Back again

[Not-Too-Late]

Its been a few years since I was here. I had picked up the guitar back then to play once more from a long spell. I had injured the tendons down from my left thumb which made playing quite painful. I guess some things never heal back to the way it was, and I pulled the tendons again. I got so fed up I just put the guitar away figuring that I will never play it again, but the hand is getting stronger and I'm exercising it so I can pick the instrument up one more time. I'll have to take it slow until I get some strength back into the hand. Just very light playing each day so the hand gets used to it again. Its about all I can do without getting some discomfort. What a drag. After all those years and I start playing only to have it happen again. Oh well, that's life. So easy does it for now. It was nice to see the guitar again. It was tucked away in the back of the closet. It seems OK, but I need to take it in for tuning. A number of the strings are buzzing quite a bit. Anyway, I hope I can play again. It will take some time though. Over the last few years the tendon seemed to get better then with just a little use even riding my bicycle creates pain and discomfort to where its back to square one. The doctor mentions that its tendinitis from what can be seen from the x-ray. Anyway, I'll give it another try, but very, very lightly.

 

Cheers everyone

[Pin]

Good luck old son.

 

I have problems in my left (fretting) hand because of tendonitis which may or may not have something to do with a badly broken thumb some years ago. It means I cannot do certain things. I can't use my thumb to "hook over" the neck for 6th string fretting - Hendrix style - for instance. And I have to be careful about "spread chords". I could never play a traditional "spread" 12 bar blues in the key of F for example.

 

But that's the way it is - you have to learn to cope with it. But take it easy and practice regularly and as with anything you will get better at doing it.

[PeteWilson]

My doctor recommends taking an anti-inflammatory before playing golf. Perhaps it would work for you before playing guitar. I have had tendonitis several times in my elbows, and heat and cold in 20 minute intervals helps.

Hope you are able to continue to play, even if just a little!

Pete

[milod]

Technically there's no necessity even to use the thumb on the fretting hand. On certain setups and in certain styles of playing it makes stuff a lot easier, but... that's the beauty of figuring guitar. For example, I practiced fingerpicking with just my right pinkie finger and my thumb when I was doing a lotta stuff that could easily have damaged my other fingers.

 

And by that point, I figure I'd messed with left hand options enough enough that I could play open G, with or without using more than a slide of some sort, to keep me busy learning new technique and tunes for the next hundred years - and I ain't likely to last that long.

 

They told Django he'd never play again and he created a way to do more than all but his few brothers at the top of the mountain.

 

Basically, if it hurts, don't do it. But you should be able to do some slide work with the guitar on your lap and wearing a boxing glove on your left. Or a full hand cast if you do it right. Or extra-light strings and an extra low setup for very light right hand work and thumb-less, almost effortless left handed chording.

 

Where there's a will, for a true pickin' addict, there's a way.

 

m

[Not-Too-Late]

Good luck old son.

 

I have to be careful about "spread chords". I could never play a traditional "spread" 12 bar blues in the key of F for example.

 

But that's the way it is - you have to learn to cope with it. But take it easy and practice regularly and as with anything you will get better at doing it.

 

I can't do that on a good day as I was blessed/cursed with a short pinky, and on top of that the top portion of the finger is bent inwards which makes it even worse for some cords. One thing that always encourages me when it comes to a slight disability in playing is reflecting on Django Reinhardt. He was one of the worlds greatest guitar players -- with missing fingers.

[Not-Too-Late]

Technically there's no necessity even to use the thumb on the fretting hand.

 

They told Django he'd never play again and he created a way to do more than all but his few brothers at the top of the mountain.

 

Basically, if it hurts, don't do it. But you should be able to do some slide work with the guitar on your lap and wearing a boxing glove on your left. Or a full hand cast if you do it right. Or extra-light strings and an extra low setup for very light right hand work and thumb-less, almost effortless left handed chording.

 

Where there's a will, for a true pickin' addict, there's a way.

 

m

 

Right now any pressure although very light hurts like the blazes. Playing it like a lap steel with boxing gloves .

 

It was sad what happened to Django. I just goes to show you with determination, one can overcome many a disability. And in Django's case, one can't rule out incredible talent to go along with determination.

[Not-Too-Late]

My doctor recommends taking an anti-inflammatory before playing golf. Perhaps it would work for you before playing guitar. I have had tendonitis several times in my elbows, and heat and cold in 20 minute intervals helps.

Hope you are able to continue to play, even if just a little!

Pete

 

Using an anti-inflammatory med is a great idea along with an anti-inflammatory diet. Gotta do something about that.

 

 

 

[milod]

I'm not entirely certain it was "sad" what happened to Django.

 

I've always wondered whether he would have had the drive he had were it not for the injuries.

 

It's hard telling; none of us can know what is true of the hearts of men.

 

m

[Not-Too-Late]

I'm not entirely certain it was "sad" what happened to Django.

 

I've always wondered whether he would have had the drive he had were it not for the injuries.

 

It's hard telling; none of us can know what is true of the hearts of men.

 

m

 

Sometimes adversities drive us a little harder do they not.

[Vinlander]

Good luck old son.

 

I have problems in my left (fretting) hand because of tendonitis which may or may not have something to do with a badly broken thumb some years ago. It means I cannot do certain things. I can't use my thumb to "hook over" the neck for 6th string fretting - Hendrix style - for instance. And I have to be careful about "spread chords". I could never play a traditional "spread" 12 bar blues in the key of F for example.

 

But that's the way it is - you have to learn to cope with it. But take it easy and practice regularly and as with anything you will get better at doing it.

I broke my fretting hand thumb couple years ago while at work, I thought it was only a bad stretch and did not care enough to go to hospital.

It healed but lost flexibility and I can't really hook over the fretboard anymore; good thing my technique is not relying on it...

[Not-Too-Late]

I broke my fretting hand thumb couple years ago while at work, I thought it was only a bad stretch and did not care enough to go to hospital.

It healed but lost flexibility and I can't really hook over the fretboard anymore; good thing my technique is not relying on it...

 

You are fortunate that you can still play. I never used the thumb over the fretboard either. Just holding the thumb at the back of the neck is enough to cause a lot of problems for me at present. They say time heals all wounds, but when it comes to ligament/tendon damage, it takes quite a bit of time.