Since I started a band, I've been playing a lot more than I used to, sometimes five or six hours a day, if not more. I'm noticing some stiffness in my joints and I want to make sure I'm doing what I need to do to keep them healthy.
I notice that when I wake up in the morning, sometimes my left arm is numb or tingly, like when it falls "asleep". That may just be because I sleep on it funny, I dunno. And when I don't play for a while (even a couple of hours), the first joint of my first finger gets especially stiff. I use that joint to bar two or more strings quite often, so it gets a workout.
When I start playing I need to warm up quite a bit, but after playing some scales and chords my fingers get more flexible and I can use my first finger just like normal. It stiffens back up again when I stop.
I'd love to get some professional advice, but I'm looking for full-time work so seeing a doctor isn't really in the cards right now.
Is this anything I should be concerned about? Is there anything I should do to keep my joints healthy and safe?
Thanks!
Isaac
Sounds to me like you are just overdoing it a bit. I don't think your in any danger of perminant injury but you might want to slow up just a bit to give your body a chance to heal. What about a day off here and there? With the stiffness I think properly warming up is a good idea. Sounds like you are doing that already. Best of luck to you with your band!
P.S. I checked out one of your links for some pics as I thought you might have your guitar slung to your knees, but I see your form looks text book correct, so thats not an issue.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
when I was in a gigging band we played twenty hours a week minimum. Ibuprofen became a good friend.
you are just over working and an anti inflamatory will help. if your schedule keeps up then maintain a theraputic dosage by taking them evry day several times a day. 1800 to 2100mgs/24 hrs. should do it.
I only play a doctor on t.v.
I personally do not recommend the use of anti-inflammatory drugs (painkillers in general) to keep playing. Your body is sending you pain signals for a reason as the tendon is actually getting damaged a bit. I've had the same from excessive playing of a certain computer game about ten years ago when it came out. It starts out just at the end of a session and fades away rather quick, but after a couple of days the pain tends to stay in there and takes days to completely recover. Also, just when you think it is completely healed, play a few hours and the problem will be back. I've had the same in my pointing finger while playing a lot of guitar, and this time around I did not risk it...
I personally do not recommend the use of anti-inflammatory drugs (painkillers in general) to keep playing. Your body is sending you pain signals for a reason as the tendon is actually getting damaged a bit. I've had the same from excessive playing of a certain computer game about ten years ago when it came out. It starts out just at the end of a session and fades away rather quick, but after a couple of days the pain tends to stay in there and takes days to completely recover. Also, just when you think it is completely healed, play a few hours and the problem will be back. I've had the same in my pointing finger while playing a lot of guitar, and this time around I did not risk it...
In that case is there anything I can do? It sounds like the only solution is not to play?
Jeff
Sounds to me like you are just overdoing it a bit. I don't think your in any danger of perminant injury but you might want to slow up just a bit to give your body a chance to heal. What about a day off here and there? With the stiffness I think properly warming up is a good idea. Sounds like you are doing that already. Best of luck to you with your band!
P.S. I checked out one of your links for some pics as I thought you might have your guitar slung to your knees, but I see your form looks text book correct, so thats not an issue.
Heh, I spent most of my life with the guitar slung pretty high. I've only recently started lowering it, but I tilt the neck up when I play, Slash style, so hopefully that helps maintain decent form with it slung low.
Jeff
Well, I would take a break for a weekend of just a couple of days (no guitar whatsoever). If it doesn't go away, or immediately comes back when you play you might want to consult a physician. Playing so long everyday (or doing any kind of movement for such a long time) is not good for the body.
Maybe other people have had experience with overworked tendons and I'm just overcautious...
The solution is not to stop playing, but to moderate it a bit from now on. Take breaks so your tendons can relax, don't go for hours in a row, but an hour here and an hour there.
Heh, that's easier said than done, playing three nights a week and practicing on Saturday. I've been practicing pretty intensely on a specific guitar part but I have been meaning to mix it up some and take breaks. I'll see how that goes!
Jeff
Yes that might help at least, they advice the same for computer work nowadays.
I just put the same in my post as an edit.
anti inflamatories are the answer. yes, I understand that the body has ways to let us know it is hurt. that said, ibuprofen reduces swelling so HEALING can start. inflamed tissue does not hel.
not playing guitar is not an option sometimes. ibuprofen works and continued playing with consciousness and reduced swelling is not that dangerous.
I too play neck up. low slung playing....I never could play well that way.
Thanks dogbite! I'll combine ibuprofen with a little more variety in my practice schedule and see what the results are.
Jeff
Well, I don't want to debate the subject of NSAIDs (the collective name of all over-the-counter pain killers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and related drugs) too much, but inflammation IS in fact part of the healing process, as it attract white blood cells to clean up dead cells and foreign matter in the body.
I've found an article online on the subject on NSAIDs in sport related injuries that might give you an idea of the practice.
http://www.caringmedical.com/sports_injury/nsaids.asp
It's all personal, if you have to play for a performance, then yes, it is worth it to use the ibuprofen, but I would not use it lightly all the time if I had a different option. Just to inform you.
If you want to debate this or have more information you can PM me as well as I think it is unsuitable to let it derail the thread.
For me the problem isn't so much whether I can play or not--as soon as I warm up and stretch my fingers, I can play just like normal.
It's just the stiffness that sets in when I'm not playing that I'm wondering about. It isn't even pain, it's just that the joint is very stiff, doesn't want to bend, that sort of thing.
I just want to make sure I'm taking care of it and I'd love for it to not get stiff like that quite as much.
Jeff
All I'm gonna say is I've seen lots of patients with gastrointestinal bleeding due to careless use of NSAIDs. I've seen a few fried kidneys too and now there are concerns of increased heart attack risk. I'm all for short term use of over the counter Ibuprofen at over the counter doses, but not for prolonged, chronic use or pre scription doses unless directed by a physician. It's not candy. I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on TV .......... I just play one at night when they won't answer their pages or aren't coherent enough to give proper orders without prompting. :P
How about some moist heat? Soaking your hands in water could be bad for your calluses but a nice warm pack to hang on to might alievate some of the stiffness in your finger joints prior to playing. You could try cold immediately after playing to reduce inflamation. Thats what pitchers do in baseball. They ice their arm right after pitching to reduce inflamation and then use a nice hot whirlpool to loosen things up and promote healing. Heat and cold, it's a classic. Unfortunately the cold I use during and after playing tends to come in can form. :roll:
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
There's so much conflicting advice! My bandmate swears that he's been told that heat should never EVER be used in cases of possible tendon damage.
I think I may have to bite the bullet and find a way to see a doctor, because my hand's a little worse today and I'm concerned about the frequent numbness in my arm too.
This is really disconcerting, especially when we're making so much progress with the band. I mean, I can play keyboards, but guitar is my first love! It's frustrating not to be able to play as much.
Earlier this year I upped my strings to 12s (from using 10s) to try to get a thicker, bluesier tone. I'm 6'4" tall and my hands are pretty big, but I guess they're not muscular like SRV's. Is that a factor? Should I switch to lighter strings?
Isaac
