After 6+ hours of picking:

[300win]

Went to Floyd, Va. last night, braved the pouring rain, 90+ miles of travel, to jam with some friends. While unscrewing my medicene bottles this morning, really had some old arthur pain in my left hand. You know getting old sucks sometimes, but it sure beats the alternative. Anyone got some good advise, home remedy treatments, anything, anyone ?

A friend give me a copy cd of some of us picking at a guys house back in '77, I listened to it yesterday morning, had to ask myself, is that me playing mamdolin ?, could I actually play that fast back then ?, and whats with all that crazy stuff I'm doing on the breaks ?, had my mandolin stiiting there in the stand picked it up and started to play along with the cd, heck I couldn't even keep up on the chops much less thinking about taking a break on a couple of the tunes we did, { groans in dispare and agony, folornly thinking about the days gone by}.

A word, just a small word for all you youngters out there that have the supple hands, and all you oldsters out there that still have it, be very thankful my friends for what you have, and hope that the dreaded joint rust ever catches up to you.

[Rob Gerety]

I can relate. Doesn't help matters either when you jam a left hand finger playing old folks ice hockey or hammering nails. That sort of thing used to take a few days or a week to get better. Now its a month or more and sometimes you wonder if its just gonna keep hurting for the duration.

[catmandu2]

Acclimatization is key, of course. But after the fact, anti-inflammatories such as aspirin, immobilization, and alt. warm/cold. You may acquire a wrist splint from the local pharmacy. Driving is another repetitive-motion excercise that can exacerbate symptoms of pain and inflammation--I sometimes don my wrist splint just as soon as the gig is over and before I tear down gear and begin driving.

Oops...just realized you're talking about arthritis. Sorry.

[300win]

Acclimatization is key, of course. But after the fact, anti-inflammatories such as aspirin, immobilization, and alt. warm/cold. You may acquire a wrist splint from the local pharmacy. Driving is another repetitive-motion excercise that can exacerbate symptoms of pain and inflammation--I sometimes don my wrist splint just as soon as the gig is over and before I tear down gear and begin driving.

Oh, I do take anti-inflamatories, due to a severe heart condition I have a high miligram asprin everyday that is slowly eating up my stomach, and tons of other drugs, blood thinners, etc. all the other heart meds. Because of this I've been dis-abled since '04, so I don't work with my hands hard anymore like I used to. Basicaly try to play mando/guitar at least a hour everyday. I've worn the wrist brace etc. tried everything nothing seems to defeat it. I do know the weather has an effect on it. Last nights rain, plus it being wet for the past 3 days had alot to do with it. It is something that is just with me, I'll have to grin and bear it. But thanks for the tips.

[Gerard Dick]

Ya need some of Granny's rheumatiz med'cin. It helps to make it easier to put up with the pains that come with age.

[catmandu2]

It is something that is just with me, I'll have to grin and bear it. But thanks for the tips.

Right. For that, I'd suggest something palliative.. :cool:

[300win]

Ya need some of Granny's rheumatiz med'cin. It helps to make it easier to put up with the pains that come with age.

Ah, I know what you're talking about. Being where I live in northwest North Carolina, about 35 miles from the little town of Wilkesboro, N.C., which was/is/ and always will be the "moonshine"capitol".. of the entire world, there in not any problem aquiring 'granny's recipe medicene'. At present I have about a gallon and a half in the basement, and will be getting another gallon this evening, but of course most of this is reserved for our oldest son, who is in the Marine Corps, pre-deployment party that will be launched the last week-end of this month. Along with his Marine friends that are traveling here with thier girl friends and wives, plus our son's fiance', plus all our friends, plus all my picking pals, rest assured that every one of those Mason jars will be dry in short order. Howver, I do confess that I have sampled the 'product' to make sure it is of the highest caliber......., it is. It as 'cooked' by one of the oldest family line producers in this country, been making it the same way since the 1700's. For bonded whiskey, I'm a man that enjoys a fine bourbon or scotch, but nothing you gan get out of the store even comes close to the fine taste and nose of what I have in the basement at present. I have, clear { which we Rebs call sugarhead}, apple brandy, peach brandy, honey brandy, and pear brandy. I will post a thread here about how the party turned out, not sure where, maybe bring this one back up, but this was a nice diversion from talking about joint pain.

[jim_n_virginia]

Went to Floyd, Va. last night, braved the pouring rain, 90+ miles of travel, to jam with some friends.

While unscrewing my medicene bottles this morning, really had some old arthur pain in my left hand. You know getting old sucks sometimes,


Hey Win would you like some cheese with that whine??? :))

At least you still got yer fingers I have a picking buddy who lost several in a winch and he's still pickin!

