Tendinitis / RSI

Rick

Hi all,

I have gradually developed some nasty tendinitis over the last couple of years along the knuckle of my middle finger.  It's not a good photo but the tendon is lumpy and very sore.  Playing hurts quite a bit.  I teach and play for living but this week I have accepted I need to stop playing and get this sorted out.

I would be grateful for any help and advice as obviously I am in a bad place right now.

musteatbrain

I had similar problems caused by flat fretboards. Can't help on the medical side of things, but I sold the guitar with a really flat board and now my fingers are fine. Obviously if you don't have flat fretboards this will be of no relevance though.

VanillaBrys

I developed RSI through typing and playing guitar. I sorted it (though I still have to be careful) with wrist supports and a powerball. 

I rarely need the wrist supports any more, but I still use the powerball as a preventative measure.

Good luck.

OnTheRopes

Go and see a physiotherapist.

I know its a different issue but I had tendonitus just above my achilles and went to a sports physio who treated it with ultrasound and some other workwhich had it sorted in no time.

I would at least call up a physio and see if they can help, at the very least they will be able to advise whether it is acute or chronic which will affect your recovery time

thomasross20

My wrists sometimes crack if I've been on the keyboard or played too long. 

Sometimes my nail pulls away from the skin a bit and that hurts!

@musteatbrain... I think my Larrivee has a flat board. Do they make THAT much difference!?

DulcetJones

I had RSI in both arms after a ten year stretch of living off teaching and playing live.  Most of my live gigs were solo fingerstyle guitar so both arms got overworked(I was playing over 100 gigs a year for several years at this point).  My Doctor said it was a form of "tennis elbow" and said it would hurt as long as I kept playing the same repertoire.  He added that it wouldn't cause any permanent damage to keep playing but it would hurt until I stopped.  As it turns out I was already reaching a mental burnout and realized this was the push I needed to move on to something else, preferably with more income involved.  So, I upgraded my drivers license and have been driving trucks for about 8 years, making good money and playing around with my guitars when the mood strikes, and the pain went away about 2 months after I stopped playing.  The timing was actually good in my case, I was struggling to pay my bills and really getting tired of chasing down gigs, and I was teaching about 40 students a week.  Now I don't have to be tied to my phone, I know how much money I'm going to make each month and a lot of stress is gone.

Rick

Thanks for the replies.

@DulcetJones That's really interesting what you said about being mentally burned out.  I am in a similar situation and have been reading about cases where mental stress actually contributes to the physical problems..! 

My Neck / upper back is also in a pretty bad way at the moment, it's all linked.

Grunfeld

Rick said:

Thanks for the replies.

@DulcetJones That's really interesting what you said about being mentally burned out.  I am in a similar situation and have been reading about cases where mental stress actually contributes to the physical problems..! 

My Neck / upper back is also in a pretty bad way at the moment, it's all linked.

I'm sure it would be worth seeing a good physio who can look into every aspect of your problem and, I hope, get you sorted by assessing the causes and then putting you on the road to recovery.  Good luck!

musteatbrain

thomasross20;885520" said:

My wrists sometimes crack if I've been on the keyboard or played too long. Sometimes my nail pulls away from the skin a bit and that hurts!

@musteatbrain... I think my Larrivee has a flat board. Do they make THAT much difference!?

Can do. I know of a few other forum members have encountered the same issue, but it may not effect everyone

mike_l

I can't help with advice, but can sympathise, as I'm currently suffering with a swollen knee ligament. So sympathies mate.

octatonic

Go and see a doctor.

None of us are qualified to give medical advice.

ArchtopDave

From the photo, I would question whether this is evidence of tendinitis. It could be problem with the underlying joint instead. I am also curious about the small brighter red area to the side ( between index and middle fingers) - do you consider this to be part of the recurring problem, or is it due to something else? The obvious answer is to have it medically assessed.

Rick

Thanks again for your replies. The red bit is just a scab from catching my hand and not relevant. The pliers are also nothing to do with the cure lol!

Unfortunately the first GP I showed this to was no help at all but I'm trying to see another one tomorrow. If I have no luck I'll just go private straight to a physio.

Teetonetal

I had RSI mildly when I was at Uni. Go and get it sorted. GP is probably not much help, you need to see a specialist. The absolute worst thing you can do is carry on.

recently I thought I had RSI again as symptoms pain were just like before, turned out to be something completely different.

