Touring musician with HSD & Slipping Rib Syndrome surgery recovery - need travel and pacing tips!
Hi everyone, I was recently diagnosed with HSD and am desperate for some advice on managing long car rides and touring.
I’ve been a touring musician for almost 10 years, but my symptoms skyrocketed this past year after having bilateral rib fixation surgery for Slipping Rib Syndrome (which I had before my HSD diagnosis).
Right now, a typical tour day looks like a 5–7 hour drive, a 1-hour soundcheck, and a 1-hour show. It is completely draining me. I also have pectus excavatum, carpal tunnel, and severe tenderness at my surgical site over a year later. Just holding my guitar and singing background vocals takes all the air out of me.
My biggest challenges right now:
The Car Rides: They feel like human torture.
The Fatigue/Pain: There is barely any recovery time between gigs.
The Guilt: My bandmates (we are all small-framed women) are incredibly supportive and carry/unload everything for me, but I feel like such a burden making them lift heavy gear. I know it takes a toll on their bodies too.
Our tours usually anywhere from 2–5 weeks. I love playing music and I want to do this forever, but this is my fourth tour since surgery and I'm losing hope. I want to go home every single day and am just pushing through severe pain.
Would love to hear from any traveling musicians with HSD/hEDS, or anyone with tips on surviving long road trips, rib pain, and managing the emotional guilt of pacing yourself. Thank you!