LH tendonitis, thumb/hand joint. Remedies?

Passacaglia

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/102099#Comment_102099

Wow, thanks, I've never done that voicing. I like it, though yeah, I can see it's to be used very judiciously (my lame first attempts here, it sounds like an autoharp chiming away. Double-stops aren't a problem, but getting the thumb in good position while cleanly hitting the 7th (without turning this into A7(#9), lol) is going to take some work.

Awesome!

Bones

Paul, the other possibility is if you are playing with a bass player you can not worry about the root on the sixth string if that helps relieve stress on your thumb.

Passacaglia

Thanks Bones, never done that but I get it, that's great. Interestingly somewhere on one of the RA songs, Nous'che actually plays what would normally clash with the bass, but Christian says it's such a GJ sound it's accepted. I'd never even thought of these considerations, like you posted. Lot to learn!

Passacaglia

Forgot to mention Billy, I'd gotten the putty a while back on your recommendation, the green, and wanted to thank you. Great stuff. Kind of like adult silly putty.😀

Just wanted to mention it in case others might be interested.

pdg

You might try lower action, lighter strings or silk&steel strings, different neck shape (thickness and nut width) and shorter scale length.

But also, make sure most of your finger pressure comes from the middle and first joint (nearest your hand) of your fingers, not the tip joint, and that your tip joints are relaxed, and your fingers come down perpendicularly onto the strings. The tip joint muscles apparently relate to the thumb somehow.

And your thumb should not be bending backwards onto the neck; the tip joint itself is a decent point of contact, because the last joint of the thumb can then relax a bit.

The book, Playing With Ease, by David Leisner, may or may nit help.

Passacaglia

Hey all,

I had mentioned some wrist stretches coming from Aikido that may or not prove useful. In case you might enjoy them, here they are.

These come from what are known as the "first five" fundamental techniques. 3 are wrist joint locks, one is an ulnar nerve entrapment, and one is a traditional elbow lock or arm bar. I'll show the 3 wrist stretches, plus the technique "kotegaeshi," or literally "wrist turning," and some finger stretches. When I taught tactical defense or rape prevention and assault awareness to women's groups, a lot of very simple techniques involved fingers.

"Ikkyo" - first teaching. Each will show the prep and execution, hope they're clear. You all know the drill, slow, steady, gentle stretch, no bouncing, 30 seconds and release. Apologize in advance or the older dude sitting there. Last I looked, he was a rangy lad of 25.

"Nikkyo" - "Second Teaching"

Sankyo, or 'Third Teaching"

"Kotegaeshi" - "Wrist Turning"

Finger Stretches, individual, a couple, the hand:

Finally, the thumb. Yes, I switched hands.😀

If anyone has any questions, feel free to shoot.

Passacaglia

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/102121#Comment_102121

Thanks pdg. I'm with this Altamira for now, though I've completely narrowed my search for an eventual luthier, and am fully decided to roll on...one of 3.🤗

I do use S & S's, prefer them to Argies on this one. Of all the choices, so far, I prefer the Galli V027's, though they only come in medium gauge. I'm currently playing the coated versions, GSL mediums, but have found both die pretty quickly (am I overly precious, you all - couple of weeks, and they seem lifeless to me?). I have a luthier friend, guy works on 500 year old symphony instruments, so I trust him with everything, and will give it to him to see his thoughts on action, etc., the stuff we can amend.

Thanks on the other stuff re scale length, etc. If I had the dough I'd love a short scale Mac D-Hole, and 2 others in long scale. Unfortunately I suspect it's this Altamira and one more. But still looking closely at the short scales. Thanks for the tip.

Outstanding, thanks so much on the second paragraph. I will put it immediately into practice and see what I'm doing. 3rd paragraph as well. Some of the chords I'm attempting are ridiculous for me to obtain cleanly, without yoga, but I look forward to doing this. And looking for the book, thanks there too!

Passacaglia

Hey guys,

Well, things have gone south. Trying to ameliorate what's going on with ice, extended release Tylenol, ample stretching ("yoga for guitarists" on youtube), and things are really screaming now...thumb going numb and distal tips on other fingers as well. Wrist hurts, at times, shooting.

I think I'm an idiot. I've always trained through pain - when I was uchideshi, I developed severe symphis pubis, so much brutal throwing and so forth, there's no more cartilage between the hip bones. Not cool when dropping 215 lbs. 5 hours daily - and I think it's the same here. I just don't stop, really working Nous'che and Benji Winterstein and Denis and GP.....

I know I should see my doctor and will, I guess. Probably like most of us, I feel guilty as they are strapped and want to stay clear to give them the wide berth to treat Covid patients.

My question is, and it's a very basic one, I would guess - do I have any other choice but to stop playing, at least with my left hand?

billyshakes

Really sorry to hear that, Paul.

If you are taking time off, maybe you can still keep improving by focusing on ear training and/or mental visualization of playing. Think of how you'd play accompaniment, what voicings you might use. Try to think of alternate voicings or areas of the fretboard to play the same chord or inversion. Maybe listen to a different player play the same tune and consider how you might change your accompaniment.

I have no doubt you would be familiar with these techniques from your martial arts past. Heck, I think we could ALL do a turn visualizing ourselves playing on the Ile du Berceau on a sunny, July day....then in the Samoreau campground by night!

Passacaglia

Thanks very much buddy. That visualization is one heck of a place to be. For what it's worth, Rodrigo posted a link to some beautiful photographs from S. France, by Françoise Cardinal. Nice place to be as well.