Tendonitis / Tendinopathy

wjpp

Hi all,

I thought I'd start a discussion on this as I'm sure its something you will have suffered from or will sometime in the future and I'm lookinf for some advise.

I started to get tendonitis/tendinopathy in my left hand (around the palm/ just below the little finger). It come on about 4 months ago when I joined a band and had about 40 songs to learn and pratice. However since then I just cannot shake it - I've tried resting for a couple of weeks (inbetween gigs),  ice/heat,  massage, and even acupuncture.   Been doing a lot of reading the last week into Tendinopathy (the loose term given to long term pain coming from tendons/mucles) and there doesn;t seem to be any clear advice at all. I've analysed my technique and its pretty fine - I never had an issue, before so really believe it was the sudden volumn in playing.

I'm at a point where I need to make a decision about this - either keep on playing just a little each day until it hurts (1 hour max) or quit the band and give up guitar for 6 months or so (which will let them down, and stop my only enjoyment in life).

Just wondering if anyone else out there has had this and any advice that might work.

thanks

guitarfishbay

You haven't said how your guitar is set up or how heavy your strings are?

I used to play with 10-46 strings in standard on a Fender with a high action.  Between that, and practicing (and attempting to bend) on acoustic guitars a lot I did eventually injure my hand when I ramped up the amount of playing I was doing.

I had to take time off to let my hand recover, which was frustrating.  When I came back to playing I discovered that the string tension was uncomfortably high, probably due to losing a bit of strength, but also because well it was high.

These days I use a medium action and thinner strings - on a Fender I'd use 9-42s in E standard.  I'm playing in a lower tuning and using thicker strings but still on the same principle.  FWIW I'm using 11-56 for C#/Drop B, which on my PRS/Gibsons feels pretty nice.  I have also stopped trying to bend acoustic wound strings like they're electric strings.

So my advice would be to take a break - as long as it takes.  But when you feel ready to come back you should try setting up your guitar for a lower string tension, either by way of thinner strings and/or lower action.  Ultimately you don't need a lot of strength to play guitar the more important thing is dexterity.

wjpp

I have a low action and use 9-46 hybrids, bending definitely ramps up the pain. How long did you take off?

guitarfishbay

It was a couple of weeks I think.  I can't remember exactly but it was less than a month for myself - though I think I had a different issue to yourself though my issue was quite an acute pain that obviously started during one session and prevented me being able to play comfortably again until it subsided.  You might have a more chronic problem that will require longer to recover from.

However I've had to take time off a couple of times due to sports injuries.  I chipped a bone in my wrist last year and that took weeks to be able to play a few chords and months to be able to play pain free and regain flexibility.  Taking time off is no fun but you have to let your body recover.

Have you sought any help?  You might benefit from seeing a physiotherapist who has experience with hand injuries.  Seeing a GP probably won't help beyond getting a referral to a specialist if that is necessary.

wjpp

guitarfishbay;367547" said:

Have you sought any help?  You might benefit from seeing a physiotherapist who has experience with hand injuries.  Seeing a GP probably won't help beyond getting a referral to a specialist if that is necessary.

Knowing my body quite well and having several (non guitar) injuries in the last couple of years, I think this will take 3 to 6 months to truely go away. I'm sure after 2/3 weeks I probably will be pain free, but I know it will just come back . I went to see a physo straight off the bat, but she couldn't really help. cheers for your thoughts though.

matt1973

I suffer with this in the forearm. 

Try and keep your wrist in a neutral position whilst playing and conciously watch for areas of your technique where you my apply more force or pressure than is needed, particularly with regard to the affected areas. Experiment with different strap lengths.

I also found that adopting a traditional classical guitarists posture whilst practicing helped a great deal.

firks91

i also have issues with both my arms. not sure exactly how/why it started because i was just as busy months before it began at the beginning of the year. it affects more than just my playing though, and my arms/hands feel particularly fatiqued and painful just from lugging all the heavy gear about.

i may have too much tension whilst im playing. i find that repetitive licks etc... and songs just comprised of playing barre chords are the worst for me. 

iam actually packing in gigging altogether now, at least for a while anyhow, mainly for other reasons but im hoping that this will help my arms too. 

