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Thread: Arthritis and playing

  1. #1
    Forum Member Laker's Avatar
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    Arthritis and playing

    As I’ve aged I have noticed that my old hands have acquired a few quirks along the way and I’ve wondered how common these things are among my guitar/bass playing comrades.

    In the last few years I have noticed a definite slowing of several of my finger joints with a dull pain that exists in them 24 hours per day. Currently, when I get up in the morning and until I work it out, I find the second knuckle of the index finger of my right hand will actually pop causing the finger to jump, as I slowly open my fingers from a fist position. As a finger picking bass player I have found that I seem to have lost some of the speed/agility that I once had as a result of these aging joints.

    Just curious if anyone else has experienced something like this and found an aid/exercise to combat the situation. I found some exercises on the old inter-webs that seem to help but I have never heard so many popping sounds come from my knuckles in the past.
    Last edited by Laker; 09-05-2018 at 09:56 AM.

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    Forum Member FrankJohnson's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    Quote Originally Posted by Laker View Post
    As I’ve aged I have noticed that my old hands have acquired a few quirks along the way and I’ve wondered how common these things are among my guitar/bass playing comrades.

    In the last few years I have noticed a definite slowing of several of my finger joints with a dull pain that exists in them 24 hours per day. Currently, when I get up in the morning and until I work it out, I find the second knuckle of the index finger of my left hand will actually pop causing the finger to jump, as I slowly open my fingers from a fist position. As a finger picking bass player I have found that I seem to have lost some of the speed/agility that I once had as a result of these aging joints.

    Just curious if anyone else has experienced something like this and found an aid/exercise to combat the situation. I found some exercises on the old inter-webs that seem to help but I have never heard so many popping sounds come from my knuckles in the past.
    Yep - having these issues also - along with tendonitis. both hands periodically, and medicine doesn't seem to help much. Had a couple of cortisone shots, some other Tx. but nothing helps quick. I may drop back in amount of playing if it gets A LOT worse, but will probably continue doing sound.

    It was so bad a months or so ago - I coudn't even hold the neck of my bass with my left hand
    Kenny Belmont
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    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    I suffer from tendonitis myself. From time to time I get really sore wrists.

    Doctors say it's a matter of resting the hands and icing the wrists. It's not that easy, though. Nowadays we just can't rest our hands, everything is all about typing, texting, swiping screens...

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    Forum Member Laker's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    Quote Originally Posted by FrankJohnson View Post
    Yep - having these issues also - along with tendonitis. both hands periodically, and medicine doesn't seem to help much. Had a couple of cortisone shots, some other Tx. but nothing helps quick. I may drop back in amount of playing if it gets A LOT worse, but will probably continue doing sound.

    It was so bad a months or so ago - I coudn't even hold the neck of my bass with my left hand
    I find myself giving my hands a real workout when I wake up in the morning and my knuckles sound like a bunch of Pop Rocks or someone squeezing some small square bubble wrap until I get the kinks worked out. What has been a bummer for me is losing the speed and playing dexterity that I once had, but I have (hopefully) made up for that by rethinking what I do and still playing with my “feel” for the song.

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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    10 years in the military my career field called for me to work out a lot to stay in shape. Long marches with heavy packs, a lot of running, jumping, and diving in rough terrain beat me down all over. Tore the cartridge in both knees, multiple sprained ankles, wrists and fingers along the way were just thing I blew off in my 20's. Now, I'm in constant pain when I move and I walk more like an 80 year old man than one age 55. My body sounds like snap, crackle, and pop all the time. The night I turned over in bed and my hip goes pop and my wife's like was that you. Yeah, my hip pops now. Raising my arms above my head each should will pop and grind on the way up.

    I didn't start playing guitar until I was in my mid 30's and even there were chord shapes I just couldn't make fluidly. Some days now it's a lot worse and there will be times I've worked on a song to get it down then go back the next day and it's like starting over. I know the chords but I have to work up to being able to get my fingers to work so I can play the tune. That's mostly why I spend a lot of time soloing over chord arrangements because I can do that with a lot of stretching. I love playing and the worse my hands get the more and more I will use a slide.

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    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    CBD oil and balm has been helping with my fingers.

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    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    I have arthritis and severe nerve damage in my right wrist and hand. It hurts every day no matter what I do. I can pop my knuckles just by closing my hand, and repeatedly. My wrist is fused so I can only move my fingers. Really, about the only thing that seems to help is rest, some light stretches and being sure to play at a comfortable angle. Past that? Pain meds, and I ain’t taking them recreationally either. I’m only 36 and have been dealing with this for 10 years. I have 30% use of that hand, and it’s really frustrating. There’s only so much I can do. So I have to pick and choose what I want to do for the day, or I’ll REALLY be hurting. I don’t play anywhere near as much as I used to and that used to get me down. I’m not too happy about it but I’m learning to live with it.

