Injured 4th finger

[Nana_Ama]

I injured my 4th finger while playing soccer (the forward kicked my finger back when I had the ball) and now I can't practice...it's very discouraging.  Do you have any ideas how I can make it better as soon as possible.

[Antnee]

Well, first, what did you do exactly? Sprain it? Break It? Jam it? Bend it? If it's all swollen and painful, use common sense and wait until it's better. If you know it's a problem with the tendons and such, be especially careful and wait till the pain is gone, and even then, be careful... 

[donjuan]

oh I feel so bad for you.. seriously, no sarcasm here.  Yes, please explain your injury more so we can understand it better.  You may have to go to Physical Therapy.  My hyperextensive wrists were causing problems for piano practice, so I went to physio for that electrical dealie that speeds healing and it was better really soon.

If the injury isnt the kind you go to physio for, maybe it's time to play pieces only with one hand for a while.  Which hand is the injury on?  If it's the right, there are a number of left hand pieces you could look at while the finger is healing..
donjuan 

[xvimbi]

No matter what it is, you MUST let it heal before you play again!

Andre Watts just recently looked me straight in the eye and said the biggest mistake that injured pianists do is to try to "play through" the injury. It almost cost him his career.

Well, all this should be common sense. I am only using a big name to give the idea even more weight.

[Nana_Ama]

Well, first, what did you do exactly? Sprain it? Break It? Jam it? Bend it? If it's all swollen and painful, use common sense and wait until it's better.

Well, I don't know exactly what happened to it.  I remember as I was going to pick up the ball (I am the goalie on my soccer team) a girl kicked my finger and it bent backward.  I had to play the rest of the game which made it worse.  At the moment it's still swollen although I have put ice on it...it's also bent more towards my pinky than my middle finger.    I don't think it's broken though 

[donjuan]

Well, first, what did you do exactly? Sprain it? Break It? Jam it? Bend it? If it's all swollen and painful, use common sense and wait until it's better.

Well, I don't know exactly what happened to it.  I remember as I was going to pick up the ball (I am the goalie on my soccer team) a girl kicked my finger and it bent backward.  I had to play the rest of the game which made it worse.  At the moment it's still swollen although I have put ice on it...it's also bent more towards my pinky than my middle finger.    I don't think it's broken though 

that sounds bad.
you cant do anything on the piano with that.  Take xvimbi's advice and let it heal.  Do technical excersises and such with the fingers you can. 
donjuan

[Tash]

ouch that's not good. well the only finger injury i've ever had was when i jammed it in a car door and the finger swelled up and the nail went purple and was quite painful to play on for a while. but also form my knowledge of when dancers get injured, they have to rest or at least not use that part of the body until it's completely healed, or else it'll just get worse. you could still practice with your other hand. just be gentle on the poor thing and it'll be fine soon enough!

[jbmajor]

I injured my 4th finger while playing soccer (the forward kicked my finger back when I had the ball) and now I can't practice...it's very discouraging.  Do you have any ideas how I can make it better as soon as possible.

If you really want to play piano, then I would say quit playing soccer.  Billy Joel had to give up boxing for piano because he would start to knuckle the keyboards.  I wonder what type of career he would've had if he kept up boxing instead?  Hmmmmm. 

It all depends on where your real passion is. 

[Nana_Ama]

It turns out that my finger is broken, and I am supposed to rest it for two weeks.  It's not too severe though and at least my left hand fingers are getting stonger

-I would quit soccer, but I really love it, and I've been playing for so long that it would be unnatural for me not to do it anymore.  I've only been playing piano for two years 

[donjuan]

ouch!! I dont know how you can type....