Back in (guitar playing) Action after a tendonitis

[Reynewan]

Hello dear PRS-Maniacs,

It´s been a while..Last February, a day after guitar practising, I´ve got a intense pain in my left wrist, forearm and the elbow tendon. The pain remained even without playing. Every little hand gesture was connected with pain. Following that I´ve had visited literally dozens of different medical specialists, physical therapies and ostepathy as well. Nothing had helped me really..Finally I´ve took an advice from an other injured guitar player and I´ve stopped completely the guitar playing for 10 months. It was a tough and very frustrating time. I´ve had to turn my back on music and instruments in general for a while.. Otherwise it would have been to frustrating.
Now I´m coming slowly back and it feels great to be able again to play painless, but It´s tough as well because I have to relearn a lot of stuff.
So please just take an advice from someone, who played for nearly 25 years and never thought that such a thing could happen to him..Warm up yourself with stretching before playing and after that directly on the fretboard as well. Do breaks if you feel, that your hand/tendons feel unpleasent while or after the playing. If you suffer from tendonitis several times in a row, it might be over with your guitar playing forever...

 

[mark cassidy]

Same thing happened to me a few months ago and I mentioned it on the Forum here. The advice I got was, STOP PLAYING! And it worked. It took about two weeks, I remember right, and then I was ok. Obviously - and very luckily - it sounds like you got a much worse dose of it. But I do feel for you. A lot of my playing nowadays is noodling on the couch and I am convinced that bad posture was the original cause of my discomfort. I still noodle in front of the TV but I have developed a cushion supported way to maintain good position. I also now play a lot more sitting on a stool wearing a strap etc etc. Sorry for the long story. Just to let you know you're not alone and good luck to you!

 

[RickP]

I grew up in the age of Jimmy Page and guitars slung very low. Terrible on your wrist and an open invitation for injury, CTS, and the like. I play with the guitar at a more sensible angle these days, but have known people who had to raise the instrument very high or play seated to relieve the pain or discomfort. The possibilities are real for serious injury.

 

[CandidPicker]

While I usually don't stretch before practice, I prefer to limit my practice to about 40 to 50 minutes every 3 or 4 days per week. If my forearms, wrists, or hands feel discomfort, I try to remember to stretch following practice and run some warm water and/or use a warm compress for about 15 to 20 minutes, in severe instances. It's also important to hydrate after practice. Read below for the reason why.

The reason for stretching following practice is simple: When doing exercise at the gym, my personal trainer provided me with an exercise regimen that strongly suggested to stretch following exercise, not before, for best results. Stretching after allows muscles to relax and elongate from their tightened state. Failure to stretch causes lactic acid to build up inside muscles which contributes to muscle pain. Stretching & hydrating (with either water or an electrolyte drink) helps dissipate lactic acid build-up that causes inflammation that would otherwise contribute to pain.

 

[dogrocketp]

4 hand surgeries later, I’ve learned both to warm up and to ice down when done. And if you need any surgery, go to Dr. Ray Wittstadt in Luthersville, Md. Musicians come from other continents for him. He is a pretty good bass player who has had hand surgery, and taught at Hopkins for years. I went to 3 other specialists, and the difference of his exam alone blew my mind. He’s known locally as the hand god.

 

[Lister]

I was diagnosed with golfers elbow just recently, and I haven't played golf in 20 years! Actually, I'm pretty sure mine is from overdoing it at the gym that I recently joined as I have a bad habit of not easing myself into things, but it got to the point that I had no strength in my right hand to even hold a glass. One corticosteroid shot in my elbow later and some wraps that I have to wear daily, and so far so good for now anyway. Getting old sucks in case anyone was wondering...

 

[veinbuster]

I was diagnosed with golfers elbow just recently, and I haven't played golf in 20 years! Actually, I'm pretty sure mine is from overdoing it at the gym that I recently joined as I have a bad habit of not easing myself into things, but it got to the point that I had no strength in my right hand to even hold a glass. One corticosteroid shot in my elbow later and some wraps that I have to wear daily, and so far so good for now anyway. Getting old sucks in case anyone was wondering...

