Anyone ever experience pain in the index finger knuckle?

[emzech]

I posted this in the the "Theory, TECHNIQUE, Tips and Tricks" forum because I suspect this might be a technique issue.

I have been playing for a number of years now, and I recently have developed a new issue. The knuckle on my right index finger (my picking hand) has gotten very sore.

I suspect this pain results from the movement of that finger's knuckle joint when I'm playing. I try to keep my hand/pick grip as loose as possible (as I've always heard was the right thing to do) and this results in my finger moving back-and-forth as the pick pushes through the strings. By "back-and-forth" I mean away from my middle finger on a downstroke, towards my middle finger on an upstroke... 90 degrees to the way the finger was adapted to move. I hope that is clear enough.

It seems as if this repeated wiggling of the knuckle, maybe a few tens-of-thousands of times a week (anyone ever try and figure out how many notes/per week you play? It must be A LOT!), has resulted in the knuckle becoming very sore. It hurts to the point that twisting off the top to a soda bottle (or a similar motion) is excruciating.

I can live with it. It doesn't stop me from playing. But I'm worried about doing lasting damage.

Has anyone else ever experienced this? Should I grip the pick a bit tighter to try and sure-up the knuckle and reduce/eliminate this motion?

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.

[Steve Greer]

At 58 I am living with some hand pain too. Mine is more arthritis related but I believe your description of your knuckle pain Leads me to think you play with the pick being held between the thumb and pointing finger with the other fingers of the picking hand held in a loose relaxed open position. I think if you curl your other fingers behind your pointer finger to support it you would limit the side flexing of that sore knuckle. Consider this, your thumb is your strongest finger and by supporting your sore knuckle with your other fingers may equal the strength of your thumb and your down strokes will = your upstroke in tone and power. Good luck with this Delema and you can change the way you hold your pick no matter how long you have been playing. Ask me how I know.

[Beanzy]

Hi Emzech, you don't describe the pick hold in detail but rather than tighter, I agree with the above poster, it may just be an issue of altering the shape of the grip.
I use two grips depending on the type of plectrum I'm using.
In both of the grips I use the index finger is supported by the ring finger, which in turn is supported by the other two. However one has the top two joints of the index finger roughly in-line with the thumb and in the other grip the tip intersects the thumb at about 45degrees with the second joint at about 80degrees or so.

Last week I managed to break the (already arthritic) joint of the index finger, a simple break which was only problematic if I caught the finger wrong. So I could still play after a couple of days, but only using the grip where the finger was fully supported by the thumb and ring finger. It may help to check that both thumb and ring finger are in-line with your index finger. It could just be like me where you're developing osteoarthritis in the joint. I've not noticed playing aggravates this but using a strong grip when doing DIY / operating drills and brushcutters etc does , so I've been a bit more cautious about wearing gloves and taking breaks in those activities too.

[UsuallyPickin]

Tighter grip is in my experience never a good choice. Watch the Mike Marshall videos on YouTube. His technique and instruction are both excellent. If your grip is too close to the end of your index finger rather than closer to that first knuckle you will be shoving that joint sideways or to it's stop point. Depending on your particular pick hold. That will definitely add tension to that part of your index finger. Luck... R/

[emzech]

Thank you all. t7389sg, you are 100% correct in your analysis of how I hold my pick. The other three fingers just sort of hang out in front of my index finger. I will try curling them under to provide a little more support (while of course still keeping the hand relaxed). Great suggestion. Thanks!

[Amanda Gregg]

Hi Emzech,

I think you should sit down with an experienced teacher and have them look at your right hand. I and the other posters have some idea what is going on, but just in case we have it wrong, having someone look at your technique and correct it in person is the only way to be 100% sure.

[mando-tech]

...its sort of difficult to understand the question to the answer ! I hope you aren't holding the pick with only your first finger, (in a curled up position) and your thumb; this would be disastrous ! The pick needs to be laid across your first TWO fingers, and the thumb squarely on top, with the other three fingers cupped up beneath.

[Reelistic]

Slow daily stretching of the tendons that extend the fingers may help. Also, look up "friction massage."

[Amanda Gregg]

The pick needs to be laid across your first TWO fingers, and the thumb squarely on top, with the other three fingers cupped up beneath.

Wait, what? How many fingers do you have? Do you mean he should lay the pick between the first two sections of his first finger, sort of on the knuckle?

[Rosemary Philips]

Wait, what? How many fingers do you have? Do you mean he should lay the pick between the first two sections of his first finger, sort of on the knuckle?

I had the same reaction! If I use the first 2 fingers, I don't have 3 more. Wait, maybe that's my problem!

[emzech]

Thanks everyone. Amanda, I know someone I can ask to tae a look at my right hand technique and will definitely do that.