I’ve been playing guitar for over 25 years. Last year, I found out that I have osteoarthritis in the finger joints of my left (fretting) hand. I’m writing about it to help other guitarists out there who are struggling with the same problem and are having trouble figuring out what’s wrong (as I was) & how to live with it.
Last January, I started out practicing guitar full throttle. I set goals to learn a bunch of new fingerstyle tunes and to start arranging & writing. I originally started this blog as a way to share my progress & tunes. But a few months into the new regimen, the finger joints on my left hand (fretting hand) stopped cooperating. They’d stiffen up, especially upon waking in the morning. Playing guitar only made the problem worse. I stopped playing for a while, thinking that I’d simply rushed into practicing too much and needed to back off & ease into it. But the symptoms persisted. As a guitarist, the first things you think about are carpal tunnel syndrome & tendonitis, but the symptoms didn’t match. I scoured the Web and even researched warm-up hand stretches, hoping to find that my normal routine was incorrect or inadequate. Nothing.
So I finally ended up at my doctor’s office about it, and she knew it was osteoarthritis as soon as I described the symptoms:
- stiff finger joints in the morning (cant make a fist)
- joints loosen up in hot water (like in the shower)
- mild to moderate pain when playing guitar, or doing other activities with my hands (typing, etc)
I couldn’t believe it! I mean, I’m not even 40 yet! Where’s the warranty? She explained that osteoarthritis, unlike other forms of arthritis, is an overuse injury. Basically, I’ve worn down the cartilage between those joints from shredding over the years. Her solution: drugs. First Advil, then prescription meds when Advil no longer does the trick.
I will tell you that Advil does indeed help, especially for gigs & long practices. But one of my bandmates recommended a DVD called Healthy Hands, Wrists, & Forearms which has really helped me out. It’s basically a series of self-massage & strengthening exercises that helps your hands prepare for and recover from all the wear & tear you put on them. I highly recommend it. My joint stiffness is still there, and occasionally I have some pain…but it no longer interferes with my guitar playing.
Here’s the YouTube video that convinced me to try it. Maybe it’ll work for you. In retrospect, I wish I’d found this video before I started having problems. But that’s hindsight for ya.
No related posts.
I strongly recommend the cal-mag products produced by Peter Gilham, and available in many health supplement stores or online. Gilham’s formula is designed to be assimilated, whereas many cal-mag products are not absorbed very well. Also check out the homeopathic formula Rhus Toxicodendron produced by any maker of homeopathic products. Boiron is a good brand.
Here’s a good resource site for guitar players:
http://www.elutherie.org/repetitive-strain-injury/
Shorten that strap if you’re playing it slung low.
And say no to drugs! Even Advil is simply a shot gun mask of the nervous system. You want to restore communication, not shut it down.
The Healthy Hands, Wrists & Forearms thing is great!
Try to relax and breath when playing guitar. Fretting hand pressures and tensions should have less relationship to the attitude and aggressive nature of rocking out. In other words, Townshend’s windmills, grimacing guitar faces and such are theatrics expressing the emotion of the music– not the actual effort required to play the instrument. When people confuse this, they employ excessive force playing the instrument.
I get that you’ve been playing a very long time, and you’re not unaware. Just re-look at your playing processes, stay loose, stay light and flow– even if your sound and style are heavy and aggressive. Any effort beyond that necessary to fret, change, bend and vibrato is wasted energy and wear & tear on the body.
Cheers!
jp
Thanks, JP! This is all great advice. I was just thinking about a follow-up post, so this is very timely.
I found your blog in a google search and wanted to thank you for the info. I just turned 60 and work in an office job that requires typing all day so that alone does a number on my hands before I ever pickup the guitar. My playing is just one of several hobbies I enjoy and I don’t do any gigging but have 24 track PC software. One thing I’m looking into is buying a guitar with the short scale and another obvious solution is using .008′s (ultra light) strings. I’m not a fast player and I can back off when it starts to bother me too much but the typing is going to be around for another six years. As they say, it is what it is so I just try to do what I can with what I have.
I’m glad it helped! I really need to do a follow up to this. Since I wrote this post, I’ve been playing more than I ever have in my life and between that and the warm-ups & stretching I do, it seems to have virtually eliminated the problem. I still occasionally have stiff joints after a lot of playing, but it’s much more manageable. I wish you good luck, I hope you find a similar routine that helps you.
Keep strumming,
Rich