Playing with a broken knuckle.

[Houdini]

To keep a long story short, I'm arguing with my lady, and i punched a dumpster, and i think i broke my knuckle.

I have to do concert work for the next two days, is this going to be possible with a broken knuckle? or is the risk of permanently messing up my hand to high to risk it?

[Cheungman]

i wouldn't play.

[Houdini]

I'm going to get bitched at bad, though. I just cant figure out what i should do.

[donteatpieontuesday]

depends if you can play through the pain barrier but i would certainly see a specialist or something to get it looked at and next time puch a wall not as hard

[DrummerJonny]

BAD idea.

your hand needs rest.

find someone to fill in for you, and rest it, otherwise you almost certainly damage it

which knuckle is it?

[Aaron]

Yeah you'll be fine. I played a gig last night with a sprained ankle.

[DrummerJonny]

sprained is different to broken. plus tbh you can play foot stuff without much ankle movement. (i know it wouldnt be good to, but you could...)

whereas a break could be compounded by the harsh movements of hitting a drum, plus finger movement and good grip is essential to playing drums...

[Aaron]

It's only a knuckle...

[DrummerJonny]

which gives movement to a whole finger

[Aaron]

Yeah, this entire thread I've been joking around obviously [aside from being dumb enough to do a gig with a sprained ankle]. With everything medical, a doctor is much better for advice than an internet forum.

[Damo]

What good is punching a dumpster?
Dont people talk out their issues anymore?

REST your hand, if you start putting pressure on it on its road to recovery, it may not recover at all.

Sure, you might miss a gig or two, but put it down to stupidity, experience and move on...

[Obelisk]

What good is punching a dumpster?


Better than punching her...

[raz0r]

Depends which knuckle it is.

If it's your thumb, first or second finger I'd definitely rest it.
If it's your 3rd finger or pinky it might be alright to play on it, but you'll be sacrificing control, and you COULD make the injury worse.

Have you seen a doctor about it?
It would help to know exactly what was broken; whether it's the joint itself or you've just chipped a bone.

Also, if you're not getting paid I'd definitely rest :p

[Houdini]

It's the third knuckle. I can bend the finger like this http://www.alexanderorthopaedics.com/images/trigger_finger_2.jpg but i only have about a half inch of motion to move it.

[Mr Pink]

You will be OK. Take an anti-inflamatory before the gig (Motrin, etc) and ice after if needed.

[Aaron]

If it's broken you wont be able to bend it like that.

[The Feeding]

^ true dat. I've broken many fingers and busted knuckles (ex-rageaholic haha)
If you can't bend the damn thing, you can't play period in my experience

[Harrow]

What kind of music are you playing? My drum teacher was building a stone wall and had a rock shift and crush his finger, he played a blues gig 2 days later. You should be still able to play to some capacity as long as it isn't insanely technically demanding material.

[Retarded Chipple]

Totally doesn't look broken.

It's up to you what you chose to do whether it be ignore the pain and play the gig anyway, see a doctor and take their advice, see a doctor then ignore their advice anyway etc etc

Dont people talk out their issues anymore?

Of course they do. They talk, get annoyed at what's being said then punch things :D

[jversluis88]

I broke my hand and couldn't play without messing it up for a good month

[theflame85]

you should have hit her.

hehe. just kidding.

[Charlie Daniels]

Probably too late to be helpful but it really depends on the severity of the break and the exact location.

Knuckle breaks can be serious as when breaks heal they often heal with a slight protruding ridge, which can restrict movement. The toe next to my big toe is permanently fused and has been for the last 5 years for this reason, I'd imagine the same thing could happen with a finger if it's the knuckle.

But if it's only a greenstick fracture, and not inside the joint, I'm pretty certain nothing bad would happen.

[Drummer300btx]

tape it up real good before the show after icing it and ****.