    Don’t know what else to tell you, best of luck to you buddy.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

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    Forum Member Laker's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    Quote Originally Posted by chuckocaster View Post

    Don’t know what else to tell you, best of luck to you buddy.
    I guess it’s all part of living and you just learn to accommodate/adjust to what you can cover.

  9. #9
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    Exactly buddy! 👍 I know what works for me, not sure if it’ll help you. Have you seen an Orthopedic Dr or physical therapist?
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

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    Forum Member Laker's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    Quote Originally Posted by chuckocaster View Post
    Exactly buddy! 👍 I know what works for me, not sure if it’ll help you. Have you seen an Orthopedic Dr or physical therapist?
    So far I have just talked with the general practitioner who just described some hand exercises to do. I kind of look at it as I’m getting to be an old guy and there are no guarantees that the abilities/capabilities last to the end. I’m not dead yet and, with modification, I can still play what I hear in a song. Many of my contemporaries have given up.

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    Forum Member FrankJohnson's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    Quote Originally Posted by Laker View Post
    So far I have just talked with the general practitioner who just described some hand exercises to do. I kind of look at it as I’m getting to be an old guy and there are no guarantees that the abilities/capabilities last to the end. I’m not dead yet and, with modification, I can still play what I hear in a song. Many of my contemporaries have given up.
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    Forum Member melody's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    Quote Originally Posted by Don View Post
    CBD oil and balm has been helping with my fingers.
    It's surprising how well that balm works. I have been using it for a few years I also use medibles when the pain gets bad.

  13. #13
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    I would still recommend you see a specialist, just because they might be able to target more on what’s going on with you. If nothing else, they can confirm how far along you are. I’m only saying this because I still have a lot of years left to live, and my hand is pretty mangled. I only have about 30% use of it, and I’m 36. The biggest thing I have to do is to NOT reinjure or make it worse. There’s no more “fixing” it at the moment. If I had hurt it within the past couple years they could’ve 3D printed out some new bones and put them in. But sadly, as of right now, that’s not possible. Maybe someday?

    And while I don’t use CBD, I know it helps a lot of people. I tried it in several different preparations but I’d either get high AF or it didn’t do anything. But the balms, oils, and other topicals are definitely something to look at.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    I too have problems with some fingers, and thumbs not working like they used to. But my wife, (a bass player), has it worse. Last jam she complained of pain in her plucking fingers. My problem is not being able to properly make the chord shapes, and have taken to abbreviating some, and skipping those strings! I guess I'll need to stay more on the lap, (I seldom haul the pedal steel to jams, but it is easier to manage with non working fingers)!
    Also as a competitive shooter, my support hand thumb gives me fits. The younger fellows are able to best my scores more often! (I suppose that is the natural order of things!) I've even considered going to a lighter caliber, maybe next year!

  15. #15

    Re: Arthritis and playing

    I have sever neurological issue I have dealt with for many years. Back in my 20s (I'm 48) I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis as the symptoms are similar. About 15 years ago I started noticing these bouts would happen in the spring and late summer.

    One spring @ 2005 it was pretty bad, I had trouble walking when I got out of bed and couldn't play guitar for shit. I went on vacation to visit my father in Australia for a month. By the end of the first week my symptoms were gone almost 100%. It was weird, but hey I felt like an 18 year old and was loving it. When I came back and the symptoms slowly creeped back I asked my RA doctor why that may have been. He said, "You were on vacation so there was no stress". I thought that was total BS. I had also been asking the very same Dr if it was possible that my symptoms were related to either some deficiency in my diet or something else like smoking. He laughed it off saying the internet is making his job so much harder because people are self diagnosing themselves. So I decided to surf the web to see what I can find. :)

    Anyway, I found another Dr who was great. When I asked the same question about my symptoms being related to either some deficiency in my diet or something else like smoking she said "Funny you say that. I think you have a sever vitamin D deficiency".

    Around the same time I took an allergy test. I am allergic to everything they tested except grass pollen and pet dander, so were extreme allergies.

    Fast forward to 7/8 years ago. I started getting allergy shots. After several years of this condition slowly getting worse each year starting in the spring, waning a little in July/August and coming back strong from late August through September I noticed a couple of years after getting the shots the symptoms were not as severe.

    Three years ago when getting my annual check up with the ENT Dr I offhandedly mentioned my condition and how it seems to be a little better since I started taking shots. He was blown away. He said that my body creates histamines to fight off the allergies which can cause problems with inflammation. In some cases severe inflammation. Why he was blown away was because they just started understanding in the medical field about this.

