Finger Health - Whats your methodology?

BreadTooth

BreadTooth

Experienced
Greetings my forum brothers & sisters...

AxeFx is sounding sweet with v11.03 + 3.01 + 168.
Full week playing guitar has blown out my fingers.
Finger tips are fine, calluses in good shape.
Finger limbs however are screaming!!


What is your methodology for keeping your fingers healthy and gig ready?


Yes, I know google is our friend - but I'd love to hear from you, my respected and valued fractal family, for how you keep your digits in fine working order.

What do you do if your digits are not in working order and your booked to play?
 
I listen to my hands and I'm proactive and logical when making a sudden leap in fretboard time.

  • I use common sense and logic to build up athletic endurance
  • I'm proactive with practice breaks: Too few, too short, and I pay for it at the gig. Too long, too many, and I have strength reserves at the gig...which is a much smarter option.
  • If my breaks are too few, too short, my hands will tell me quietly at first and then progressively louder up to where they're screaming at me.
  • When you choose to listen, and how careful you are is up to you.
  • Listen to people who injured their hands over time and it'll motivate you. Our hands are complex delicate and fragile, and they don't last. I need mine to last as long as possible.

I'm very against pain killers, anti-inflammatories, or anything that can blunt your ability to feel if you're overdoing it. IMO, that's a gamble I don't recommend. It's a caution I use as a singer, and it applies just as much to hands.

I've played too much too fast before and been in trouble at the gig, but if you listen closely to your hands and actively pursue solutions as you play, it's possible to play around overworked muscles, or alter chords/lines. I'll also back off on left/right hands to where I'm just barely putting enough pressure to fret the note.

But if you're proactive, logical, careful and tuned in, you won't be in that situation, or at least not from playing guitar.
 
Last edited:
Talk with: cragginshred. He is a physical therapist here on the forum and knows his stuff on what we need to do. I would like to get his take on the subject as well. Been playing my guitars a lot more now that I got my Axe and I feel my old and tired fingers talking to me.

Every time; right before I pickup my guitar, I run warm/hot water over my forearms and hands to loosen them up. Then I put on a pair of piano/violin warmers: Wristies. They work well to keep the heat in. I only use them for private practice sessions. They actual help you slide up and down the neck faster! Honest - I think I play better with them on than without them!

My physical therapist taught me it is just as important to warm up your forearms, as it is to warm up your hands and wrists. It's all connected. You will play better!
 
These are great suggestions! Thanks for your input.

I would love to hear from cragginshred. Just sent him a PM.
 
The number one way to keep your fingers from getting sore: fret lightly. That'll reduce tension, increase your accuracy, and increase your speed.

Try this experiment: touch a string just behind a fret, start picking, and slowly apply pressure. Stop increasing the pressure when you get a clear, sustaining note. You'll be surprised how little force it takes.
 
Practice and play with consistency! I practice every single day 2-3 or more. Injuries happen when you suddenly increase you digit workout and start putting unexpected stress on you hands and fingers.

Then I try and remember to do back exercises and stretches. The back controls the arms hands and fingers. In my case if I have finger issues that's the source. A day or two of exercise and numbness is gone. When anything happens with me it's numbness in the left hand.

But because I've practiced 2-3 or more hours every day for many, many years, I never have finger or hand pain.
 
Or, don't go rock climbing, use a chain saw, go water skiing, do manual mobilizations on patients and then try a Vinnie Moore sweeping arpeggio:lol Playing alone never makes me run to ice, its all the other stuff!
 
MesaGuitarGuy said:
800mg of ibuprofen before the gig has worked for me, to get me through the gig
Click to expand...
Be sure to have plenty of food in your stomach...IBU is caustic on the stomach lining. 800mg. would be the MAX..400 ~ 600 mg would better for a start, only use what releaves the pain..no more.
 
Great selection of stretches and therapy treatment, brother cragginshred!
I've been using the stretches and movements all day.
The contrast ice bath will be used too. My digits are feeling great today, and I was able to play through two (2) hour long sets and warm ups today. Grateful.
Finger/hand pain all week really slowed me down.


very cool thread.
Appreciate reading all your techniques



cragginshred said:
Responded to pm, for others heres the skinny
Guitar players Physical Therapy - YouTube
Click to expand...
 
My bout with RSI taught me:
- Always maintain hydration.
- Eat well and sleep well, give your body the fuel it needs to repair.
- Always stop when you feel pain. No excuses. And I avoided any meds that would mask the pain and cause me to miss the warning signs.
- Listen to the warning signs of muscle and tendon inflammation. The earlier you stop the less damage there is to repair.
- Plan ahead your exposure to taxing activities. Ration it out.
- Learn new shapes for chords that use less effort and strength. I started playing more minimalist chords for instance, 2 notes instead of 3 or more etc.
- Cut down/out the lead playing.
- Run with lighter strings (less effort).
- Practice [much] less, keep your strength/ration of playing for the gig.
- Use enforced break software on your computer (i.e. Workpace).
- Get physical therapy. I had a South Korean guy that used to do very painful deep tissue work, which helped a bit with the recovery.
 
I have to say I'm slightly surprised that so many are suffering!

I've been playing for 25 years and apart from the odd ache when learning new / awkward chords and feeling a little tightening up of the forearm when practising lead runs etc, I've never really suffered any 'killer pain' as such :? Certainly not to the point of considering pain killers or extensive, physical warm up exercises

Perhaps it's because I don't / can't play to the same technical / advanced level..?
 
Cover'd said:
I've been playing for 25 years...I've never really suffered any 'killer pain'...Perhaps it's because I don't / can't play to the same technical / advanced level..?
Click to expand...

Possibly, although I think what Rex said some people just do early on in learning overall good technique, and hence preventing injury.
 
reviving an old and important thread. Be careful out there.

BreadTooth hand and arm health update 2015
Bad tendonitis flare up in left elbow. I've got no grip strength in left fretting hand, and lots of pain in the tendons between elbow cap and inside elbow bone (funny bone?).

My last gig was end of Dec 2014, playing guitar with keys, drums and crystal bowls for a winter solstice celebration.
I've had to cancel all playing gigs and studio work until I heal.

Current treatment: rest, ibuprofen & ice for pain. No playing guitar or keyboards for me!! All guitars put away. :(
At the chiropractor, we've been trying Active Release Technique (ART), Grasten and laser treatments.

I realize now that my playing technique needs some serious adjustments.
Not properly warming up or stretching, coupled with improper practice & performance angles with my guitar have put serious strains on my tendons.

So, while you are having fun with the 18beta, and I am resting and waiting for my arm to heal.

Looking into accelerated healing treatments for this condition.
This one caught my eye.
Regenokine therapy for my tendonitis

Regenokine is a blood spinning procedure where they take your blood out, heat it in a special process and spin it in a centrifuge and extract this yellow fluid out of it. Then they take this yellow serum and inject it into injuries.
It has been reported to have an incredible effect on healing.

more info here.
Page 2 of The Body That Heals Itself - How Regonikine Therapy Works - MensJournal.com
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom