how to adapt to injury?

scottw · Post by **scottw** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 10:34 pm

hi, all--- sorry for the awful typing, but i've just had a very bad left hand injury (lost a fight with a table saw!). my question is this: has anyone else here gone through a debilitating left hand injury, and how did you manage the handling and steadying of the tuba? any suggestions? how soon after injury did you resume playing? i play a BBb mirafone 186 which, fortunately, does not need much slide pulling.any thoughts--either here or privately--will be MUCH appreciated!

by the way--i already use a k & m playing stand-----just up and down, holding the horn steady, transporting it: these are some of the things i need to start thinking about. thanks in advance!

scottw · Post by **scottw** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:04 am

thanks to all so far for the suggestions. i am not looking for therapy here on the board--just suggestions for dealing with a large object basically one-handed for awhile! i start therapy tomorrow and that's where all the injury-specific stuff will be discussed; what i need is tuba-specific info that i can adapt to my situation.

RyanSchultz · Post by **RyanSchultz** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 2:12 pm

Sorry about your injury to your left hand.

Not to minimize the situation, but I would say "Just do it." I played tuba left handed when I broke my arm in Junior High. Chris Olka performed Symphonic Metamorphasis with Seattle SO left handed. You'll adapt, we're amazing adapters. . .

Good Luck!

Matt G · Post by **Matt G** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 6:55 pm

RyanSchultz wrote:Sorry about your injury to your left hand.

Not to minimize the situation, but I would say "Just do it." I played tuba left handed when I broke my arm in Junior High. Chris Olka performed Symphonic Metamorphasis with Seattle SO left handed. You'll adapt, we're amazing adapters. . .

Good Luck!

Yeah, but Chris is already left handed!

He used to practice all of his fingerings left handed, a trick learned from Sam Pilafian.