    Anyway, the swelling becomes so bad you can see it in my fingers or feet. The symptoms usually are in my feet or hands. I have a show tomorrow and am really nervous I will play like shit and be in extreme pain. My hands started getting better, but my two index fingers are really killing me! So holding a pick and playing barre chords are going to be a real challenge.

    For the last two gigs I took a benedryl and 800-1000mg of motrin. I was able to play through, but with severely diminished ability. No shredding for me tomorrow!
    Fuzz is proof God love us and wants us to be happy. - Franklin
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  16. #16
    Forum Member Laker's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    Quote Originally Posted by Franklin View Post

    Fast forward to 7/8 years ago. I started getting allergy shots. After several years of this condition slowly getting worse each year starting in the spring, waning a little in July/August and coming back strong from late August through September I noticed a couple of years after getting the shots the symptoms were not as severe.

    Three years ago when getting my annual check up with the ENT Dr I offhandedly mentioned my condition and how it seems to be a little better since I started taking shots. He was blown away. He said that my body creates histamines to fight off the allergies which can cause problems with inflammation. In some cases severe inflammation. Why he was blown away was because they just started understanding in the medical field about this.

    Anyway, the swelling becomes so bad you can see it in my fingers or feet. The symptoms usually are in my feet or hands. I have a show tomorrow and am really nervous I will play like shit and be in extreme pain. My hands started getting better, but my two index fingers are really killing me! So holding a pick and playing barre chords are going to be a real challenge.

    For the last two gigs I took a benedryl and 800-1000mg of motrin. I was able to play through, but with severely diminished ability. No shredding for me tomorrow!
    I think what I’m experiencing is more the arthritis effects than battling an allergy.

    I understand the swelling of feet due to allergies. I’ve had a prescription for an antihistamine I’ve taken since the mid ‘70s with the result of not taking it being swollen throat, swollen feet, etc. what I’m running into at this point in my life is the knuckles of my hands losing flexibility and the pain and reduced motion that accompanies that.

  17. #17
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    I have some arthritis-like symptoms in my right (strumming/picking) hand. I'm a little ambidextrous, as I write and eat left-handed, so I think the needed dexterity has kept my fretting hand from suffering the same effects.

    My primary right hand issue is that the top knuckle of my ring finger "locks" at times, and I literally need to crack my knuckle to free it up. I've also suffered hand cramps in both, usually after a long bout of pulling weeds, or doing anything that requires a lot of hand strength.

    Just today I went to the range and realized I had forgotten my Uplula magazine loader. I cut my session short, as loading my magazines by hand became just too arduous. Besides, if I wrack up my hands loading, I'll be unable to grip my geets. And I can't let that happen!

  18. #18

    Re: Arthritis and playing

    Well I certainly couldn't shred on Saturday -not like I did much anyway. So for my extended solos I did some fast legato playing and those fast strumming double stops, crazy bends, etc.. when the solo built up. It can be cheesy, but usually well received.


    I had a lot of fun, so that is what matters!
    Last edited by Franklin; 09-11-2018 at 08:35 AM.
    Fuzz is proof God love us and wants us to be happy. - Franklin
    http://www.frankdenigris.com

  19. #19
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: Arthritis and playing

    Quote Originally Posted by OldStrummer View Post
    I have some arthritis-like symptoms in my right (strumming/picking) hand. I'm a little ambidextrous, as I write and eat left-handed, so I think the needed dexterity has kept my fretting hand from suffering the same effects.

    My primary right hand issue is that the top knuckle of my ring finger "locks" at times, and I literally need to crack my knuckle to free it up. I've also suffered hand cramps in both, usually after a long bout of pulling weeds, or doing anything that requires a lot of hand strength.

    Just today I went to the range and realized I had forgotten my Uplula magazine loader. I cut my session short, as loading my magazines by hand became just too arduous. Besides, if I wrack up my hands loading, I'll be unable to grip my geets. And I can't let that happen!
    Kinda the same here! I’ve switched almost all my rifles to gooseneck or pistol grips, and mainly just shoot my AR. Know they’re disliked and vilified by a lot of people, but they’re comfortable for me to shoot. Luckily there’s a good variety of calibers I can shoot out of them now. I have 22LR, 223, 300 Blackout, 6.5 Grendel and a 450 Bushmaster. I’m a hunter mostly, so I can go for anything from squirrels to bear. I still have all my nice bolt rifles, but it hurts to run them for very long. I just have to watch how much I shoot cuz same as you I won’t be able to play the geetar afterwards.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

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