bassing with arthritis

gruda · #1 11-01-2009, 03:31 PM

i am a young man with arthritis and have found it increasingly difficult to play the instrument i love, over the past year i can no longer slap and pop, and those blistering runs i could do before are becoming sloppy, any tips?

Fergie Fulton · #2 11-02-2009, 02:50 AM

Sorry to hear of your problems, what form does you Arthritus take?

sound of bass · #3 11-02-2009, 02:55 AM

I would suggest constant strengthening with stress balls or hand grip devices, increase gradually and try using Aleve. We see alot of great stuff with Aleve and arthritis. As always consult your physician when needed.

Fergie Fulton · #4 11-02-2009, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sound of bass

I would suggest constant strengthening with stress balls or hand grip devices, increase gradually and try using Aleve. We see alot of great stuff with Aleve and arthritis. As always consult your physician when needed.

Above in the quote are all potential good ideas and also potential dangerous ideas.

At the top of this techniques form there is a sticky on health related problems check out some of the links in this section on Arthritus.

Health Related Issues To Playing

Now without known what form your condition is and any personal health factors to take in to consideration the use of Aleve (a brand name) which is a NSAID by the name of Napraxon could have serious effects on your health if not directed by a medical profesional.

http://www.drugs.com/naproxen.html

In the link are details of Napraxon to give you a fuller picture on its effects. See your doctor and ask him to put you in touch with an Arthritus help group if one is available that will give you more info and support if needed.

Sorry to say that there might be no way for you to continue to play as your condition worsens, again sorry, but that is a reality you have to consider for the sake of you're health. Again see a doctor or medical profesional on your condition.

Bijoux · #5 11-02-2009, 12:25 PM

I am very sorry to hear that.
Listen, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis for about 16 years, and I am a professional bass player. I make a living playing bass, and in fact a lot of upright bass, and my action is not even low. I am super healthy today, work out etc.
I think that there are many things you can do about it. Send me a private message, and I can tell you the things that have worked for me.
Good luck.

billhilly66 · #6 11-02-2009, 01:07 PM

I ended up having to give up fretless due to arthritis. I guess the lateral action was the problem. It got to where it caused my knuckles to swell up and hurt.

Good luck!

Sav'nBass · #7 11-07-2009, 10:10 PM

My hands are kinda stiff anyway.. Two weeks ago I had a gig that was outdoors.. I played for two services in the morning at my church.. basically 2 sets of 5 & 6 songs.. then I had to beat feet up to this gig where we did 4 sets.. 5 songs each... and the church's bass player didn't show up and I played 6 songs with them... by the time we were dong our last set it was getting cool and my fingers were so stiff I could barely move them on all but basic stuff... 1/4 notes & 1/8 notes mostly... The left hand was a little stiff.. but the right hand was the worse. This had happened before (the stiffness) and I figured it would get better... I had a rehearsal the next day... Monday.. and by Tuesday morning I could barley make a fist with my right hand it was so sore.. I have been taking Aleve every morning since... and trying to keep my hands moving.. I kind of backed off on the practice for a few days... to let things heal... but I had never had that happen before.. (stiffness yes..pain no..) Then again I think that was the most I ever played in one 36 hour period in my life... My right hand is still a little swollen.. I am more careful now and much more mindful of my limitations..

Ric5 · #8 11-07-2009, 10:15 PM

There are a lot of natural cures for Arthritis. As per drugs the best is Enbrel.

Sav'nBass · #9 11-07-2009, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric5

There are a lot of natural cures for Arthritis. As per drugs the best is Enbrel.

I am in the early stages.. but I got it honest.. both my parents and my four grandparents have/had it.. Right now I just take Ibuprophen and the glucosamine stuff .. for the knees & back..

Bobby B · #10 03-18-2010, 04:39 AM

This is an older thread I'm bumping up, as I suffer from arthritis and looking to see what some others do. One thing that I've recently found that helps me a lot is analgesic cream like Aspercreme. The difference between this and a rub like Ben Gay or Icy Hot is that it doesn't make your skin tingle to release tightened muscles, but it is a topical analgesic pain reliever that penetrates down into your hands.

They often have it in the pharmacy on the same row as adult diapers and stuff, so it's not the part of the place a lot of us log time looking around, but an artist painter friend recommended it as she's used it for some time when she's getting ready to paint and I have to say the difference is going from sometimes it hurts to ball my hand in a fist to after I put this stuff on, I have pretty free movement and pain free for a while.... definitely long enough for a rehearsal, practice, or a show.

The instructions on it say to wash your hands well after you put it on, and I can't stress this enough, you don't want to touch your face or esp have a trip to the can without letting it soak in for a bit and then having a really robust hand wash with soap and warm water. If you ever had jalapeno on your hands and did that, same thing.

tobie · #11 03-19-2010, 02:30 AM

Arnica tablets & gel should bring some relieve, same with Devils Claw capsules. Both of these are herbs and can not be 'over dosed'.

JohnBarr · #12 03-21-2010, 03:20 PM

This is a thread full of bad advice. Talk to a doctor, check some medical sites.

Which kind of arthritis do you have? Osteo or rheumatoid? Chances are and if you are "lucky", it's osteo. If you don't know, find out. It's important.

Be wary of hand gripers. Spongy balls maybe. But gripping and squeezing (stressing the joints) is just the opposite of what you need. It's not about strength, it's about flexibility. Keeping your joints oiled up. Do some exercises flipping a pencil through your fingers, it will do more good.

There is _not_ a cure for arthritis. There are treatments for the symptoms. Arthritis is degenerative. You don't stop it. Maybe you slow it down, manage the pain. Some of the recommendations here for ibuprofen or the topicals will help the pain, temporarily.

I asked my doctor about glucosamine and he shrugged. There is no clinical evidence in favor of it, but then again, none against it. So I take it. If you do, don't expect to see results. Assuming it works at all, it's a long term thing to slow the progress.

Keep your hands warm. Use moist heat (ever see those corn bags you put in the micorwave to use as hot pads? get one) If you live where you get harsh winters, don't do dumb stuff like wash your car when it's in the 30s or even 40s. If some treatments can slow it down, some things can speed it up, that is one.

The one thing that is true in all of this is that you don't have to stop playing. You change what you do and how you do it. You are the best judge of how to do that.

M0ses · #13 03-21-2010, 03:25 PM

Steve Wishnevsky and many of his followers claim that the Wishbass neck, although far thicker than any other, is actually much easier to play and enables people with hand problems, and actually anyone, to play much more easily and with greater endurance.

Demonator · #14 03-21-2010, 03:33 PM

I'm so sorry to hear about that man, I wish you the best. Is surgery possible?

makkE · #15 03-21-2010, 06:06 PM

To stop eating meat or dairy will help a lot with athritis.

ChasBass · #16 03-21-2010, 06:42 PM

Check out The Road Back Foundation. http://roadback.org/

I have been on minocyclin & doxycycline for over 10 years and my RA flares are pretty much under control. (Finding afordable Minocin would produce better results)

I have found that DMSO (found at animal feed stores) will warm and loosen up your fingers quickly. My Dad uses WD-40.

Good luck!

bunny10 · #17 03-21-2010, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0ses

Steve Wishnevsky and many of his followers claim that the Wishbass neck, although far thicker than any other, is actually much easier to play and enables people with hand problems, and actually anyone, to play much more easily and with greater endurance.

I have a hand and wrist injury that acts like arthritus and I have found that the necks on Birdsong basses which feel like a bat because they are thicker allow me to play pain free. Hope this helps.