Do any of you fine forum members suffer from arthritis in the hands? I've got this problem and it has really started to give me problems. I can play for only an hour or so straight without suffering pain so bad that I can barely form chords. I can take a break for a half hour or so and then I can begin to play again. But then the pain returns quickly. I've tried various medications and stretching exercises but to no avail. I'm wondering if a larger or different shape neck would help. Both of my Strats and my acoustic have similar C shaped necks. I don't know if a larger neck or a V neck would help? This is a relatively new problem and it is affecting my band as I am the lead and sometimes only guitarist. Any advise would be appreciated.

Russ

Russ,

Years ago, I broke my wrist and in spite of this, I still had to play several gigs, even with my cast on! So, even though my problem was a bit different than your's is, the symptoms were still the same. Here's what I did:

Just to put my hand around a neck and grip a chord, HURT! So, I lowered the action on my guitars as low as reasonably possible and I switched to the lightest gauge string sets available, .008s to be exact. I made up acoustic sets with a .008 run too. This worked 'OK' for straight rhythm playing but for fancy rhythms and soloing, I was experiencing the identical situations you have cited. So, I switched to a much flatter radius neck with a shorter length. Specifically, I switched from a Strat to an SG. The flatter radius involved less protrusion of the individual fingers and the shorter neck made bending even easier. Plus, the humbuckers helped because I maintained a VERY light touch due to the circumstances. And believe it or not, the shapes of any of the necks weren't ever really an issue. Try this and hopefully, it will help.

_________________
You dig?

I would first like to know if it really is arthritis you suffer from. Have you seen a physician regarding your condition?
Does the pain affect you finger joints (more like arthritis), your wrist joint (more like carpal tunnel but some arthritis can affect it here too) or your thumb joint?
Are you older? Did you suffer traumatic injuries to your hand?
There are multiple disorders that can affect your hands and each has a different list of possible remedies.

Hi Russ,I posted the same subject some time ago.I have arthritis in both hands and my left fretting hand is the most affected.I have a hard time getting through just one song without excruciating pain but with Les Paul as an example I continue to play daily despite the pain.I'm currently seeing a rhumatologist and he prescribed methotrexate but with limited results so far.I have to see him in Feb. if not improved by then he's going to put me on one of the new biologic meds such as Embril which is supposed to be quite good but $18,000 a year,well worth it if it means getting my function back.I made sure that the doctor understood that as a musician I'd rather lose the use of both legs than one hand.Anyway best of luck.

_________________
'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Rheumatoid or osteo?? There's a world of difference and you need to begin with a physician's assessment and care plan.

_________________
"Another day in paradise!"

I've been diagnosed by a physician with osteoarthritis. It's much worse in my shoulders than my hands. In fact, the pain in my hands has just recently become problematic. My knees also have began to suffer the effects so I have started to take a stool with me on stage in case I need to sit. I'm not one to go to the doctor for minor pains but I believe I may need to begin some kind of medication in order to control the pain in my hands. During my last visit to the doctor I was told that I am pretty young (31) to be developing these symptoms. I take tylenol arthritis every so often but it seems to have little effect. My great aunt has OA and her hands barely work. Granted she is in her late 60's but I have a terrible fear that one day I may not be able to play the guitar.

I have been briefed on the benefits of Celebrex but am worried, as is my docter, that if start taking this medication at such a young age my liver and kidneys may be damaged as I get older.

As far as guitars go I've got one with .12s and one with .10s. Both C shaped necks with a 9.25 radius and a high action. I've always played with a high action but I'm experimenting with a friend's Squire on lower actions and a set of .08s. Hopefully this can help me out but I'm so used to the heavier strings and a high action I'm contstantly applying to much pressure and pushing notes sharp.

Sounds like there's not much anything I can do but to keep trying. Any suggestions are much welcomed.

Russ

Ditch the 12's for sure if you can and at least try getting the sound you want with 9's. Mine used to hurt quite a bit in my 40's but now in my 50's I forget that they hurt Mike

_________________
The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

Low action and 9's is how I get by, still some pain during and after a long session but much better than with 10's

Darn shame these bodies don't hold up a little longer, I watched my dad fall apart after many surgeries, hips, knees ect.....

