finger splits - Healing fingers

[trickyricky]

Hello all and blessings in this season and the coming new year!!!

There has been some discussion about fingers splitting, taping the cuts, etc. I don't mean to sound like a commercial, but I read that alot of distance runners are using "Preparation H" cream to heal blisters and small cuts. They said it actually helps with the pain, reduces the swelling, speeds the healing process. I have used it on blisters and I thought it worked pretty well...stinks though. Just thought I would mention it in case anyone wants to try it.
Peace....soon (I pray)
trickyricky

[JohnnyConga]

NO THANK YOU!!! ...."JC" Johnny Conga....

[onile]

I'm afraid that I must agree with my brother, JC! NO Thank you!
Although, one of the main ingredients of Prep H used to be "shark oil" or some other property of the shark!

I recently got over a really hard time with my fingers though, splits on each of them (except the thumb of course). The temperature change, the fact that I had been practicing in my bedroom before going to bed (I have a downy comforter, oh la di fricken da!) I didn't use any "manteca de corojo", and next thing I new, finger splits! I had a few gigs after that, so it was back to "taping" for me. Despite the fact that I boasted about never having to use tape, I had to eat my words. Taping is still the best assurance, although there is an art to taping my friend. Now maybe someone can begin a thread on that!? hummmmm.

Many blessings!

Onile!

[CongaTick]

TrinkyRick and others with splits,

No other choice for me but to tape, tape, tape. I use something called Sports Tape -- a no-name brand found in Giant groceries. Sort of the same kind of stuff used to tape boxers' hands, etc. $1.99 for a roll. Though I've gone long periods without splits-- sooner or later they will return. About a 6" piece wound around the business end of each of 3-4 fingers. Works well and protects against splits

[ABAKUA]

NO THANK YOU!!! ...."JC" Johnny Conga....

Word. Same here bro, no thanks..

Trickyricky, you gots to "man the F*ck up" bro! jokes brother. :laugh:

Like JC worte elsewhere...

.....Callouses are expected after a while of playing, u can't get away from it really. My hands are calloused because I play everyday,and I have always been a "hard hitter", cause when I was coming up we HAD NO SOUND SYSTEMS, no microphones, so you had to hit hard to be heard,and I have always played that way. Congas are a "macho" instrument and you cant "pitty pat" with the drum...I constantly have to explain the difference between "tapping" on the drum and "hitting" the drum...callouses have nothing to do with the sound you get on the drum....techinique and lots of practice will do it...

Im guessing you havent been playing too long Ricky, that the splits are an issue for you still.
It is a part of everyday conga life if you are playing with balls and sentimiento.

On occasion I get splits when I been gigging hard and for a few days, but then a little tape over the split solves the problem. Within 3 days or so, they are cured. Its amazing how quickly your hands cure themselves. When you come home, a good thing to do if you have splits is the following: Cut a lemon in half and squeeze a few drops over the split area, let it dry naturally, and repeat 4-5 times every hour or so for a times. Do this for 2 - 3 days and your split will be cured. Sure it stings alittle, but man up! You can take it. Its good for you. And will cure you far quicker than natural healing.
There are other well known techniques also for conditioning the hand. The oldest one of all, first urine of the day, when you wake up, urinate on your hands, shake it off, let it dry naturally, then wash it once dried.
The acids etc in your urine condition your hand, minimilise callouse build up and give you strong hands, its a practise I no longer have to do, my hands are well conditioned and I have honed my technique very well.
Splits are to be enjoyed and showed off! Boast them to your fellow percussionists! hehehehe
With my drummer/timbalero, we are always competing over who gets the better splits! (he also plays congas/bata etc)

The topic of taping up hands was covered in THIS THREAD (click here to see!)

Check it out!



Edited By ABAKUA on 1135736415

[franc]

guys,
i agree with ''no,no!!! to PH. i don't know much about tape . but i pick the best for my fingers. i use the ''one inch'' cloth like tape. is great . it does not loosen ,also absorb sweat and protects. i also use ''bandaid'' i prefer the ''NEXCARE'' is sterile and will help the healing process . it is best to use more than one since one don't go all the way around ones finger. is very flexible and will stick for hours while giging. also very pores to respect to sweat. for me it has worked both wonders!! HAPPYYYYYY NEWWWWW YEARRRRR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!SEE YOU LATER IN THE FORUM!! áche!! :0 franc

[El Boni]

Hey, anyone else ever get splits ON TOP of their fingers? (ie on the back). I've never met anyone else this happens to, but I get it occasionally if I don't ensure my hands are warm before playing. Sometimes they're pretty deep too. And no, I don't play with the back of my hands!
B

[trickyricky]

HAHAHA I wasn't suggesting you use your buddy's "used" prep H. -SHEESH- Was just sharing something I read. I used it on a couple of blisters on my feet and I think it helped them heal quicker, and that was the key thing I was looking for. By the way, <smile> I have kept an eye on my feet AND so far they don't look like butts.

