Playing with a hernia

[OU1]

Anybody had to endure trying to play mandolin after having hernia surgery? It's happening to me right now.......can't lean over and play....totally uncomfortable and not sustainable, very frustrating!

Best way to explain it is like being on injured reserve in sports.....just waiting to get better so you can go out and play. It has been 6 days since the surgery....I played alitttle last night....still tough going.

Simple thing playing the mandolin until you can't!

Couple more days and I'll be playing again!

Keep pickin'!!!
Scott

[UsuallyPickin]

Sorry to hear OU 1 .... hernia surgery is a less than salubrious experience ... give it another week .... or put a strap on your mandolin and you won't need to bend over as far anyway....... be patient ... I know a day without playing music is not a complete day... this too shall pass.... R/

[Bertram Henze]

...or put a strap on your mandolin and you won't need to bend over as far anyway....

My first thought exactly. I'll even say: try to play standing upright and not looking at your mandolin. This might be the chance to learn something important, even if the cause is an unpleasant one.

[OldSausage]

Shouldn't this thread be called "Playing without a hernia"?

Anyway, you have my greatest sympathy and I hope you feel better soon.

[roysboy]

Shouldn't this thread be called "Playing without a hernia"?

Anyway, you have my greatest sympathy and I hope you feel better soon.

some tips , for what they are worth ..

1. Find someone to load your mando and gear into your car
2. Have them drive the car to your jam/gig
3. Have them find you a suitable chair so you don't have to walk around or stand
4. Have them sit next to you and strum or pick your mando
5. Find someone else to fret for you
6 .Have another friend bring you a coffee
7. Call the tune then sit back and enjoy

I've been there , tried to do that . No fun for the first couple outings . All the best to you .

[Jim Rowland]

Got my hernia repair 15 days ago and still not quite comfortable in some positions. My doc told me yesterday that the best procedure is based on the old joke: Patient: Doc it hurts when I do dat.

Doc: Don't do dat.
Love and sympathy,

Jim

[belbein]

This too shall pass; hope you mend soon. When I hurt myself and can't do what I'm used to doing, I try to figure out what I can still do. It's usually something that I've been too busy to do. Like: If I hurt my shoulder lifting weights, I can still do lower body weights. Which I haven't been doing, because I've been (over) concentrating on my upper body ... which is probably why I hurt myself in the first case. In any case, I'm not saying that everything is a blessing, but in making the best of it, I find that there are silver linings.

[OldSausage]

some tips , for what they are worth ..

1. Find someone to load your mando and gear into your car
2. Have them drive the car to your jam/gig
3. Have them find you a suitable chair so you don't have to walk around or stand
4. Have them sit next to you and strum or pick your mando
5. Find someone else to fret for you
6 .Have another friend bring you a coffee
7. Call the tune then sit back and enjoy

I've been there , tried to do that . No fun for the first couple outings . All the best to you .

You've met my mother-in-law, then

[mandroid]

I think you can take 1 arm off most [Everest And Jennings, et,al] wheelchairs , to play sitting in them.

[6guns]

Get well soon. As said, I would think the strap could be an interim solution.

I've had both of my shoulders operated on (at different times) and one required that I buy a little travel guitar to be able to get my strum arm over the body of it. Where there's a will, there's a way.

[OU1]

Thank you all for suggestions and comments! Merry Christmas to you all......I'll be pickin soon!

PS.... A couple of you mentioned playing with a strap.....I will do it, I have never been that comfortable with a strap so this will be good practice!

Scott

[OU1]

Got my hernia repair 15 days ago and still not quite comfortable in some positions. My doc told me yesterday that the best procedure is based on the old joke: Patient: Doc it hurts when I do dat.

Doc: Don't do dat.
Love and sympathy,

Jim

Jim...hope you are healing well..I severely underestimated this procedure, it was brutal!

Scott

[Ivan Kelsall]

Regarding bending over (leaning forward) when playing. I suffer from chronic lower back pain & leaning forward or even sitting up straight is NOT the thing to do. It's ok while you're doing it,just don't expect to be able to stand up straight for an hour or so without dreadful pain afterwards. I use a strap,& lean back in my chair to play & it causes me no problems at all. I might not be able to judge the tone of my mandolin as well as i might do otherwise,but i can clearly hear every note that i play & can judge the correctness of my playing. You could try the same thing out for a while until you're feeling better,& i wish you a speedy recovery,
Ivan

[Pasha Alden]

Hope you are able to play soon.

