My New Friend Arthur

[Henry Mars]

Started rehersals for recording sessions today and found arthritus in the way.

Ok, besides church I havent played out with anyone in a very long time. To my surprise arthritus was holding me back tonight and causing pain in my hands.
Now I know some of you guys are as old and older than me and are still playing out. How do you cope with this problem if you have it? If this gets any worse, I may not be able to play anymore. Any suggestions?

[Gary Sisco]

Hi, Henry. I don't have to deal with arthritis, thank goodness, so I can't reply specifically, but I started playing out again recently, too, and suffer from several forms of tendonitis from working, both arms, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and hands. Yeah, it's an impediment. When I was practicing in the run up to public gigs, I was having to be very careful about pacing myself so as not to aggravate an already aching situation to the point where I'd not be able to play. It's a fine line, sometimes. Myself, I've resorted to heavy-duty anti-inflammatories, judicious use of muscle relaxers (careful if you drink!), and, after practicing, one of the various roll-ons that contain capacin, the stuff that makes peppers hot.

Still, even after many hours of practice since late last winter when I started up again, by the time I got done with our little tour, my wrists were signalling danger. I have to be able to work with my hands, arms and back, not just play my guitar, so I had to lay off for a while to let things subside. Now I have to start working a reasonable amount of daily practice (this side of pain of aggravation) back into the schedule.

But my hands and fingers just aren't as nimble and flexible as they once were and they won't be. Sometimes the creaks are nearly audible. When I first started practicing again, I was having a hell of a time with left ringfinger and couldn't understand why. Took a hell of a while to get it to come back down straight on the strings again, on the fingertip. I finally did get it to come down straight but I had to teach myself several new ways of doing old tricks, using other fingers than I used to, because it just doesn't move the way it used to. Couple of weeks ago when my colt acted up while the farrier was working on him, I remembered that I'd broken that finger a few years ago when one of my mares suddenly rebelled while I was holding her while she was being shod. No wonder!

My left hand and wrist especially have the tendonitis pretty bad. A doctor told me several years ago that I'd have to wear one of those braces from then on but try to get anything done wearing one of those, if you work with your hands. Good luck. Never mind playing an instrument. So I tossed the brace and worked my way through the worst of the pain and out the other side. I'd lose my spread if I had to wear one of those contraptions all the time. They don't allow you to work -- they prevent you from working.

One thing I discovered, though. You want to get some good callous on your fingertips again, there's some horse stuff, an ointment, called Corona. Rub some of that into your fingertips every day when you're done practicing. Shit works.

[Henry Mars]

In the morning sometimes it gets difficult to pick things up .. dropping small objects like spoons etc. If I pick up my axe and play for a half hour the stiffness goes away but the fingers don't bend the way they did before.
I am playing a Les Paul but I think a differnt axe will impove things just a bit so I am going to take the ES 335 out of mothballs and try a lighter guage string.
I kind of think that 800mg of Advil before sessions is going to be part of my standard warm up routine. I hope it dosen't fuck up my diet ... are there any calories in Advil?

[Chris D]

No calories, but it'll eat a hole through your gut without something in there to cushion it.

[rollhead]

Advil and Aleve work as well as Celebrex or Vioxx.

Advil could be good for your Alzheimers, too, Henry.

I took up playing instruments just a few years ago, when I turned 50, and I have often thought that as soon as I learn how to play one halfway decently, I won't be able to play it because of osteoarthritis.

Maybe I should take up harmonica? Can you get arthritis in your lips?

[Gary Sisco]

Henry -- Don't go too light on the strings. Ain't any more fun popping them and having to change them. There is, within reason, something to be said the for the "no pain, no gain" cliche. I was horrified at first that I'd not be able to physically play again enough to want to get in front of an audience (or anyone), my hands and fingers were so clumsy and rusty. But regular practice did limber them up over time -- not as limber as in the days, of course, but that's more than can be expected in my 50s, with such a long interval of not playing at all in between, and lots of physical labor with my hands, which has also changed them, quite a lot. So, not as limber but moreso with practice.

It might actually help your arthritis, I was thinking, regular movement.

One thing that really surprised me is how physical it actually is, playing an instrument. When you're young and you do it all the time coming up, I guess you don't really notice or have any reason to. There are hundreds of pounds of pressure on those strings, though, so it is physical, to a surprising extent. At least for me. I hadn't remembered it that way.

[Dr Dave]

I get tired from playing a gig in a way I never used to, but so far (knock wood) my fingers are okay.

If it were me, Henry, I'd play the 335 just because it's a lighter guitar.

We should start a thread for the over-50 players, "Ask The Geezers."

[Doc Martin]

Sounds like you have Osteoarthritis (OA), this is the most common form of arthritis in the United States. Have you seen your G.P. and or a Specialist?

[Pete C]

Advil can be dangerous to the stomach if taken regularly in high doses if you're not on a proton-pump inhibitor like Prilosec. You'd have to decide whether you want to take the cardiac risks of Cox-2 inhibitors in order to avoid the G.I. risks of NSAIDs.

[Henry Mars]

Originally Posted by Doc Martin

Sounds like you have Osteoarthritis (OA), this is the most common form of arthritis in the United States. Have you seen your G.P. and or a Specialist?

I'm going to see a doctor soon .... I wonder if he/she will give me a script for Jack Daniels for pain. I don't know, mabey the durg plan will cover it.