Joe Trohman, band member of Fall Out Boy, will be unable to perform in the rest of the band's 2025 shows due to the necessity of hand surgery to prevent long-term damage.
In the world of music, the risk of injury is not exclusive to playing the guitar. Several high-profile musicians have faced various health challenges that affected their playing ability. Here are some notable examples:
**Django Reinhardt** One of the most famous cases is Django Reinhardt, the legendary gypsy jazz guitarist. In 1928, a fire in his caravan resulted in severe burns on half his body, including the ring and pinky fingers of his left hand. Doctors believed he would never play guitar again, but Reinhardt defied the odds and famously relearned to play using mainly his index and middle fingers, with limited use of his injured fingers for chords. Despite his injuries, Reinhardt became a legend in the world of jazz[1].
**Jonny Greenwood** Radiohead's lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood developed a repetitive stress injury in the 1990s. This injury required him to wear a brace on his right arm during performances, which he described as similar to taping up fingers before a boxing match. Despite this, Greenwood continued to perform and maintain his innovative playing style[3].
**Steve Vai** Another well-known guitarist, Steve Vai, sustained a serious injury due to prolonged playing of a difficult chord on an acoustic guitar. Vai underwent surgery on his tendons to rectify the issue. During his recovery, he invented a new technique called "joint-shifting." This technique proved so effective that Vai used it to write the song "Candle Power" from his 2022 studio album Inviolate[2].
**Other Notable Mentions** Tony Iommi (of Black Sabbath) and Dave Mustaine (of Megadeth) are two other guitarists who have had publicly documented injuries affecting their playing ability. Iommi lost the tips of two fingers in an industrial accident at age 17, forcing him to create new playing techniques and helping pioneer heavy metal guitar. Mustaine suffered nerve damage in his left arm after a nerve compression injury in 2002, which temporarily limited his playing.
These examples highlight how some of the most influential guitarists have overcome serious injuries to continue their careers. Fall Out Boy's guitarist, Joe Trohman, is the latest in this line of resilient musicians. Trohman will be out of action for the rest of the year due to surgery on an injured picking hand. Despite this, Fall Out Boy will still be playing all scheduled shows. The news of Trohman's injury was shared on the band's Instagram account, accompanied by a photo[4].
For the latest music and gear news, reviews, deals, features, and more, subscribe to the MusicRadar Newsletter. Stay tuned for updates on Trohman's recovery and the future of Fall Out Boy.
| Name | Injury/Incident | Impact on Playing | |-------------------|--------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| | Django Reinhardt | Severe burns, fingers damaged | Relearned with limited hand use[1] | | Jonny Greenwood | Repetitive stress injury | Used a brace, but continued to play[3] | | Steve Vai | Injury due to prolonged playing | Underwent surgery, invented "joint-shifting" | | Joe Trohman | Surgery on injured picking hand | Out of action for the rest of the year[4] | | Tony Iommi | Lost finger tips (not in search results) | Developed new techniques | | Dave Mustaine | Nerve damage (not in search results) | Temporarily limited playing |
[1] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Django-Reinhardt [2] https://www.guitarworld.com/news/2022-03-15-steve-vai-s-new-song-candle-power-features-joint-shifting-technique [3] https://www.nme.com/news/music/radiohead-s-jonny-greenwood-says-he-wore-brace-on-arm-for-repetitive-stress-injury-3160096 [4] https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd41_1qn6jW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In the realm of health and wellness, the world of music is not immune to injuries that can affect one's career. For instance, science has shown that continued repetitive stress, as experienced by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, can lead to injuries necessitating protective measures like braces [3]. Additionally, fitness and exercise, such as practising complex chords for extended periods, can result in physical injuries, as evidenced by Steve Vai's need for tendon surgery and subsequent innovation of the "joint-shifting" technique [2].
