RE: anybody dealt with tendinitis?

["greg williams" <gregorwilliams@comcast.net>]

Hi Jim,

I've had both tendonitis and carpal tunnel problems in my hands and wrist 
in
the past, and I have found a few things to be particularly effective. The
main issue is tension. Anything that can reduce tension in your playing or
posture can be very helpful. 

I developed problems while sitting in classical position (with 
footstool)for
long tense hours practicing and performing. After a recuperative break for
about a week I changed my seating position around - and stopped practicing
Bach fugues every day! - and my problems cleared up dramatically. In terms
of seating position, I now flip back and forth between having the guitar on
my right leg and using a Dynarette guitar cushion on my left leg. Having
one's foot up on a footstool is very tense on the body, and the cushion
relieves all that tension yet puts the guitar into the same position as
using a footstool.

Another thing that helped, more for carpal tunnel than tendonitis I think,
was sleeping with a wrist brace, which a doctor recommended. I bought one
over the counter at a drugstore. It helps a lot when I get the occasional
flare-up. That and rest, in terms of playing.

Ibuprofin helps, but eats your stomach and liver. Non-toxic cannabis helps
for some people as well, particularly for the relief of tension and as a
natural muscle relaxant.

 I hope some of these suggestions help you. Stay positive!

Yours,
~Greg   

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Goodin [mailto:jimgoodinmusic@gmail.com] 
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2008 12:26 PM
To: loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
Subject: OT: anybody dealt with tendinitis?

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