Frettinghand joints getting old. :(

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Jouni

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..Damn.

I've lately had minor aches in the joints of my frettinghand. Especially the knuckles...
Last night I dreamed I was at the Doctor and he said I wouldn't play or work ever again, then woke up feeling them knuckles aching... ruined my nights sleep..

Some weeks ago they were so sore I couldn't pull a spring-loaded door open with my left hand.
I had bass practises yesterday, guitar rehealsals today and bass rehealsals of a third band tomorrow. 8-10 gigs lined up for the 4 next months, so the rehealsals are gonna be tight and close between.
Damn I hate getting old!:mad:

Is warm or cold gonna be perhaps any help?.. A tight glove?
Steroids?

Luckily so far, I've never felt pains when playing, towards the night and next day more so...
 
Maybe one of those hand strengthener thingys might help. You know, he things where you grip and squeeze. I don't know what they are called. At the same time you might have just strained it a bit and need to lay off of it for a while to let it heal. I really know nothing about physio so I'm just throwing it out there.
 
It depends on what the problem is... I have swollen knuckles due to osteo arthritis - I essentially asked the doc the same question with a "use it or lose it" tag. His reply was exercise is good BUT nothing with resistance or anything that'll cause the joints to compress or rub. If the problems is loss of cartilage/padding in the joint there's not much to be done except keep them mobile but not stuffed. Of course there's glucosamine type stuff that'll assist major joints in the lower half of the bodu - but hands - the quack says nuh!
 
Jouni said:
Some weeks ago they were so sore I couldn't pull a spring-loaded door open with my left hand.
Click to expand...

Sounds like carpal tunnel but there's a bigger question looming...

Why are you coming here for a diagnosis and prescription instead of going to a doctor? And that's rhetorical. In other words, GET TO A DOCTOR!!!
 
A couple of aspirin, stretching exercises, and resist the temptation to pop your knuckles are the only suggestions I have to offer. I'm 55 and been playing 45 of those years and thats what keeps me going. If your pain persists you should see a doctor.
 
At 33, I'd be going to the Dr...

You've probably been playing what, 20 years at most? You've probably got at least 30 to go before you find the Lost Chord and die happy...

Heed what your body is telling you...

Rest is good too, I've recovered from all sorts of joint-related issues, including hands, but just not doing whatever it is that aggravates it for an extended period.

Bit hard if you're a jobbing muso, of course...
 
Gentle hand massages are good too...if done right, they feel really good as your fingers get massaged around those joints. And warmth on your hands. It sucks when the ol' bod starts acting out.


The best to you Jouni.:)
 
There's a whole bunch of hand massages on John Petrucci's DVD that swears by doing before even playing a single note. I've tried them before playing a few times and it definitely makes things more productive.
 
Thanks!

I'll try to massage them knuckles, actually have "instinctively" been doing that all the time for the past week. (snap, cracle and pop goes them joints)

My daytime work includes a lot of nuts, bolts and wrenches, and hammering.. Ten years of that,playing guitar and bass and vibrating tattoomachines are slowly getting their toll on them outer joints.:rolleyes:

..well three weeks to the 4-week vacation. Eases up a little. If isn't better after the vacation I'll see a Doc.
 
Basically massage the ball of your hand , then the other side, then each finger, working from root to tip. Do each bit for about 30secs to a minute. Don't overdo it or the fingers you're using to massage will start to ache.

Then with the palm of your hand push back on your other hand so as to stretch the under side of your wrist. Hold it for 30 secs, then do the same in the other direction.

TBH it's pretty hard to explain properly without a video demonstration or pictures. Which I have searched for on the net but haven't really found anything. Basically just make sure that your joints are nicely stretched out before playing.
 
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my advice would be to keep it as natural as possible, dont step too far and start taking pills and having injections that you might not need. If there is a music therapist around it would be benefitial to see them.
I do stretches with my tendens and wrists before i play to ensure everything is ok. That might help. Its not always about the hands or the wrists sometimes its just the posture and how you sit and where your shoulders are placed that may be making things ache down the line. I know its abit different to knucke pains but hopefully it helped.
 
One aging guitarist I know swears by hot wax treatments for the burgeoning arthritis in his hands.
 
ggunn said:
One aging guitarist I know swears by hot wax treatments for the burgeoning arthritis in his hands.
Click to expand...

I have osteoarthritis AND carpal tunnel and my hands hurt all the time. And I play 6 nights a week so it's a problem.
I agree with the parrifin tank recomendation. The hot wax feels wonderful and you can get those things at WALMART for about $40.
It's temporary, of course, but there's no drugs or side effects and it will really loosen up your hands and ease the pain.
Also ..... wear wrist braces at night when you sleep ..... that's also very helpful.
Good luck
 
Lt. Bob said:
I agree with the parrifin tank recomendation. The hot wax feels wonderful and you can get those things at WALMART for about $40.
Click to expand...
Y'all just remember that the hot parrafin is for your HANDS. ;) :D

Seriously, though, I don't have osteoarthritis but my knuckles and finger joints do get pretty stiff from time to time. All of the above recommendations are good. Flexing my hands and fingers seems to help a lot. I find that just picking up the guitar and playing for a few minutes seems to limber them up, too, but if you have arthritis that probably won't be helpful to you.
 
Lt. Bob said:
or get an appointment sooner than Nov?
Click to expand...



Yep, that's true here too. When I busted my knee they gave me an appointment two and a half months away... made the mistake of saying I could limp with it..
That's why I'm asking here... players growing old know more than the nurse at reception, used to giving sickdays for flu..only, and too busy to care.
 
Glucosamine & Chondroitin!!!

I have had the same issues as those you're describing (I have long lanky fingers and a history of joint pain). At the urging of my father (a licensed MD) I began taking Glucosamine & Chondroitin supplements several years ago. Long story short: after about a month of taking Walgreen's branded Glucosamine & Chondroitin and warming up correctly before long practice sessions and/or gigs, the pain went away!!

Here's info from the arthritis foundation about these natural substances:

http://ww2.arthritis.org/conditions/alttherapies/Glucosamine.asp


I do not work for Walgreen's or any other medical-related company. Be sure to discuss with your doctor before trying these. I have been playing guitar for 25+ years, and this is the only solution I have found other than megga doses of Ibuprofen or other painkillers.

Good luck!!

-mr moon
 
I've been taking glucosamine / chondriotin for several years. I am a 20-mile/week recreational runner and I developed runner's knee a few years ago. On the advice of a good friend who is a veterinarian, I started taking the stuff and have not had a recurrence. He tells me that vets have been using glucosamine for years on arthritic dogs. Even though there is little data from controlled tests, he says the clinical evidence is pretty clear.

At any rate, I haven't had any pain in my hands, either, since I started taking the stuff, aside from the time I crushed the small bone at the tip of my left-hand ring finger. :eek:
 
that's got to be the worst. The mind is willing but the body isn't able. I crack my knuckles far too often out of nerves and boredom, its a hard thing to train oneself not to do.

Has anyone tried that lakota joint care balm stuff? that might help ease pain.
 
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