I wasn't whining, I don't have any splits, don't use tape. I must have good technique <grin>.

[akdom]

Hi there

PH is actually good for skin and stuff, but not to heal cuts.

Lemme give you a little trick here.

Taping is great. I use water proof band aids. They are transparent and stick like ####. I use 2 or 3 of them on the same cut.

NOW, here is a really good trick for small injuries leke small scratches etc... Liquid band aid. I am also a cook and I often cut myself. Then using tomatoes, lime etc is like putting your fingers in fire. I have this liquid band aid that dryes in minutes and is totally invisible. It stays in place for a couple of days and stays soft.

Just try it guys.

See ya

season's greatings.

B

[Smejmoon]

Vitamin E helped me with splitting skin a long time ago. My dentist suggested me that and that worked in a week or so. Afterwards hands just adjusted to being beaten every day

[JohnnyConga]

Guys it's about "technique", ...Your hands will go thru changes of course, it is the natural order when it comes to playing the drum with ur hands....NO PAIN NO GAIN, look use bandaids-I use Nexcare also ,, they stay on and will protect your hands from splits. I have "scar" tissue all over my fingers from years of playing, if I didn't tape I would have blood all over my drums, and that has nothing to do with technique, it has to do with the durability of my skin. But after 40 years of hitting the drum, you kinda get used to the little problems and fix them...that's all folks!.....HAPPY NEW YEAR!... 'JC" Johnny Conga....

[franc]

J.C,
my best always. you just rested the case!!! HAPPY NEW YEARRRR!!!!!
áche!!! your friend, franc

[rumbaman]

How is everyone doing today my blessings to all . I have never used anything on my hands . I think you have to build them up just like any other instrument you play , and deal with it . The calouses will come and go for as long as you play theirs no way around it .

rumbaman

[windhorse]

No splits here, but definitely get soreness in the joints and metacarpals. Worst problem is sore muscles in neck and forearms.
Always working on technique!

[onile]

Alafia Abures!
May you all have an incredibly abundant amount of blessings this coming New Year!

Okay, one thing that I've come to understand about "finger splits" is that they are self caused (and yes, I do have a firm grasp of the obvious!), either as a result of poor technique, or more commonly and less discussed, poor sound. Let me explain; when we're playing the skins, our head is either focussed on the drum it'self, or looking around at the other musicians/audience. I don't know about all of you guys my brothers, but I have only two ears, and they're both on opposite sides of my cranium enclosure, that's where I normally keep my brain encased. Sometimes, if you pay attention, you'll see congueros turn their heads, but their eyes are still looking forward with a somewhat awkward look on their face. This is when they are trying to hear the particular nuances of their playing. The sound being produced is mostly missed by the player, that's why we play harder, that and the fact that sometimes, the band isn't mic'd well, or at least the conguero gets no love from the sound engineer. So, what we (congueros), hear more of are the other players and therefore we try to account for it by playing louder. The only way for us to play louder is........................................play harder! Ouch!

The harder we play, the more natural body oils produced by the hand, we loose, the dryer the hands become. Also, as we play harder, the natural response of the body is to send as much fluid/blood to those parts of the body to "cushion" the joints/tendons and other sensitive parts, thereby making the fingers "swell up". The skin can only swell up so much after loosing most, if not all of the oil in the hands, then 'crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack/split!" again, OUCH!

Solution! Work on the technique, get a monitor device, either an "in-ear" or "floor" monitor, they even have the "mic" monitors which are somewhat compact and cool too. This, and also, I use "manteca de corojo" every time I play out. I lather up my hands, unless I'm going to play bongo, then I'm careful not to do so, because when I go to grab the cencerro, ooooops! it slips right out of my grasp.

Either way, if you can hear yourself you may not split your fingers as much, and you'll be able to truly sound the way you intend. Rather than beating you hands into oblivion and debilitating yourself.

Caviout! (warning) this does not give you permission to, as I read brothers Abakua and JC, state, "fairy tap" the drums. You will still need to exercise good technique, only not to the extreme of killing your hands! You'll pay for it later my brothers, trust me!

Respect, and Love!

Onile!



Edited By onile on 1135961703