Cabicular

SAme as above. I came back to playing a heavy schedule after a few years off and had my forearm in a support  quite early on. Turns out that I had Tennis elbow (pressing on the tendon on the elbow caused the pain and weakness.
Dropped my guitar strap an inch or two and it went away
Turns out in the few years I took off I got "thicker" and my guitars got higher as a result...

frankus

An important factor in guitar playing is the height of the guitar - if you're playing classical seated and you're tall - you might want to might want to roll a towel up and  put it between your leg and the guitar.

If you're playing stood up get the strap set up to a playing height rather than a depth (as seen in those sedulously avoiding the appearance of any practise).

In your wrist are two bone that are used in wrist locks... hold your arm out, palm facing upwards, now point the fingers up, now try and point away from yourself with the thumb... doing this makes the bones rub together it'll feel a little uncomfortable if you do this gently... get someone else to do it and you'll yelp.

If you want it to hurt more bring the elbow in.

Now you might be thinking that's self defence - but really that's how you play guitar and the last part simulates playing the higher frets. It's also the same position the South Korean police use to apprehend armed criminals... but you do it to yourself with a block of wood.

digitalscream

Physio can sometimes help with damaged tendons - I had friction therapy on my arm, which is an amazingly painful process but results in more blood flow to the tendon which encourages repair (apparently). That may help...ask your doc for a referral.

Jalapeno

Had 3mths physio/osteopathy on my shoulder tendonitis - worked well, but 2mths on it's returned with a vengeance.

I think I'll have to go back to the doctor for some drugs (can't take over the counter anti-inflammatories as I have asthma)  

thomasw88

You thumb over the fretboard? If you are then learn to play in the proper position.

Phil_aka_Pip

see also http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/424598/#Comment_424598

randomhandclaps

I suffered with tendonitis on and off for a few years when I was really playing and gigging a lot.  Sometimes I had no choice but to play through.  I assumed it was a wrist weakness as I had broken a section out of that wrist previously and although it didn't effect my playing I thought that prolonged strain caused issues.  After suffering for a good few years I realised that it usually came on in periods of extreme stress.  This then caused my body to tighten and effected my posture causing the tendonitis to kick in.  The would start the vicious circle of constant sickening pain effecting my ability to relax.  Since I have made this realisation it has been managed and I've not really had a serious bout.

Obviously a lot of tendonis is purely a physical strain but I do also believe stress plays a big part so it worth thinking about whether that applies to you and what you could do (if anything) to reduce it for yourself if so.

Clarky

I used to suffer with tendonitis badly.. then I realised the cause was my playing position and technique.. guitar too low, fretting the notes with needless / excess pressure.. I raised the guitar height and learned to play with less pressure and now I can shred away for hours and hours without issue or injury..

Clarky

frankus said:

An important factor in guitar playing is the height of the guitar - if you're playing classical seated and you're tall - you might want to might want to roll a towel up and  put it between your leg and the guitar.

If you're playing stood up get the strap set up to a playing height rather than a depth (as seen in those sedulously avoiding the appearance of any practise).

In your wrist are two bone that are used in wrist locks... hold your arm out, palm facing upwards, now point the fingers up, now try and point away from yourself with the thumb... doing this makes the bones rub together it'll feel a little uncomfortable if you do this gently... get someone else to do it and you'll yelp.

If you want it to hurt more bring the elbow in.

Now you might be thinking that's self defence - but really that's how you play guitar and the last part simulates playing the higher frets. It's also the same position the South Korean police use to apprehend armed criminals... but you do it to yourself with a block of wood.

totally agree with all this... my personal rule of thumb [what I teach to my lil' stude's] is that no matter if you're seated or stood, that hand must be at least the same height from the floor as your elbow [preferably the hand being a little higher].. so you forearm should be at minimum, parallel with the floor..

if you're a metal-head and need to wear the guitar low [for cool factor and also because this position works very well with the picking hand for modern riffing], then they need to consider an alternate "posture" when shredding that ensures the line from the back of the hand to the elbow is at minimum straight, or better concave [to slacken the tendons].. think Schenker in a straddle stance with the lower V between his legs.. or Slash in a similar stance with the back of his LP rested on his thigh and it's neck almost vertical like playing a cello.. when they do this they are not only "looking cool", they are actually overcoming a posture problem and effectively creating a position as if the guitar were strapped right under the chin like a jazzer.. simple.. cool looking.. but very effective.. I do something similar myself.. it's not always about being a poser, although that aspect is a nice side-effect.. lmao

harpo

What about tennis elbow on the strumming arm........mines feckin killing me and won't go away