[Pasha Alden]

Agreed with Belbein. As for the hernia, I am not sure, but I do not have to bend down when playing my mandolin. Perhaps my sitting position is incorrect?

Anyhow, hope you mend and play soon!

[lorrainehornig]

Get well soon! In the meantime, while you are having difficulty playing, psyche yourself up with some really good mandolin cds.

[Timmando]

It sounds like you play mandolin using the Mike Marshall position, sitting down, left leg on a small stool, leaning over it, pointing the top of your head to the listener. I don't like that position as I feel cramped up. Since I came from guitar, I have, from day one, played mandolin standing up with a strap holding the neck at the peghead. This is a good time for you to try standing up and playing, not only to avoid pain in your belly, but because if you play in a band, you will probably need to stand up, use a strap and look forward with your eyes looking at the neck sometimes, other times looking at the audience. I had a double-hernia years ago and I sympathize with you during recovery...don't baby it but don't rip it open again. My doctor told me to gently rub the areas that are numb to bring back nerve sensations to the area, this was after all bandages were off. Sounds like you are still bandaged up, stitches in, so take it easy and stand up to play if it allows no pain.

[OU1]

It sounds like you play mandolin using the Mike Marshall position, sitting down, left leg on a small stool, leaning over it, pointing the top of your head to the listener. I don't like that position as I feel cramped up. Since I came from guitar, I have, from day one, played mandolin standing up with a strap holding the neck at the peghead. This is a good time for you to try standing up and playing, not only to avoid pain in your belly, but because if you play in a band, you will probably need to stand up, use a strap and look forward with your eyes looking at the neck sometimes, other times looking at the audience. I had a double-hernia years ago and I sympathize with you during recovery...don't baby it but don't rip it open again. My doctor told me to gently rub the areas that are numb to bring back nerve sensations to the area, this was after all bandages were off. Sounds like you are still bandaged up, stitches in, so take it easy and stand up to play if it allows no pain.

You are quite right on all accounts.....I do play like Marshall....others have suggested something very similar as you have....since the post, I have played standing with a strap...very awkward at first.....still practicing the technique. Thanks for your suggestions, I am putting it into play!

Scott

[notneils]

You are quite right on all accounts.....I do play like Marshall....others have suggested something very similar as you have....since the post, I have played standing with a strap...very awkward at first.....still practicing the technique. Thanks for your suggestions, I am putting it into play!

Scott

Watch your foot position. My young healthy daughter has had to re-align her feet as she plays fiddle standing for an hour or two a day and it was hurting her back. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart, pointing ever so slightly out. Maybe shift weight back & forth while practicing. You don't want to end up w a bad back while trying to avoid other pain!

[OU1]

Watch your foot position. My young healthy daughter has had to re-align her feet as she plays fiddle standing for an hour or two a day and it was hurting her back. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart, pointing ever so slightly out. Maybe shift weight back & forth while practicing. You don't want to end up w a bad back while trying to avoid other pain!

Great advice! It is different...way different to play standing up.

[Paul Busman]

I may have missed it on this thread, but what kind of hernia was this? Inguinal or umbilical? Mesh repair? The location may have something to do with your discomfort while playing leaning over.
That said, this might be a good time to start playing in a more upright position. Why hunch over anyway? As a temporary measure, you might even try playing in a slight reclining position. I often noodle away on my mandolin in that position while watching the news at night.

[OU1]

I may have missed it on this thread, but what kind of hernia was this? Inguinal or umbilical? Mesh repair? The location may have something to do with your discomfort while playing leaning over.
That said, this might be a good time to start playing in a more upright position. Why hunch over anyway? As a temporary measure, you might even try playing in a slight reclining position. I often noodle away on my mandolin in that position while watching the news at night.

Hi Paul, it is in the lower area...about a 4 inch incision....I have had quite a bit of advice in the direction of standing....I believe you are the first to suggest reclining.....I think through the recovery, I have figured that one out....it was good too because I could not look directly at the frets and had to go more off of sound and figure out the fret position...it was and is still great exercise. Thanks for suggestions sir! Have a great Christmas.

[PsychoMedic]

It may be some form of cosmic punishment because you are a Sooner. I'm going with that.

Hook Em,

Clif

[OU1]

It may be some form of cosmic punishment because you are a Sooner. I'm going with that.

Hook Em,

Clif

Clif....it sure could be...maybe an ongoing punishment from the red river rivalry game this year.....the horns were reaaaaaady!

Take care!

Boomer Sooner!

Scott

[Petrus]

Be glad you don't play the subcontrabass saxophone.