I was practising today, and the piece I was playing has many difficult double stops, so I focussed my whole practice on double stops - octaves etc (probably unwise, I wasn't really thinking).

Halfway through, my fourth finger started bending really oddly - not from the second joint, only from the first, and when I tried to bend my fingers normally, I couldn't bend the second joint, only the first, so it looked weird and felt very strained.

I carried on playing for a bit, trying very hard to curve all fingers properly - I probably pushed my fingers a bit too much in doing so. I stopped after five minutes or so, because I could see it would be foolish to carry on - my finger was by this time bending normally, but still feeling very strained.

Now my finger feels extremely odd, and the whole hand where the tendons are at the back of the hand feels strained.

What shall I do?! I've got to practise as much as I can at the moment, I've got a really important audition coming up! Shall I ice pack my hand now? What did I do?!

Help!

Am panicking....not least because last time I had physical problems I was off playing for five months. I realise that was exceptional, but I'm still panicking that it's going to happen again...

I've got no advice but just wanted to say

It's horrible not being able to play your instrument, especially with an audition or performance approaching (this happened to me a few months ago - piano though, not cello). I recommend listening to recordings of the pieces you are performing, analysing the score, really getting your head around the sound you want to create - so that when you get back to your instrument you have clear goals in mind.

Good luck, I really hope it gets sorted out soon.

Talk to you teacher for advice. They may know someone who is a specialist to advise you. The teacher may be able to think of things you can do without playing.

In my experience if it is short term stiffness from over use but not an injury as such it is likely to be at its most painful and stiff about 2 days after, then it should ease off quite quickly, so don't panic if it seems to get worse for a couple of days.

Hope it gets better soon

I find that taking arnica helps injuries such as sprains heal more quickly, so it might help in this case. And Ibuprofen is a mild anti-inflammatory.

Arnica (cream and or pillules) can help a lot with anything to do with bruising.

Random thought: how about soaking your hands in warm water and giving the offending digits a gentle massage? Or massaging them with oil of some sort? You could even follow the advice of the Very Famous Violinist and put some epsom salts into warm water to help relax the muscles.

Don't know if any of this will help, might be worth attacking it from several angles (ibuprofen, rest, massage. epsom salts, and so on - and of course, consult your teacher) and like nic says, do whatever you can away from the instrument (or some open string bowing exercises) so you don't feel you're wasting time and are less tempted to risk using your hand again too soon.

I hope it turns out to be non-serious and fast to mend

Thank you, everyone.

I've got some ibruprofen gel which I put on last night, and I also ice-packed it last night and put a tubigrip on it today (mainly to remind myself not to use it).

I think I've definitely strained something. The pain is still going on and off. Hopefully just a strain, so it will go back to normal soon, right? I'm pretty sure it's a tendon, because it's in the right place and goes up the back of my hand.

I haven't practised yet today, and I think I might only do an hour today - I'll be careful.

It's just such a pain. This is such a bad time to have problems - I really need to be increasing practise levels, not decreasing them. Though there's never a *good* time...

I'll ask my teacher on Sunday, which is when I'm seeing him next.

I'm crossing my fingers (except that one!) that it will be back to normal very soon....

ARGH.

Just did a pathetic paltry about 25-min practice.

Already I was feeling the strain.

Never mind the pain for the moment, I seem to have developed a whole new incredibly bad habit - when I play high up, my second finger joint collapses on my 4th finger. Why??? Why suddenly?? The only way I can see to stop this at the moment is to put the whole hand closer to the fingerboard, so the fingers HAVE to curve, but it feels such a strain.

This is ridiculous.

Would it be possible for you to talk to your teacher before Sunday? It does sound as if you need some good advice - and fast.

If I were you, I would also be contacting my GP especially in view of the fact that you have had problems with your hands/wrists before. Your doctor should be able to advise you whether cold or heat will be more beneficial.

Good Luck - I hope you can get it sorted very quickly.

Okay.

Beginning to panic.

Still having problems.

I don't think I would be panicking like this, but after last time, when I got problems very suddenly which started fairly small and then I ended up not playing for months - I'm terrified it will happen again.

I'll ask my teacher on Sunday - I can't really do anything before then. I'm avoiding playing strenous LH stuff. But - argh.

I'm just hoping this will end up being paranoia alone...

I should just not do anything with your LH at all, cello-wise. It isn't worth the risk, especially if there is any possibility a few days rest will help. Loads of bowing stuff (just think of all the bowing practice you can get done!!) and practising away from the instrument. And give your LH loads of TLC, massages, warm baths, arnica, epsom salts...

I really, really hope that it turns out to be nothing serious, cellocase *hugs*

I agree with sarah-flute. Rest it for a couple of days completely. I think the ice pack thing is good in the first 48 hours but after that I would go for soaking it in warm water. Do you know anyone (or a local swimming pool) with a Jacuzzi? Go and sit in a Jacuzzi! and try to chill. Hold your hand in front of one of the jets (not right up against the jet so it takes a pounding but a few inches away just so it gets a gentle random massage from the warm water). Hold a mug of hot chocolate in your injured hand afterwards and drink that, this is a well proven remedy for hand injuries.

Instead of practise is there work on memorizing pieces which you need to do and could be done partly just in your head?

My son's cello teacher always says if it hurts stop as you could cause yourself longterm problems by carrying on.
When he landed on his left elbow and cracked it he just practised his bowing.
As others have said it's much better to do nothing for a few days to let your hand recover then build up your double stopping slowly to prevent it happening again.