Stress on fingers - need advice

[Mynameisfritz]

A few weeks ago after a phase of intense playing I noticed that my left index finger felt kind of stressed due to heavy finger vibrato and stretching out when playing barré-chords. It didn’t hurt much, but felt overloaded and a little stiff afterwards. Then one morning just after waking up I noticed that it takes a few careful movements to bend it down to the max again – just this finger. All the others are ok. So I stopped practicing, decided to give it a rest and checked my technique. I realized that I’m using too much force with this finger, pressing it down on the fretboard more than necessary, which causes additional stress on the knuckles. Now the good thing is, that these symptoms go away completely when I stop playing for a few days – but on the other hand they return after rehearsing with my bands or after a gig. I never had such problems before, always had strong hands trained by rockclimbing and working as a carpenter, but 3 years ago I went from the workbench to the office and do nothing but lifting paper now… guess this is part of the situation.

I started strengthening my left hand and arm now and went to see a doctor last week. He couldn’t find anything yet – so no arthrosis, but he also said that there’s a certain danger that this could happen to that finger in the future. I don’t even wanna think of it! Now it’s time to do as much as possible to prevent this. Is there anybody out there who experienced this too, and if so, how did you manage to get back on track. Any suggestions or methods are welcome.

[harddriver]

Stretching your tendons before and after you play will help alot. When I started playing alot after quitting for a long while in a band I got tendonitis quite severe. I had to get therapy and the PT doc said my gripping tendons were too trained for gripping, working and playing, a relaxed hand should be flat, if your hands have a curved grip to them relaxed your suffering from what I have and many guitar players have. I needed to strengthen the flexor extensors in the opposite direction to counteract all the years I played without stretching properly before and after I played when I was younger. I pretty much damaged my tendons later in life now. I can only play well for short periods of time before my symptoms return even though I stretch more correctly now.

I still enjoy playing just can't play like use to for long periods of time.

[Mynameisfritz]

Harddriver, I really appreciate your reply - and wish more members would like to share their experiences about that. It really sucks when you’re no longer just limited by your own skills but by your own bones...

Tomorrow I’ll see another doctor, and I’m still hoping that there’s a way to turn the whole thing around. Maybe you gotta stop playing for a couple of months, build up the strength of the left hand from the bottom and carefully start playing again… that’s what’s on my mind at the moment.

[harddriver]

That might work, but playing with a lighter touch if possible may help best. I played very aggressively for years wringing the shit out of the neck that was my downfall plus no stretching properly when I was in my teens and twenties. The tendonitis doesn't hit me like it used to when I was playing out regularly, I don't think I could pull off three of four set's of music any longer so I haven't tried to get into a band since my last one in 2004 when my symptoms were the worst.

I'm in my 40's now so it sucks when you can't physically play what used to be played second nature becomes a challenge. Good luck on your healling i hope you find a treament that works. The PT doc will show you excercises and stretches to do at home and how th strengthen the flexor extensors correctly after you therapy session are finished. It helped me alot, at least I'm not in pain anymore but I usually know when I'mm reaching my limit playing now.

Good LUCK!

[bill bokey]

I have a very similar problem. My left index finger won't bend all the wey in the morning and it actually hurts when I try to. Then after some stretching it goes back to "normal". I thought it was just me getting older (I'll soon be 20 for the second time) or maybe arthrosis (I had a hip replaced five months ago) but I guess I should take it more seriously. I'll let you know if I discover some kind of magical cure

[fillmore nyc]

A few weeks ago after a phase of intense playing...

I played very aggressively for years wringing the shit out of the neck

I think you've identified the problem. Virtually every player I know that plays really hard has hand problems. A guy I work with has been playing for less than 3 years. He plays like he's wielding a jackhammer, and he ALREADY has problems with his fingers and wrist!!

I probably have the lightest touch of anyone I know of, and I've never experienced any kind of hand / wrist problems at all... I also virtually NEVER break strings. I keep my action WAY low, and use light gauge strings. (And no one ever accused my rig of sounding thin because of my strings!!)
The only issue I've had is avoiding fret noise when playing slide cause of the low action, but thats just polishing technique, and that was pretty easy to get a handle on.

[JimiJames]

Speakin' about wringing necks....wonder what Trower's secret is ? Man, he eats a lot of spinach...
Hope you get better, there. A man needs his geetar, I say.

