Right Index Finger bent after Octaves Etude?

[teosoleil]

Hey! I just finished practicing the Octaves Etude (Chopin Op. 25 No. 10, b minor) for an hour, and I've finally gotten it to Cziffra speed.

However, right after practicing, I noticed some stiffness in movement in the middle joint of my right index finger. It also seems to be "turned" or "roated", even "bent" clockwise next to the joint right underneath the fingernail. This is the first time I've ever noticed this and I've chosen to take an immediate break for your help. Is this going to be a problem if I continue practicing? How can I solve it and maybe get my joint/upper part of my finger back to it's normal position? Here are some comparison shots:

NORMAL INDEX FINGER (LEFT HAND)



PROBLEM INDEX FINGER (RIGHT HAND)



This passage, I suspect, is the culprit:





~

Of course, I have tried practicing WITHOUT holding the inner voices down (you don't need to), but I think maybe I'm holding them down too hard without me noticing? What do you think?

Thanks in advanced!

[ted]

My right index finger is a bit like that too but I can't see how playing one piece could do it. If you are right handed it probably comes from years of gripping things - pens and handles of various types. It is possible to find all sorts of peculiar formations in your hands if you look hard enough. People are rarely perfectly symmetrical. As long as there is no pain or weakness I would tend to forget about it.

[teosoleil]

It only happened after playing Octaves Etude, and was accompanied by stiffness and immobility of the joint. What's not to worry about???

Anyways, thirteen hours later and the finger is 90% back in its original position, with the part I took a picture of still slightly turning. 

[ted]

I see. Sorry, I misread your post. If it is definitely the study then yes, you are playing it in a very injurious way. Try to devise a less damaging technique.

[ajspiano]

without looking at your playing I would think that you'd have to be applying significant undue 'keybedding' type pressure to the middle voice.

Perhaps just observe yourself slowly and spot when you are applying pressure and bend your finger like this, and then avoid that.

[jeffkonkol]

Having been through some significant finger pain from originally trying to hold those notes down, I think you hit the nail on the head.  You are likely having to drive a lot of pressure into the key (as AJ suggests) to keep it depressed while moving through the progression and this tension is having side effects.

There are a number of good performances of these piece from the chopin competition linked on this site, and some of the clearest presentations of those inner voices happen in some cases where the performer doesn't make any effort at keeping that note held while continuing the progression.

[49410enrique]

i'd probably take several days rest , splint the finger in a medical finger splint for about 24 hours, and ice it for 15 min or so every few hours let your hand heal, let inflammation die down then slowy begin 'rehabing it' and listen to what folks are saying about stopping whatever is it you're dong that's damaging your hand. if you're agressive early with treating the injury, you should come out this relatively unscathed.

[albertus_magnus]

My right index finger is a bit like that too but I can't see how playing one piece could do it.

Same here. My right index has been that way for years; however, it has never effected my playing on the piano.