Help! Tendenitis is slowing me down!

BandShe

I've been playing pretty steady for a little over a year now and within the last four months I've develpoed tendonitis in my right elbow. I've been dealing with it , but I'm sure it's caused by something I'm doing wrong. I play with a pick most of the time, any suggestions?

[This message has been edited by BandShe (edited September 18, 2002).]

theglue · Tadpole Joined: 15 Sep 2002 Posts: 28

I play with a pick too, almost always. I've never experienced elbow problems though. Sometimes if I'm not relaxed enough my fretting hand tires out too fast but that's about it. I can't seem to figure in how your bass playing could affect your elbow?
Which elbow is it - your fretting hand or the picking hand? Either way it still sounds odd.

Whatever you do, you should try to breath normally and let your fingers do the walking. The more relaxed you are the less stress you'll put on your hands and hopefully - elbows.

BandShe

quote:
Originally posted by theglue:
I play with a pick too, almost always. I've never experienced elbow problems though. Sometimes if I'm not relaxed enough my fretting hand tires out too fast but that's about it. I can't seem to figure in how your bass playing could affect your elbow?
Which elbow is it - your fretting hand or the picking hand? Either way it still sounds odd.

Whatever you do, you should try to breath normally and let your fingers do the walking. The more relaxed you are the less stress you'll put on your hands and hopefully - elbows.

It's my picking arm, that I'm having the trouble with. Possibly I did the damage at work then, since it only started about 4 months ago. Playing seems to aggrivate it, I try to rest, but as soon as it starts feeling better I have practice again and it starts up again. Thanks for the advice, I do need to relax more when I play.

daveman

First stand up straight and relax.

Make sure you are not wearing the bass down low. It should be in about the same position when you are standing as when you are sitting. That is, it should be up to where your picking arm is almost 90 degrees.

Pick between the end of the neck and the pickup closest to the neck, about midways.

When using the pick, make sure you use a "flat wrist" where you wrist pretty much lays on or close to the strings. Then just move your wrist up and down, not the elbow. Your pick hand thumb muscle should lightly touch the low string.

The pick should strike the string with the flat of the pick tip, at a pretty flat angle. If your wrist is too far up, then your attacks tend to hit with the edge of the pick, instead of the flat, and you lose definition.

Be sure to use a really heavy pick guage. If it's too thin, it will sound too "picky" instead of a nice smooth sound.

Don't cram the elbow into the bass or your side, relax.

Hope it helps.

SteveJazz

I've had tendonitis three times, it's bad news. Playing with a pick is harder on the tendon than fingerstyle, unfortunately.

Get a good arm brace, neoprene wrap style, and wear it when you practice, or use the computer, etc. My doctor kicked it last time with a script for Naproxen.

Daveman's advice above is good, too.

aj2taylo

Other things to be mindful regarding tendonitis:

- proper warm-up when playing -> if you're going straight into aggressive playing, your arm may not be properly prepared
- eating and resting properly
- keeping a (relatively) regular playing schedule (about the same amount daily, rather than a bit one day, none the next, then 6 hours the following day, and then 15 minutes the next)

Things that could potentially help:
- dressing warmly, especially around your arms, in the winter season
- stretching exercises for your hands/arms before playing, and then warm-up exercises
- healthy diet
- some good sleep in a comfortable bed

AND most importantly:

Talk to a doctor and/or physical therapist rather than asking the Bass Dogs crew - not to knock anyone's experiences/advice (I think the stuff in the previous posts was sound advice), but the best advice will come from a trained professional, rather than a bunch of strangers with various aliases on a message board. I've had friends who were told to stop playing for a period to recover, and they've never had repeat bouts of tendonitis. I bit of rest may be the correct procedure in your case too.

Also, though we may not be featured in Olympics or have Nike deals, there is a great deal of physical activity for musicians, even though it may be limited to hands/wrists/forearms/elbows. So think of how an athlete treats his/her body, and do the same for yours.

daveman

AJ, the problem with seeking doctor or therapists advice about this is most of them have no idea what is involved in playing a musical instrument, or what is considered correct form, etc.

Steve, IME, if the pick is used properly, it is not hard on the tendons, and is much easier than fingers. The trick is to **** the hand up and then let gravity and the natural elasticity of the wrist drive the pick down against the string. There should be no arm movement at all.

I too. use both pick and fingers. And, yes, naproxin (Aleve) is a wonder drug for those problems.

SteveJazz

Yeah Daveman, I should have said "The way I use a pick is harder on my arm than figerstyle," point taken...

You are also right about a lot of doctors don't know much about treating tendonitis. Rest is certainly good, but difficult if you are a gigger. I took a leave of absence from my band for 4 months, then got the Naproxen, and it worked wonders. I also take glucosamine, and now I feel "warmed up" right away unless my hands are cold from being outside, etc.