 1st fret. So I am back playing (a little). It is good exercise and therapy!
Didn’t expect it this early, but I believe my recovery is ahead of schedule.
Thanks for all your thoughts. Steve
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Great to hear @Bayvu2 !
Wish you a continued smooth recovery!
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