Hey man how was the Jamboree? I go up there a lot when it is warmer and not raining! Got a good friend who moved up there and opened a Bluegrass B&B and she runs the BG jam at the store at 2pm on Sundays and it is a LOT of fun!

And there is a good BG Sat. at 5pm at the Buffalo Store down the road in Riner on the way to Floyd. LOT of good pickin up that way.

:mandosmiley:

[brianf]

Been there, done that. Tendonitis is a bummer.

[rico mando]

stay hydrated. that means electrolytes as well as water.it keeps your muscles, joints and tendons lubricated.this goes for everyone

[KanMando]

This works for me. It really helps with comfort and flexibility if I use it before I play, and relieves pain if used afterward. By the way, Tiger Balm does not use any tiger by-products as one reviewer asserts. As far as I know, it is not endorsed by Tiger Woods, but he might want to look into that.

http://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Balm-Relieving-Ointment-Non-Staining/dp/B001ECQ5VG/ref=pd_sim_hpc_2


Bob

[JEStanek]

Well, speaking as one who will never play fast breaks, rejoice in your past accomplishments, appreciate the knowledge of how much work went into that music and make the best music you can at the moment. Most of the world doesn't make music, fewer still care to carry on the traditions from where the music came. Being able to contribute to the passing of the torch is the greatest gift. There is still joy to be found on that fingerboard.

Jamie

[robert.najlis]

you may want to look into acupuncture. I am not sure of your exact condition, but it sounds like something that acupuncture could be effective for. Another mandolin cafe member posted a question on my (free) site, and I think he was pretty happy with the feedback, but you would have to ask him (that's me trying to be helpful, but trying not to push either...). My site is http://www.mediyak.com

you can post a question on this page: http://www.mediyak.com/questions

[AlanN]

I have a picking buddy who lost several in a winch and he's still pickin!

or a banjo man I picked with one time, had 1 finger (pointer) on his left hand. He could flat out get it done (had me pick 'Rawhide', but what he really meant was Train 45, lol)

Son!

[catmandu2]

...'granny's recipe medicene'...whiskey...bourbon or scotch...apple brandy, peach brandy, honey brandy, and pear brandy.

That's pretty good for starters..

[300win]

Yea I know guys I need to be thankful for what I still have and once had and I am, don't get me wrong. But down here in all this long history of Scots/Irish ancestary mountain tradition, theres a lot of male pride involved even in the area of picking music. Kina like, "yea so and so could really used to burn it pretty good, but he's all washed up now", stuff like that. One thing I have noticed here lately, is that I always had a heavy hand, picked hard so I could hear myself amid the "BANJER" noise lol, but I've come more on concentrating on doing what I can do but at a lesser level that is not putting as much strain on me as before. From now on its gonna be like this whenever I take a ride, if you want to hear what I'm doing, then back off a little Mac ! Although I do have a fine sounding mandolin tone wise, and volume wise, I'm going to begin sticking to this creed. Now some of the guys I play with are courteous pickers, with them there is no problem, but with some of these other younger 'dudes' they ain't learnt that yet. Man whats with banjer pickers anyway, they have the loudest instrument but want to bear down it from start to finish. Heck I've played banjer in a band too, but I always lightened up at the right times, always wanted hear what everybody else is doing. And Jim in Virginia, I'll keep that info in mind, and no whine with the chesse thank you very much lol. I'm a hard spirits guy myself, although I make a pretty decent muscadine wine.

[JEStanek]

...theres a lot of male pride involved even in the area of picking music. Kina like, "yea so and so could really used to burn it pretty good, but he's all washed up now", stuff like that.

That doesn't sound like pride, that sounds like a lack of respect. What's worse is these young males full of pride could probably stand to learn a thing or two from you. Pick on, contribute to the music and let yourself have fun.

Jamie

[300win]

That doesn't sound like pride, that sounds like a lack of respect. What's worse is these young males full of pride could probably stand to learn a thing or two from you. Pick on, contribute to the music and let yourself have fun.

Jamie

Well you could have something there Jamie, sadly a lot of these youngters don't know one iota of any of Big Mon's tunes, but now they are fully up to speed on the latest ang greatest newgrass stuff. Whic some of might I add has about 5-6 more chords than is actually needed. It sure ain't like it used to be, when I was a youngin' I hung on every word, note, phrase, of my elder peers, thats the way I learned.

[300win]

added to the above; "for every season, turn, turn, turn,"

[dan in va]

If it's arthritis, lots of folks respond well to glucosamine. It takes a month or two to work, and one brand can work for one person and not another. For example, the WalMart stuff does fine with my mom, but not for dad and me but another brand does well for us. Something that was recently discovered is that it can raise eye pressure, so it's good to have routine eye exams. The good news is the pressure goes badk down after you stop taking it.