Mine was brought under control with a series of ultrasound treatments. And when I wore a wrap to a golf course an old timer gave me a stretch that I do most days - it basically isolates the stretch to the connective tissue on the outside of the elbow. Hard to explain, Easy to demonstrate.

 

[László]

Hello dear PRS-Maniacs,

It´s been a while..Last February, a day after guitar practising, I´ve got a intense pain in my left wrist, forearm and the elbow tendon. The pain remained even without playing. Every little hand gesture was connected with pain. Following that I´ve had visited literally dozens of different medical specialists, physical therapies and ostepathy as well. Nothing had helped me really..Finally I´ve took an advice from an other injured guitar player and I´ve stopped completely the guitar playing for 10 months. It was a tough and very frustrating time. I´ve had to turn my back on music and instruments in general for a while.. Otherwise it would have been to frustrating.
Now I´m coming slowly back and it feels great to be able again to play painless, but It´s tough as well because I have to relearn a lot of stuff.
So please just take an advice from someone, who played for nearly 25 years and never thought that such a thing could happen to him..Warm up yourself with stretching before playing and after that directly on the fretboard as well. Do breaks if you feel, that your hand/tendons feel unpleasent while or after the playing. If you suffer from tendonitis several times in a row, it might be over with your guitar playing forever...

Glad you’re able to play again!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Having had tennis elbow and having to wear a epicondylar cuff on my arm for about four months, at the back end of 2019, I totally sympathise.

The advice I got from my physio was that it would get better when it got better! Not something you want to hear!

 

[bodia]

Having had tennis elbow and having to wear a epicondylar cuff on my arm for about four months, at the back end of 2019, I totally sympathise.

The advice I got from my physio was that it would get better when it got better! Not something you want to hear!

Truth in that. I’m in a left hand splint for four weeks. Thumb issues. Sucks!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Truth in that. I’m in a left hand splint for four weeks. Thumb issues. Sucks!

Ouch, I hope Mrs B is looking after you?

 

[Black Plaid]

Sorry to hear about all the injuries!

Remember to to stretching and warmups before playing or any other vigorous activity!

Glad to hear about the recoveries!

 

[Alan Manning]

Very unpleasant.!!! Iv'e had 2 injections in the right elbow and 1 in the left for tennis elbow.
( Purely work related) Happens quite a bit in my game, also I'm 60 going on 28 lol.
Iv'e managed to get away with it somewhat these last couple of yrs and if i feel a twinge I stop everything I can for a period of time.
Unfortunately I need to work so just hope for the best ( lap of the gods when your laying bricks and blocks all day.!!!
Probably put the mockers on it now DOH. !!!

 

[Tony M.]

Going in for carpal tunnel surgery on my right wrist this Tuesday.
Already been down the injection road but now I have to get it fixed.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

ouch and ouch! Ignore my whinging comment!

 

[bodia]

Ouch, I hope Mrs B is looking after you?

Watching me. Definitely watching.

 

[bodia]

Going in for carpal tunnel surgery on my right wrist this Tuesday.
Already been down the injection road but now I have to get it fixed.

All the best

 

[dogrocketp]

The surgery should really help, Tony. PM me if you’re in the DMV.

 

[alantig]

Going in for carpal tunnel surgery on my right wrist this Tuesday.
Already been down the injection road but now I have to get it fixed.

Good luck, Tony. Had to do surgery last year for trigger finger. Couldn't play any more w/o it. I still have to be more conscious of stretching, but I'm back to about 90-95%.

 

[CandidPicker]

Good luck, Tony. Had to do surgery last year for trigger finger. Couldn't play any more w/o it. I still have to be more conscious of stretching, but I'm back to about 90-95%.

Alan,

How've you been feeling since the surgery? Have you done the PT recommended? (Am doing something similar for non-surgical-related shoulder impingement...slow process, sporadic exercise regimen, hoping to be able to use (previously forbidden) shoulder machines at the gym soon...) Otherwise, just filling in the blanks...