How many of you are playing in pain ?

[Silly Moustache]

I believe that in my 71st year, I was playing better than OI've ever done, but had a small trigger finger op in February, so stopped playing for two weeks and only went back to the gym this week and I have a LOT of hand , elbow, and shoulder issues.

I saw a hand surgeon earlier this week, lots more surgery in my future, and hand therapy starts on Monday!

[jaymarsch]

I have been pretty lucky. Pesky shoulder problems about 15 years ago moved me to smaller guitars and a quirky finger injury on my fretting hand has dictated some specific neck and string spacing spec so my few issues are manageable. Now, I’m trying to take care of my voice. Whatever adjustments are necessary to keep playing and enjoying the music!

Best,
Jayne

[macoshark]

Originally Posted by Mojo21

Another post has prompted me to ask this question. How many here are playing with pain or have played with pain — and how do you deal with it ?

I have overcome horrendous pain in hands and arms, shoulders and neck and overcame it by evaluating my playing posture and hitting the gym under supervision and strengthening a lot of muscles. If I get pain now (like at the moment forearm pain) I know it’s tension.

If we were by the Ocean I'd tell you " you need to get in the water", Maybe stretch out.

[6L6]

I was in bad pain until surgery to fix a fully torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder a year ago. Now I am pain free again!

Miracle surgery for sure.

[dhodgeh]

For the past year, I had a bit of soreness in my lower thumb.

A x-ray for a different injury discovered the beginning of arthritis in my basal joint

So, my Dr. hooked me up with a therapist to work on the joint. She made a splint for me to sleep in, and had me perform a number of exercises which did seem to help, but there are just certain position that still caused discomfort.

I've got Kaufman Kamp coming up soon, so I asked her about a couple of the different braces/splints that have been talked about here and she set me up with one of those Push Metagrip Thumb Brace's.

What a difference. Very unobtrusive and I can play for an extended period of time without any discomfort now.

However, I do feel that eventually, the arthritis will progress to the point that surgery will be required. I certainly hope that is some time in the distant future.

D

[agfsteve]

I developed pain in my right shoulder from strumming my first and only dreadnought. I am double-jointed in my shoulders (no circus / bedroom tricks, but I discovered years ago that I can wrap both my arms completely around the back of my head and scratch my chin with both hands at the same time); I assumed this gave me special powers, but I later learned that double-jointed joints are weaker (less support), which seems to fit with the pain I experienced.

I replaced my dreadnought with a triple-0, and haven't had shoulder pain since, but I also changed my style to pretty-much 100% fingerstyle, so I'm wondering if I might be able to handle a dreadnought again as long as I'm not strumming, although I probably don't need a dreadnought any way, but I digress.

Lately I've been craning my neck, staring at my left hand as I try to figure out alternate tunings that are new to me, and this has given me a lot of stiffness, and the other night, whilst sleeping, I simply lifted my head off my pillow and pulled something in my neck--oh the fun of getting old.

[Mr. Jelly]

I broke parts of my fretting hand a couple of years ago. I realized that I was going to have to deal with limitations. Forever. So, yes I play in pain. Especially when I do chords. Since I finger pick that's all the time. I have more fretting hand/finger stiffness coming on as I am coming up to my 66th birthday. Lately my right shoulder hurts at times. Though I think that will go away.

Lately I've had a break through on my fretting hand movements. Though it still hurts. I have learned through experience when to back off or stop bushing new movements with my fretting hand. But I am making progress that is more physical than knowledge orientated.

After my hand injury I found a way to still play. I am grateful of that. I remain grateful and elated I am moving forward.

[Yrksman]

I’ve had Psoriatic Arthritis for 20 years. Never missed a gig or taken a day off when working. It’s been tough.

[Beakybird]

One thing that helps with neck and shoulder pain is avoiding looking at the fretboard as much as possible.
I don't play hours at a time like I once did. When playing at home, I take breaks for tea. I also bounce around from piano to guitar. I sometimes get a little playing time in bed with my Cordoba mini.
If you get back pain and can't afford massages, $120 can get you a great Homedics massager for your office chair. I LOVE it.
For people with pain associated with posture, the Alexander Technique is renowned for helping hopeless musicians if you can find a practitioner.

[Bob Womack]

I went through a period of about three years with a bad response to Statin drugs that showed up in joint and muscle pain in the hands and forearms. Just turning a doorknob was enough to bring tears to my eyes. My dog was so patient with me because i couldn't throw a ball more than about six feet where before I had been throwing three yard lengths. And guitar? I was down to playing electric only, and only one guitar, my ES-335, that has jumbo frets and requires very little fretting pressure. However, I was beginning to wonder if I was nearing the end of even that.

I was finally able to convince the doc that this was ruining my life. He took me off the Statins and in about two weeks I was back to playing whatever, whenever, and for as long as I wanted.


Bob

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

I believe that in my 71st year, I was playing better than OI've ever done, but had a small trigger finger op in February, so stopped playing for two weeks and only went back to the gym this week and I have a LOT of hand , elbow, and shoulder issues.

I saw a hand surgeon earlier this week, lots more surgery in my future, and hand therapy starts on Monday!

You are an inspiration, sir. All the best for your recovery.

[donlyn]

How many of you are playing in pain ?

At my septuagenarian age, all the time. That's the bad news. The good news is that it's never the same thing. Seems like something different hurts from one day to the next, but overall things are manageable.

Especially guitars.

Don
.

[Merak]

Artificial hip fixed walking, bad neck vertebrae flares up and shoots pains down left arm once in awhile, both shoulders pop uncomfortably, but can still play with guitar. Everything is fine!

[lar]

Tennis Elbow has stopped me playing because of the pain. This, just after I signed up for Brian Sutton's online lessons - gee wiz!

[Willie_D]

Degenerative osteoarthritis in my left (fretting hand) CMC joint, base of the thumb. Can be very painful and prevent me from playing at times. Thank heavens for cortisone shots.