Playing guitar becomes part of you and the thought of not being able to play is an ugly thought.

_________________
Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive

Difficult disease to cope with, understandably. Modify your gear and your technique to the extract the best from your abilities. Even consider slide as an option.

I had the priviledge of seeing Les Paul play about six months before he died. Real up close and personal we were. He used a pick modified with an adhesive surface, and most of his fretwork was single string, but the total effort was terrific.

Persevere.

_________________
"Another day in paradise!"

Hi Russ. Sorry to hear about the hand pain.

I suffered a similar fate from about my mid-30s - pain mostly in the top finger joints. Like you I feared what effect it would have on my playing.

Although everybody is different, from experience I found that the condition can come and go quite markedly - there were times when it was bad and then there were many months that it was quite mild.

Although OA is not an inflammatory condition like rheumatoid arthritis (which is very destructive with major flare ups) it does seem to come and go a bit for no rhyme or reason. Hopefully you will get some long periods of relief like I did.

The other thing you may consider if you haven't already is some of the natural products available on the market such as glucosamine, chondroitin, green-lipped muscle extract and a whole myriad of others.

Personally, they didn't do much for me but a lot of people swear by them.

Probably one of the more basic but overlooked remedies for it is staying better hydrated than you might normally - tends to have a diluting/flushing effect on the irritants that cause pain.

For some people - they also need to look at they occupations in terms of possible cause of irritation - but that's a whole different thing to consider.

Cheers
HP

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I have been diagnosed with minor arthritis in my fretting hand. Thumb actually. The doctor thought it my be from an old injury when my thumb was slammed in a car door as a child.

A larger neck makes a big difference for me. I can play my 52 Hot Rod Tele or Jeff Beck strat without any real problems. Both have medium jumbo frets and a 9.5" radius. My Ibanez Artcore and Martin are a whole different story. They both have thinner flatter necks. It seems like I have to pinch the neck which is harder on my thumb.

Hope you find something that works.

I neglected mentioning that I suffer from a type of arthritis that's often overlooked psoriatic arthritis,it is much like osteo but can exhibit symptoms like a combination of the worst of rhumatoid and osteo.

_________________
'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

........by maintaining the synovial fluid which lubricates and nourishes the joints.

_________________
"Another day in paradise!"

I have some slight nerve damage in both hands and shoulders (from an old repetitive strain injury), and carpal tunnel syndrome in my left hand. Although it can be painful, I'm "lucky" in that I don't feel pain while I play, just afterwards. Although, at times, while I'm playing I do get some numbness and "pins and needles" tingling in my little finger and a spot on my palm, it tends to come and go, and doesn't really stop me from doing anything in terms of fretting chords, etc. I have lived in dread of it getting worse, though, so I just try to take a break every so often, and not play for too long a stretch (that's easy for me to say, though, as a non-gigging hobbyist).

It's a scary thing, though, and I hope this thread has let you know that you're not alone - and that, in itself, can sometimes be helpful in its own way.

Thank you so much to everyone that has posted on this thread. That is a relief that I am not alone in itself and I feel like I have many friends here at the Fender Forums that can offer support and advice as needed.
As to the pain, it comes and goes. Sometimes I wake up and can barely brush my teeth. Other times I can thumb wrestle with the best of them. Anyway, this past couple of weeks were a particular rough time for my hands and I really, really appreciate the support. I can fight through most pain but when the pain prevents the movement needed to play guitar I can get really frustrated.
I have been learning the slide but I refuse to adapt to the open tunings most proper slide guitarist use. I'm stubborn but eventually I'll try them out as needed. I dig Rory Gallagher's slide playing and if I recall correctly, on many of his songs from "Live from Montreux" and "Irish Tour 1974" he uses standard tunings. If only if I can get my slide & muting technique together I will be wailing away like that crazy smiling Rory.
Anyway I'm gonna keep plugging away, try out what has been suggested and never give up playing that beautiful Strat that makes me so happy.

Thanks Guys,
Russ