Another thing that can help is to keep your hands warm.

Hope your hands get better....dan

[barney 59]

When my Doctor suggested an operation for the arthritis in my hands but said he wouldn't be doing the surgery himself because he had to give it up---"arthritis"--- I knew the jig was up. Lots of good suggestions above and they can help. I go on the "use it or lose it" philosophy myself and I try everything that is suggested and some things help and some not. The countless hours I had spent trying to learn to play cleanly,now at least that is one thing I don't have to worry about. It takes a long time to warm up and to get my head and my hands to be working together. If I know that I'm going to be playing later,even going to a music shop I will try and play some before I go to try and save myself the embarrassment of picking up an instrument and sounding really scratchy in public.
One thing I have noticed from following the careers of some of the greats is that it happens to them as well but the best of them seem to recognize that and make up for it with the taste, finesse and character that only comes from many years of experience. I often prefer the new(older) version.

[Josh Kaplan]

Arthritis or not, and whether you're young or old, six hours of picking is a lot of picking.

Josh

[jim_n_virginia]

yeah man I just went to Cabin Fever here in VA last weekend and we picked 6+ hours Fri and Sat and by Sunday morning my hand was swollen I almost couldn't make a fist.

Also Win you said you have a heavy hand so did I! Until I spent 10 months studying with Herschel Sizemore and spent a LOT of time on my right hand technique. When I first met him he said "play something" and I did and he said "you play in a LOT of jams don't you?" and I said yeah and he said "I can tell" LOL!

Took me a lot of practice to unlearn bad habits of banging on the mandolin to be heard. Herschel is 75 years old and he can still pick like he is 20 and he has the lightest touch on the mandolin he even uses a thin pick.

I used to not say anything but if now if I am in a jam with a bunch of newbies banging on their guitars I'll say something in a heartbeat now! And if I have to say it more than once I'll find more courteous people to jam with.

Man I am pretty lucky one of my good picking buddies is one of the quietest (but good) banjo player around! LOL!

[BlueMt.]

300win, I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on tv but I've spent a lifetime working with my hands and have been known to overindulge in picking guitar and mandolin. I've found a cocktail of 3 Advil + 1 Tylenol does a pretty good job of reducing both pain and inflammation. It sounds like you're already on a lot of meds, so checking with your MD might be in order before trying it. I also ice my hand down after doing something I shouldn't.

Remind those young bucks that "Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill". :)

Take care.

[300win]

yeah man I just went to Cabin Fever here in VA last weekend and we picked 6+ hours Fri and Sat an
d by Sunday morning my hand was swollen I almost couldn't make a fist


Also Win you said you have a heavy hand so did I! Until I spent 10 months studying with Herschel Sizemore and spent a LOT of time on my right hand technique. When I first met him he said "play something" and I did and he said "you play in a LOT of jams don't you?" and I said yeah and he said "I can tell" LOL!

Took me a lot of practice to unlearn bad habits of banging on the mandolin to be heard. Herschel is 75 years old and he can still pick like he is 20 and he has the lightest touch on the mandolin he even uses a thin pick.

I used to not say anything but if now if I am in a jam with a bunch of newbies banging on their guitars I'll say something in a heartbeat now! And if I have to say it more than once I'll find more courteous people to jam with.

Man I am pretty lucky one of my good picking buddies is one of the quietest (but good) banjo player around! LOL!

Yea, I already begin thinking that way. From now on if anyone wants to hear me they will have to lighten up. When I sit around home by myself its a lot easier, no other noise {banjer}. Course I could plug into a amp about 5 feet tall and desroy the banjer picker with one fell swoop, lol, but nah that ain't gonna happen, I hate elevtricity except for the power coming into my house. Thanks for the info.

[300win]

300win, I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on tv but I've spent a lifetime working with my hands and have been known to overindulge in picking guitar and mandolin. I've found a cocktail of 3 Advil + 1 Tylenol does a pretty good job of reducing both pain and inflammation. It sounds like you're already on a lot of meds, so checking with your MD might be in order before trying it. I also ice my hand down after doing something I shouldn't.

Remind those young bucks that "Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill". :)

Take care.

You're talikng about sabotage now right ? Secretly twisting thier tuning keys, bumping a bridge maybe, Hey I know a great thing I need to start doing, whenever they want to bust one of so fast you I can't pick it, I'll not even play. When asked why, I'll say that was played way faster than it was written lol. Have patience young Skywalker.