Re: OT: anybody dealt with tendinitis?

[tEd ® KiLLiAn <tedkillian@charter.net>]

Hi,

I have the "tennis elbow" thing in my right arm (my picking hand).

I'm right-handed too and also make my living with a mouse in front of a 
computer every day all day long with that hand.

The only thing I have noticed to have an effect is when I make a 
conscious effort to change my technique enough (in one area or the 
other) to force me to use slightly different muscles and tendons.

Examples:

At work switching from mouse to trackball, track pad, or pen and tablet.

In playing guitar going to metal banjo picks from bare fingers.

On the fretting hand side, you might try dropping the fretless for a 
wee period and taking up bottleneck slide, or if you're a real glutton 
for punishment lap steel slide (with a bar).

Other than the therapies you are already doing (rest and ice) the only 
other relief is the occasional shot of cortizone directly in the 
affected elbow - helps lots right away but is not good over time and 
repeated shots in the same joint.

Oh and sometimes an Ace Bandage on the affected limb helps too (I'm not 
sure why it works, but it does).

Just things you might try.

By no means am I a doctor.

I just seem to see them more often as I get older too.

Cheers,

Ted Killian


On Feb 2, 2008, at 12:25 PM, Jim Goodin wrote:

> 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
> www.jimgoodinmusic.com
> www.myspace.com/jimgoodinmusic
> www.chinapaintingmusic.com
> www.myspace.com/chinapaintingmusic
>