Tendonitis

[Mandolincelli]

Hi:
In the last month or so I've developed a soreness in my outer forearms near the elbow. I don't know if it is caused by playing a lot of mandolin but lifting heavy things exacerbates it. It feels like what I imagine tendonitis might feel like. I would like to hear from any mandolin players who have been diagnosed with tendonitis, what are their symptoms and what do they do about it? Did you go to the doctor? Is there a cure?

Thanks,

Ken

[250sc]

do you have any tingeling in your fingers and if so, which fingers?

[Oliver R]

I get the exact same thing in my left elbow. It absolutely kills me first thing in the morning untill I move it about for a bit (quite a bit)
I will be interested to hear replies to this, I assumed it was a sort of 'tennis elbow' type thing.

[mandopete]

From time to time I have bouts with tendonitis in my left index finger. I play in a band with a doctor and his recommendation was rest, ice and Ibuprofren.

Now this had to happen while were were playing at a bluegrass festival and I told him I was getting real bored not being able to play mandolin. He said well just relax and have a beer.

The two weeks later he wrote a song called Beer, Ice and Ibuprofen.

The nerve!

[Pete Martin]

Go see a hand specialist. They know what to do with this, called tennis elbow. There are many sites about what to do for this, usually involves rest, ice, anti-inflamatories and gradual return to playing ("work hardening").

Look up the web site "musicians and injuries". Check to see if you are using excess tension in that arm-hand while playing. Go see the hand specialist or better yet a performing arts doc if there is one around.

[Mandolincelli]

do you have any tingeling in your fingers and if so, which fingers?

No tingeling fingers. More like what Oliver describes. Real painful and stiff in the morning until I shake it out.

[Mandolincelli]

Go see a hand specialist. They know what to do with this, called tennis elbow. There are many sites about what to do for this, usually involves rest, ice, anti-inflamatories and gradual return to playing ("work hardening").

Look up the web site "musicians and injuries". Check to see if you are using excess tension in that arm-hand while playing. Go see the hand specialist or better yet a performing arts doc if there is one around.

I checked out the website and you are right on the money: tennis elbow describes where and what I'm feeling. I gather that Alleve and resting the arm are prescribed.

Ken

[mcH]

Whatever you do, don't push it! You'll end up like me: in serious pain and not able to play for 6 months. My tendonitis was in my left wrist, with extreme pain when rotating the wrist (especially for playing violin) and pain in the muscle on the outside of my palm. I ended up having to wear a wrist brace, not play, etc, etc. I still have twinges now and am not 100% back. I wish I had rested when it first started instead of putting up with it and ignoring the pain. Lessons learned.... the hard way.

[Marcus CA]

Hi:
In the last month or so I've developed a soreness in my outer forearms near the elbow.

Since you said "forearms," is it hurting you in the same place in both arms?

I've had problems with both elbows on the inside, rather than the outside. On my right arm, it hurt right on the tendon in the joint, which is called "golfer's elbow" or "writer's elbow." I developed it from extensively writing too small with a pen, and it got seriously aggravated by holding a pick too tightly when I played mandolin. (Guitar wasn't a problem.) On my left arm, I messed up the inside forearm muscle right near my elbow.

For me, Advil, icepacks, and an elbow brace got me through, but acupuncture got both arms back to 90% shape. I still occasionally use braces on both when they start getting tender, but I can play indefinitely whether I need them or not, and I only need a brace once every couple of months.

mcH's advice is the best: "Whatever you do, don't push it!" If you play hard now, you may pay hard forever.

[Mandolincelli]

Yes. It is in both arms and, now that I think of it, I had gone kayaking the day before I noticed the pain. I haven't sea-kayaked in years so this all may be a subset of Weekend Warior Syndrome. What's weird is that the pain has persisted for a month. I took Alleve last night and noticed that the pain has abated. I just can't live with the idea of not playing my mandolin.

[Marcus CA]

The kayaking seems like a reasonable cause of a problem in the same place in both arms. I have no medical training, but that sounds more like an injury than tendinitis, which I think tends to come from more from repeated overuse of the tendon.

My right elbow, which had/has the tendinitis, feels better with a wrap-around brace that has the foam compression pad in it, which isolates the tendon when placed just below it on the forearm. My left forearm, which had the muscle injury, felt better when I wore an Ace spiraled elbow compression brace. As I mentioned before, acupuncture did wonders for both.

I couldn't live without playing music, either. However, I didn't let the pain develop too far before I stopped. At first, that was only ten minutes. :( With the treatments, though, it quickly lengthened to a half-hour, and then longer. Again, as rcH said, the key is not to push it!

Good luck!