Experience with tendonitis?

squirefan01 · Post by **squirefan01** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:48 am

I am having a bout of tendonitis in my upper left forearm (fretting hand). Squeezing my fingers and thumb together is a little painful. I am just wondering of this could be related to playing. I have not been playing any more lately then usual (about an hour a day). I had thought that if I experienced any issues related to playing it would be in the wrist area.

It's similar to "tennis elbow" I think.

Has anybody had anything like this, that was definitely related to guitar playing??

Thanks

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 4:25 am

I've been dealing with it for about 15 years now, but mine started from drumming. I recommend raising or lowering your guitar to another position for a while. I also recommend doing some arm and finger stretches before playing.

Because of the issues created from drumming, I have permanent damage to my hands and arms, mainly the right side and my right hand gets fatigued pretty easily sometimes. I recently started taking 2 Aleve gel tabs about an hour or so before I play and it has helped quite a bit.

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 4:58 am

My right shoulder pains quite badly after any extended periods of playing while sitting down, I think due to arthritis. This has been a problem since high school (early 1980's).

Acupuncture helped this enormously!

I find if the wrist angle is too sharp on the fretting hand, then that wrist starts to get uncomfortable eventually.
Keeping the wrist at a more natural angle (as straight as possible) is supposed to alleviate any strain in the carpal tunnel.

loendmaestro · Post by **loendmaestro** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 6:41 am

I had it awhile back too. Sharp pain dead in the center on my hand. I had to take a few weeks off from playing & take anti-inflammatory meds. I TRY to warm up more before I play & use ergonomic wrist pads when I'm on the computer.

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 6:53 am

The guitarist in my band just went thru this. His was based on playing angle and just playing a ton.
He raised his guitar to adjust the angle and it helped a lot.

squirefan01 · Post by **squirefan01** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:00 am

Steve, was that around the elbow too?

It's interesting that you guys say that, because I always played standing up and just recently had started sitting down more. Sitting definitely creates more of an angle at my elbow. I never had a problem when playing while standing.

Thanks!

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:14 am

It was mainly (for him) in the top of the forearm, just above the wrist. He actually had a muscle bulging out under the skin, his got pretty serious. 2 weeks off with no playing and other treatment and he is good as new now.

wints · Post by **wints** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:47 am

Greg,

It sounds like seated, your fretted hand has extended your wrist angle, leading to a greater range of motion to which it is not accustomed. Coupled with the pressure needed to fret, this will lead to lateral epicondylitis, of which "Tennis Elbow" is a loose term.

First, you need to rest. Limit playing time to a bare minimum. Ice the affected area to reduce inflamation and possibly take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to manage the area.

In the overall picture, you may have to evaluate your fretted hand playing style as this is most probably the root cause of the problem.

squirefan01 · Post by **squirefan01** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:26 am

Great advice. Thanks.

The only problem is my wife & kids are driving to Michigan for 5 days in the morning and my number one priority while they were gone was to lock myself in the basement an play bass! I'll have to play standing up and will heal after they get back.

This is a once a year opportunity for me, to be able to have marathon sessions. Ice & Aleve will have to be handy.

Thanks!

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:41 am

Hmmm...I am in Michigan too! Where are they going?

I had a similar problem last week where my hand (right hand) was very sore from playing 3 shows in 3 days, more of a problem when say, palming a basketball type use of the hand. Hurt when I went to open doors and such.
That was probably partly to blame on 9-10 spirited races around a go-kart track with my daughter between gigs, though.

squirefan01 · Post by **squirefan01** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:56 am

They will be around Lansing & Ann Arbor. My wife is from Westland and her brothers and lots of other family are still out there.

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:33 am

I never had it from playing, but renovating a house in May caused problems in my right elbow. Actupuncture didn't do anything for me, but heat and ibuprofen do help. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflamatory and so you will get best results by taking it steadily over a few days. You might also try naproxin. I've also recently started with liquid Glucosamine & Condroitin which doesn't seem to be doing much with the elbow but is helping with finger stiffness and some of my other overall aches and pains. Cutting back on sugar (and alcohol) intake will also help.

Ah, to be 20 again.

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:35 am

liquid Glucosamine & Condroitin..

Kent, I was just considering starting that myself. Glad you are having success with it!

lyle_from_minneapolis · Thu Jul 26, 2007 4:08 pm

A little pain? Never hurt anyone...

gray · Post by **gray** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 5:47 pm

I've been having some similar problems to this, and I'm taking the liquid glucosamine and condroitin as well, made by a company called Nature's Plus or something like that. I would suggest the liquid well over pills.
In my case I believe it's caused mostly by work, but playing the bass and being on the computer aggravate the problem.
I also take a product called Myo-Tone which strengthens the tendons and so on.
These are just things that seem to work for me. It also helps to analyze what you're doing and how you do it that might be bringing this on. This is just as important as taking stuff for the problem, in my experience.
I should also add that it generally takes at least a month for glucosamine/condroitin supplements to start taking a noticeable effect.