Injuries you had that affected your piano playing

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I fractured my right middle finger and left pinky finger from skateboarding and playing basketball.  They both bent the opposite direction they naturally bend.  It only affected my playing for a couple days.  Some of time time, my middle finger would get stuck in between the black keys, and it was painful to play with my pinky finger.  I was pretty worried that my playing would be affected badly in the long run, but thank god it didn't turn out that way.  Now I'm MUCH more cautious about my hands.

How about you guys?!

[j_menz]

I haver a looong history of cooking accidents that have resulted in me trying to play with bandaged fingers. (Pumpkins and very sharp knives are a dangerous combo in my hands)

Not very successfully, I have to say, but a little blood on the keyboard at least shows sincerity of effort.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Not very successfully, I have to say, but a little blood on the keyboard at least shows sincerity of effort.

I remember I was playing, and I hit a chord in a bad way and my left thumb nail started peeling, and it started bleeding. 

[ajspiano]

When I was a youngster (hmm.. some people here probably still consider me that) I remember once biting my nails too much, and combining that with playing too much - which resulted in bleeding fingers and having to stop playing..

[costicina]

but a little blood on the keyboard at least shows sincerity of effort.

[p2u_]

Injuries you had that affected your piano playing

I broke a bone in my right hand (pinky side) trying to save a little girl from getting hit by one of those aggressive turning doors. But with Piano Music for the Left Hand Alone it was not so bad after all.

Paul

[ted]

A couple of years ago I developed a sort of cramp in the left hand causing fingers to strike occasionally when I didn't want them to. Various people told me it was a dystonia but reading on the internet I doubt it was, else I wouldn't have got rid of it as I did. In any case, the symptoms didn't quite match. I had a similar thing with the fourth finger of my right hand twenty years ago, and that too succumbed to more thoughtful playing. I suspect that the left hand business was the result of a fairly severe injury to my left wrist when I fell during a hardcourt tennis match many years ago. Ever since, I have been prone to ganglions in the area.

Nobody noticed any manifestation of these things in my playing, I hasten to add; I was the only one aware of them. The funny part is that consequent to all the corrective work on my practice clavier for these issues, my technique seems better than it was before in all sorts of other ways.

[49410enrique]

took a nasty spill off my gymnastics rings from a full invertet handstand position a few years ago, all but broke both my wrists (probably would have been better, the soft tissue damage was severe), it was at least 18-24 months of consistent rehab before i could move and bend my wrists again with little pain and stiffness, still have residual issues to this day but i was lucky. very very very lucky.

[zezhyrule]

A few years ago I badly (well not too badly but it felt like it for days) burnt three of the fingers on my right hand on a stove burner thing. It was a week before a recital I was playing a piece in. Let's just say my giant blisters didn't appreciate it, neither did the pianist after me 

My fingers healed... months later. Probably wasn't a good idea to do the recital, but I didn't wanna be a quitter 

[cuberdrift]

Recently had a cut right to the tendons in my finger.

Won't be using my right for a month.

[iansinclair]

Years and years ago I broke the third and fourth fingers of my right hand in my school's physical education class.  At the time it didn't matter that much, as I was playing french horn and very little keyboard, and so I didn't take proper care.  By the time the breaks healed and I took up keyboard (organ), it didn't seem to be a problem either.  However now -- 50 years later! -- I have significant arthritis in the joints of those two fingers which is related to the damage from the breaks...

[rachmaninoff_forever]

but I didn't wanna be a quitter 

Yeah!!!  Quitters never win! 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

WOOOOOOW, I'm so mad!  I just cut my left pinky reallllllly bad with a butcher kife what the heck?!  And to make things worse, I haven't had a lesson in three weeks, and I would have been in a lesson right now, but I told my teacher what happened and he told me not to practice for a couple days.  WOWOWOWOOWOW!!!

[j_menz]

WOOOOOOW, I'm so mad!  I just cut my left pinky reallllllly bad with a butcher kife what the heck?! 

Now I'm MUCH more cautious about my hands.

A butcher's knife is being more careful? 

I know the feeling. Enjoy your break and heal quickly.

[williampiano]

Once a few years ago I sprained my wrist and I almost had to bail out of Certificate of Merit. Thankfully I didn't, but I lost a few weeks of practice right before the deadline and ended up doing really bad. Thankfully I passed though.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

A butcher's knife is being more careful? 

I know the feeling. Enjoy your break and heal quickly.

Hey that wasn't my fault!  It was the knife's fault!  It was one of those knives where you can't tell what's the sharp or dull side until you feel it.  So while I was trying to slide out the knife case or whatever, I thought I was on the dull side but it was the sharp side!!! 

I should sue the company for a Babigibibidiigiiiigillion dollars for emotional distress and inconvience 

[j_menz]

So while I was trying to slide out the knife case or whatever, I thought I was on the dull side but it was the sharp side!!! 

I should sue the company for a Babigibibidiigiiiigillion dollars for emotional distress and inconvience 

I find that the handle is almost invariably blunt. Try that instead next time.

Emotional distress and inconvenience for missing a piano lesson. You better hope the judge had a nice teacher.    BTW, I'd consider representing you if it's worth the hassle of getting licensed in the US. What is 60% of a Babigibibidiigiiiigillion dollars (which would be my fee)?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I find that the handle is almost invariably blunt. Try that instead next time.

No I mean the blade versus the blunt side of the blade.  Not the handle.  

And someone sued their dry cleaners for 63 million dollars for misplacing their jeans for inconvenience!  Someone even sued Michael Jordan for a ton of money because they looked alike, and people would mistaken the guy for the real Michael so he sued Michael for emotional distress lol.

[ajspiano]

No I mean the blade versus the blunt side of the blade.  Not the handle.  

I think j_menz is suggesting that if you were to grab it by the handle you wouldnt have the problem to begin with..

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I think j_menz is suggesting that if you were to grab it by the handle you wouldnt have the problem to begin with..

No but there's a case on the blade.  If it wasn't for that 'protective' case, then I wouldn't have put my hand on the blade in the first place.