fractured elbow

Sally Larsen · Post by **Sally Larsen** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:53 pm

Last week I shattered my right elbow when I fell in a basketball game. Fortunately there was an orthopedic surgeon in the emergency room, and I was able to have it pinned and wired back together that same night. (I live in rural Vermont, and believe me, it was an amazing stroke of luck to have the surgeon on hand.)
Right now there is a right-angle splint on my right arm, immobilizing wrist and elbow, but that should be modified in about three weeks. I can wiggle my fingers, but unfortunately can not support any weight at all with my arm. Prospects for tuba playing do not look good for quite a while.
Has anyone else managed to get through this sort of thing? Any thoughts at all would help; I'm feeling pretty bereft.
Thanks.
Sally "Lefty" Larsen

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:32 pm

I did the same to my right elbow about 25 years ago, but it wasn't on the basketball court, but in the parking lot of a 7-11 (it was night, the parking lot was badly lit and newly repaved with no striping). Like you, pins and wires, but I was discharged with only a sling and an appointment with a physical therapist the next week. At first, the range of motion wasn't very good and it hurt like the dickens. I kept exercising it and pushing the range of motion every day until I couldn't stand the discomfort.

Within 6 months, I had 100% motion back again (in spit of what I was told) and a year later, I had the pins and wires removed (the ends of the pins were irritating things and causing bursitis). While it twinges a bit when the weather changes, it's otherwise as good as the other elbow, except for not being able to feel anything if I bang it against something hard (no "funny bone" effect).

If your experience is anything like mine, be patient and you should have nothing to worry about.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:49 pm

Tuba stand. Might even come in handy after you heal...

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:35 pm

A tuba tamer music stand and chair might suffice. You have to deal with the valves with your left hand but it won't take long for you to figure it out.
Remember this world needs more tuba and you gotta get back in the game.
Dennis Gray
tubatooter1940
www.johnreno.com/

kontrabass · Post by **kontrabass** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:10 pm

Sorry about your arm - that really sucks.
I just jammed my finger last week - not a serious injury by any stretch, but I can certainly sympathise with the frustration of being hurt. When something doesn't work it's hard to have faith that it will heal - but it will. Just be patient.
In the meantime, take a vacation from the tuba. A few weeks off never hurt anyone, and nobody will expect you to be playing with a broken elbow. Buzz on your mouthpiece if you want to stay in shape, but don't push yourself too hard - let your body heal on its own.

I am a busy student and sometimes wish that I could just take a week off with no guilt whatsoever - of course then I get injured (careful what you wish for!). When I'm hurt and can't play, for whatever reason (which has happened a few times over my career), I use the opportunity to do things I wouldn't normally do - read lots of good books, watch movies, practice meditation, walk around and explore the city (as you're able to). Sometimes it's fate/God/Kismet/whatever telling you to take a step back and put things in perspective. When you're able to play again, you will be mentally and emotionally healed as well as physically.

Best of luck!

ArnoldGottlieb · Post by **ArnoldGottlieb** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:46 pm

I broke my thumb this summer and was off of the bass for weeks (my income). I'm back now but went thru a lot of physical therapy and do some each morning, the cold still messes with it a bit, but I've learned to be thankful for the ability to play. Try all of these suggestions in the other posts, you'll heal, and you might play with a fire you've never felt before.
Good Luck.
Peace. Arnold S. Gottlieb

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 12:59 am

12 years ago I broke my right hand--crushed in a vise. For seven months I had to do everything with my left hand. Playing the tuba was one of the easier things to do. The hardest thing to do was write--and I am a school teacher. I couldn't write on the board legibly. I could put a piece of chalk in my right hand and write something but it was bad. My left hand, though unbroken, was even worse!

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 11:43 am

If you can move your fingers without too much pain, the solution of the temporary borrowing of a sousaphone and the chair/stand that was invented by Wenger for it is a great temp solution. The brackets on the chair are all adjustable to get the horn right, and the back brace that holds up the sousaphone is flat, so you can tilt the souzy forward to fit into the chair.

The other thing my high school did was to purchase rolling tuba stands for the tubas, so you simply sit down and roll the tuba towards you. The bracket was on a spring of some sort that would move up and down with you.

greatk82 · Post by **greatk82** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 5:22 pm

I have been on and off my horn for 2 1/2 years due to some non-battle injuries to my back and hip suffered on my first tour to Iraq. I have been able to remain in playing shape by starting back at the basics and doing lip slurs and long tones as frequently as possible.
Best wishes on your recovery!