Klarinet Archive - Posting 000012.txt from 2003/02

From: Barbara Reimer <muse@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Thumb Pain
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 2003 13:05:20 -0500

Hello all! This wasn't exactly the way I wanted to introduce myself to
the group but I think I may have something to offer here. Or not, you
can decide. :)

I was diagnosed with Lupus almost three years ago. My only major
problem thus far has been the joint pain (thank you) and, well, okay,
the fatigue but that's another story. :-) I had lost all use of my
thumbs on both hands. In the beginning they thought it was CTS,
because i did a lot of fine detailed movements while I worked, and I
was sent to specialists accordingly. Eventually I was in splints on
both hands. And seeing an OT (who was a GREAT help!) treating me for
tendonitis. Drugs are what eventually helped me get over my tendonitis
but until I started them I was getting nowhere! Mind you, the
diagnosis also helped them decide too. I was only 24-25? at the time
so getting cortisone shots was not an option I wanted to start! If you
do have tendonitis you will only cause more harm by stressing it. I
had 6 months of unproductiveness while I waited for the swelling in my
arms to reduce enough to even start strength training with the OT!

Anyhow, I started playing my clarinet again because I didn't like the
fact that all off a sudden I couldn't. True, I hadn't played for
about 8 years previously (nothing to do with lupus) and probably picked
it up more out of spite than anything. And now I've been playing for
almost 2 years (yay!) and am finding that playing is actually helping
me. And wouldn't you know it, I'm enjoying it more now than I ever
have before! I know that, among the obvious reasons, regular practice
helps out my hands and wrists greatly, keeps the movement going so to
speak. I still have my days where I can't even touch the clarinet but,
hey, c'est la vie. That's when I read a book. :-)

I have played with a two kinds of braces. First the regular CTS
splints (readily available from a drug store) which I didn't like so
much because of the bulk. Also the same reason I didn't like the one
that my OT had made for me to work in. Now, i have "big blue", my
blue brace and some knitters gloves that I play with. My blue brace is
made from neoprene (scuba suit material) so I have some flexibility in
the wrist yet still supported. It also has some splint material sewn
in to a pocket surrounding the thumb so the thumb does not drop "out of
position". I wear this on my right hand sometimes with a knitting
glove underneath depending on the day. The knitting gloves are
something my mom got for me and they are basically spandex gloves with
the fingers cut out. A lot of people my mom knew had much success in
alleviating CTS type symptoms with these when using the computer,
knitting, whatever. I find that they are good because they kinda keep
my hand massaged (and warm!!) while i play or type. They also may be
a little less obtrusive for performance if you are worried about that?
Although, I found that a lot of people in my band didn't even notice
Big Blue. My section even. It wasn't until after i started the
marathon that anyone really took notice and started asking me about the
brace I had.

I also have ordered a Kooiman thumbrest (for which i anxiously wait)
which I can't wait to try. I've heard good things about that
alleviating pain. And getting good hand position to boot!

But methinks I have gone on long enough. I've been a member of this
list for almost a year and am always amazed at what I'm learning just
through your conversations! This is great - I really wish I knew about
stuff like this when I played before ... I probably never would have
quit!

Cheers,
Barb

On Thursday, January 30, 2003, at 06:02 PM, Audrey Travis wrote:

> Hey there N. yourself!
> Good to hear from you. I go to see my doctor on Monday and will
> discuss
> this with him. I sure hope you're wrong about it being arthritis
> (though it is in my family). In the meantime I'm wearing a splint when
> I do things that involve gripping with my thumb. It's only taken 3
> tries to get a splint shape which doesn't exacerbate the problem! Not
> allowed to practice until the major swelling goes down - it's now in my
> thumb and back to the wrist and from the bottom of my index finger
> towards the wrist (most of this because of a poorly fitted splint in
> the
> first place).
> Audrey
>
> "Buckman, Nancy" wrote:
>>
>> Hey there A.,
>>
>> More than likely it's arthritis. I have had it for years in both
>> thumbs,
>> although the left is worse than the right (I'm left-handed). The
>> only way
>> to know for sure is to have an x-ray and let the doctor decide. Best
>> of
>> luck.
>>
>
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