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Have you examined the ergonomics of how you hold
and play the guitar? Sometimes something as simple as shortening your
guitar strap to prevent that Jimmy Page syndrome can help. Or try holding your
neck more upright (not totally vertical like a cello player) to relief some
tension. A lot of jazz guitar players (John Stowell being the most prominent)
hold their guitars like this to relief tension and allow more complex fingerings
and fretboard dexterity. Also, are you doing special, doctor or physical
therapist prescribed exercises to help the matter?
...if all else fails, become a lefty. :) Just don't
do what Derek Bailey did after he realized he had carpel tunnel and refuse to
get surgury.
K-
As I'm aging a bit and after now 25-30ish years of playing
guitar among other things it seems I'm getting occasional bouts with
tendinitis or related. I do home-made yoga and much stretching but every
now and then as now I get a zinger. This current one which hasn't
stopped me playing but I get cautious, began as somewhat of a tennis elbow in
my left joint and seems to have migrated down to landing in my first finger.
The only thing I can attrib is my fretless guitar is higher action than
my fretted and I've been in a period of heavy playing of it. I've done
ice and as said stretching but interested in maybe getting a thread of
knowledge going on any positive support to these kind of physical issues if
anyone cares to echo.
When things like this happen I'm reminded of the MASH episode where
Hawkeye had been through a bazillion surgery's removing limbs. He was
exhausted and fell asleep. He had a dream that he was
floating in the middle of lake in a boat and he had no arms.
Anytime I get anything physical that flashes to me.
Anyhow tendinitis...
Jim
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