[HTH]

I'm 36 and have arthritis in my wrists, hands, knees, ankles, feet - get the picture?

Anyway, you DO need to make some adjustments to your playing and routine.

* playing regular is good otherwise your hands WILL stiffen up
* a lower string gauge (or tune down half a step like I do) makes the tension a bit more bearable
* warm up before playing, I'm not talking star-jumps, run a few scales and pop some open chords, get the fingers moving
* diclofenac gel is a life saver, really takes the edge off - we get it cheap and easy here in the UK, its an anti-inflammatory

What you may notice (I do) is that the day after a gig your hands/fingers will be stiff - it comes with the territory and you need to take it easy that day. I also find that your hands can be stiff prior to a gig, but adrenalin takes over and you don't notice it till the next day. I've discussed this with my rheumatologist and he said it was a positive thing to keep playing, but to listen to your body - pain/stiffness is your body saying to take it easy for a little while. Just be sensible and you'll be ok dude.

Instead of this...

Try kicking back a little, like this...

[Mynameisfritz]

Wow – I haven't been visiting the board for a few days now, sorry guys, I didn’t expect that much responses. Thank you! After all it seems that I’m not the only one here… all the best to you too.

Now as it turns out to be no easy matter, I’d like to share my further experiences and thoughts. The second doc I visited encouraged me not to stop playing, but – as you mentioned – to do a proper warm-up before playing, to play with a lighter touch, do some exercises to strengthen the hand and to get aware of the actual movements that stress the knuckles and try to avoid them. Well – easier said than done, but it is true that there are certain techniques that put more stress on the knuckles than others, f.e. finger vibrato. For exercises a Gripmaster might be too intense when you still got those symptoms, because you overload the fingers too easy with that. You got to choose something softer like a sponge or a soft ball. Another thing I use now is a Gyrotwister – google it – which strengthens the overall condition of the hand without putting too much stress on the fingers if you use it carefully. Overall health is another thing which should be improved. A forum member mailed me that almost all of his problems went away when he stopped smoking – well, yeah, I mean totally… I reduced smoking a lot already in the last years down to a few cigarettes in the evening, but now it’s time to f****** quit. Less beer too – but who am I talking to, it’s kinda obvious… And I still believe that it depends not ONLY on that but also on how you use your hands and what you do with them the whole day through. As I mentioned before I became sort of a pencil pusher 3 years ago, so the next step will be to think about this and try to establish some exercises at work and do more woodworking or something similar again. I wouldn’t mind getting another job either, so here is some extra motivation.

As far as medication concerns I still hesitate to use stuff that only cures the symptoms but not the actual cause. Maybe I’ll try a therapy with ‘Orthomol Arthro Plus’, which the first doctor I visited recommended to me. I was told that it helps strengthening the cartilage – with ‘Glucosaminsulfat, Chondroitinsulfat’ and Hyaluronacide, etc. As I’m not sure what Diclofenac really does, I’ll google that…

Yeah, and spinach, beautiful women and good music!

[bill bokey]

My problem started when I totally quit smoking so I doubt it has anything to do with that...as at the same time I stopped touring and playing (rehearsing/gigging) everyday.

[vanhalen5150]

Most people notice a significant decrease on hand fatigue instantly when they begin to use a thicker neck. Having your thumb in a more natural positon from your fingers causes less strain. A thicker neck does this automatically. A thinner neck causes a constant contracture of the flexors in both the thumb and fingers, mostly the index.. If you get an opportunity, pick up a guitar like an Ernie Ball Axis and play it for a bit. You'll be quite surprised how much that type of neck lessens the fatigue.
Ususally, if its your index finger, its also the relationship with the proximity of your thumb in a repeatative movement.

[stef]

IME: light touch, lower action, medium or jumbo frets and rest

[Mynameisfritz]

As I stopped playing almost totally, the symptoms slowly decrease now. I can carefully bend the finger down within about 3-5 movements in the morning, so it's getting better and better. I also experienced that a fat neck feels more comfortable for the fingers - and sounds better too.

I'll keep you updated.

[vanhalen5150]

Gotta look after your hands man.

BTW...I love sauerkraut.

[cary chilton]

I have strong hands, but speed and strength amd flexibility dont always work together, rarley actually.
Dont over-stretch, but dont play to crazy too cold either. Check my youtube channel for dealing with musician type inuries, subscribe because I am to be poting many more in the near future