Blink-182 fans got a scare this week when Travis Barker shared a photo from a hospital bed with wife Kourtney Kardashian and daughter Alabama by his side. The drummer quickly cleared things up: he underwent surgery on October 7 for cubital tunnel syndrome, a condition where the ulnar nerve at the elbow gets compressed, causing numbness in his arm, hand and fingers that started after a show last month.
According to Barker, a nerve test on Monday confirmed he needed a cubital tunnel release, a procedure that takes pressure off the nerve. His reasoning is exactly what you’d expect from a guy whose whole life is rhythm: he wanted to get ahead of the injury so he could keep playing the way he plays for a long time. Recovery should take a few weeks, and he’s already promising a return to the kit. He even found time to joke that Kardashian looked a little too happy sitting next to her recovering husband.
It’s not the first health hurdle for Barker, who survived a 2008 plane crash and dealt with blood clots in 2018, which is why fans follow his updates so closely. This time, though, the story is a proactive fix rather than a crisis. Repetitive stress injuries are common for working musicians, and catching them early is how careers stay long.
What’s the most stubborn injury you’ve ever pushed through? Drop it in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.