Needing guidance, regarding my injured hand

[Mozzi]

If someone really wants to play the guitar, they will find a way to work with what they have. It may mean the OP will have to work a bit harder to overcome some issues but there are ways. A lot of single note solo's don't require a lot of movement or speed with the index finger and can be used more to anchor their hand around that position with the rest of the fingers doing a lot of the work. Not being 'accurate' with the finger on just the string being struck can be a good thing as it can mute the other strings.

Being relatively new to guitar, having this injury may not be too much of a set-back as you can learn to work within your limitations. If it happened much later, whilst you do have the knowledge, you have to re-learn technique, learn ways to overcome or get round the problems, build up new muscle memory so that it becomes instinctive without slipping back into the technique you had before - essentially getting set-back much further. If you learn to play a chord or solo a certain way, trying to learn to play it a different way because of an injury can be more difficult without slipping back to the old way. Its become instinctive so you have to try and break that instinct as well as teach your fingers new muscle memory.

 

[tabl10s]

Got scratched by cat #6 and ended up with " Scratch Fever" (a real thing). Swollen pinky, can't straighten and ìt falls to the side slowly when the hand is open.

Luckily, the finger is bent and I can play. Not sure if I'll do surgery.

 

[CandidPicker]

I learned to play slide one Summer when the corner of my left thumb was cut off and I couldn't fret notes for about six weeks.

ES,

This is a good solution. Not only would it free up the three remaining fingers for lead/chord work, the index finger could support the slide and not be part of the actual soloed leads. Brilliant.

 

[Huggy Love]

I am currently right handed and injured my left index finger so my thoughts after only learning guitar for a yr is to switch to left handed guitar annd yes put the pick between thumb and second finger as you mentioned. Your opinion is that my best direction?

So your doctor didn't give you any paths to regain any mobility in that finger?
No physical therapy?
Corrective surgery?
Did he say that's it, that's as good as it will get?

With the index finger having problems switching to playing left hand you might have problems holding and even using the pick. Using a second finger and thumb doesn't sound appealing either IMHO.

If it were me, I'd go back to the DR and at least ask those questions. Then I would see how well I could do playing right handed with the gimpy joint. It could be a big obstacle in moving forward in learning guitar *BUT* it also might give you a path to develop your own style of playing.

Perfect example: Django Rienhardt - Got his hand burned up when he was a kid but still wanted to play so much that he figured out how to run around on the guitar using essentially two fingers and is considered one of the most influential jazz guitarists of all time.

You never know, you could be the next Django.

 

[Smokin Ultra classic]

So your doctor didn't give you any paths to regain any mobility in that finger?
No physical therapy?
Corrective surgery?
Did he say that's it, that's as good as it will get?

With the index finger having problems switching to playing left hand you might have problems holding and even using the pick. Using a second finger and thumb doesn't sound appealing either IMHO.

If it were me, I'd go back to the DR and at least ask those questions. Then I would see how well I could do playing right handed with the gimpy joint. It could be a big obstacle in moving forward in learning guitar *BUT* it also might give you a path to develop your own style of playing.

Perfect example: Django Rienhardt - Got his hand burned up when he was a kid but still wanted to play so much that he figured out how to run around on the guitar using essentially two fingers and is considered one of the most influential jazz guitarists of all time.

You never know, you could be the next Django.

The finger has already gone through a lot in having a cadaver nerve put into it plus reattaching the tendon. Most of feeling should come back in time. More surgery would only cause more scare tissue. Doctor said more surgery may not help anymore than it is right now. Holding the guitar left handed doesn't feel that strange as well as holding pick with right hand (ring and thumb).

 

[Smokin Ultra classic]

ES,

This is a good solution. Not only would it free up the three remaining fingers for lead/chord work, the index finger could support the slide and not be part of the actual soloed leads. Brilliant.

Being a new guitarist, if I had more experience in playing the guitar I probably would be able to figure out alternatives but since I just started 10 months ago I don't know how too. Learning online (JamPlayer) I am emulating (left hand) guitar lessons.

 

[dogrocketp]

As a public service to my PRS brethren and sisters, if you live anywhere near Maryland, DC, or Virginia. Go to the Curtis National Hand Center at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore when you have trouble. If possible, book an appointment with Dr. Ray Wittstadt, aka- the hand god. He’s a bass player who has had hand surgery. He also has a musician’s clinic once a month to help retrain your hands. There is also a therapist there named Lauren Valdata. These 2 are the best of the best, Shawn @ PRS, please make sure everybody at the factory knows about them. If this is geographically inconvenient, find a hand specialist who has trained there.I went to 3 other hand guys before I found Ray. I’ve had 4 surgeries now, Including repairing a dead ulnar nerve in my left arm. Without them, I’m reading Premier Guitar instead of playing PRS.