Rick

Thanks @Teetonetal

Just a quick update.  I did see a GP today who was sympathetic and has referred me to a specialist for an MRI scan and treatment so things should go forward soon.  In the mean time playing is unthinkable but it's been a blessing getting to spend time with my 9 week old son and my wife who is on maternity leave

Teetonetal

Rick said:

Thanks @Teetonetal

Just a quick update.  I did see a GP today who was sympathetic and has referred me to a specialist for an MRI scan and treatment so things should go forward soon.  In the mean time playing is unthinkable but it's been a blessing getting to spend time with my 9 week old son and my wife who is on maternity leave

yeah man, ditch the guitar for a while and spend some QT with the family

WillEdmunds

Sorry to hear about the tendonitis. I had it really bad a few years back and it was a major worry being a professional guitarist. It was initially triggered by a combination of spending a lot of time at a computer, lots of cycling, and of course playing guitar. Are you doing any other activities that put strain on the area? That might be worth considering.

I'm by no means a medical professional, but here's a few things that really helped me:

I initially went to my NHS doctor, who suggested I took some time off from playing. This was simply not an option being a full-time musician. Also, RSIs can take months to heal, and without addressing the root of the problem, can quickly come back even after a long break.

I then in desperation went to see an osteopath, who prescribed yoga (a good stretching routine basically) and massaging various 'trigger' points all the way up my arm and shoulder. This loosens muscles and tendons, promoting blood flow and speeding up healing. It also helps to do this before playing, and will help prevent the RSI re-occurring. 

He also recommended I improve my fitness, as things like RSIs are way less likely to occur if you hit the gym twice a week to counteract all the slouching over the guitar! The human body is supposed to perform a multitude of movements, so playing guitar all day without breaks and proper exercise can develop problems. The fitness routine must be low impact and varied and not too based on just doing weights, as this could make the RSI worse. A mate of mine just used to pump iron and shred all day, and he developed tendonitis so bad that he quit guitar.

He also assessed my playing posture, and took steps to improve it. This also helped, although I still slouch a lot! Also, try and be aware if there is tension in your playing - try and breathe and relax properly, and develop a softer touch if you are digging in unnecessarily when you play. This will also help your playing dynamics, and often helps you play faster and smoother.

Also, I would advise using hot and cold water to speed up the healing process. Get a sink full of hot water and soak the hand in it, then transfer to a tub of iced water, and repeat for 10 mins or so. Then finish with a good hot soak, and a good massage and stretching routine. Take regular breaks and do some stretching when you practice, and keep it warm so it's nice and loose.

Trust me, my tendonitis was so bad I couldn't grip the guitar neck (I had it in the tendon at the base of my thumb). All of the above totally sorted it for me, and I can practice as much as I want without issues. I do make sure I keep on top of fitness and stretching, and occasionally massage the arm and shoulder if it gets tight. 

I'd recommend finding a good physio / osteo / massage therapist. NHS doctors are usually brilliant, but they often prescribe cure (rest) rather than prevention.

I hope that helps a bit, and wish you a speedy recovery!

Dominic

See a good physio and get some ultrasound - it worked wonders on my cartilege probs

kjdowd

octatonic said:

Go and see a doctor.

None of us are qualified to give medical advice.

This. It seems like such simple and obvious advice but it is something so many of us are loathe to do/never get round to. I struggle with early onset arthritis and it can affect my playing severely. It got to a point where I thought I didn't have a lot of time left playing my hands were in such a state (I'm in my early 40s...) I got referred to a really good rheumatologist and it is all magically under control. Go and see a doctor. 

moz91

Had both similar issues...
A good chiropractor can do wonders for the upper back/neck situation... Just look hard to find a good one who will spend time rehabilitating your issues rather than just cracking you back in to place! Postural reallignment is pretty important, as guitarists we put ourselves in some pretty unnatural positions - one arm in constant elevation, another constantly slightly rounded, head at a jaunty angle, and a big weight hanging off our necks... Over time it has definite effects on posture!

As for the RSI; GP's tend to like injections and basic physio, but i've also found accupuncture to be pretty effective! I had it more in my wrist so granted its a slightly different course of action, but the principles remain the same!