pinky strength

[jacohead]

I had a mild case of tendonitis on my fretting pinky after over using it one day. It is slowly going back to normal but i notice that the finger collapse every now and then and it does not feel as strong as it did. Could this minor injury have robbed me from strenght, do i now have to rebuild it ? anyone been through this before ?

[jacohead]

bump

[jacohead]

?

[jacohead]

??? anyone out there ??

[rtslinger]

I have not had that happen but, it sounds like you will need to do some training to get it back up to speed. For hand strength I use a sponge ball affordable solution. This works for me 40+ years playing bass guitar no tendon problems knock wood!

[Mudcat35]

If it's only tendinitis, you should get full or near full functionality back over a period of time. Give it time to rest and heal, make sure the swelling is out of the joint, then start rebuilding your strength and dexterity. Even if it does not come back all the way, you can still play effectively. I tore a tendon in my fretting ring finger knuckle and then arthritis set in, rendering that joint almost useless. I still have about 40% functionality in that finger, but I simply play more with my middle and pinky fingers. I can still play fast and can play just about anything I need to play, I just do it differently than before. So, long story short, it'll probably come back, but if it doesn't, you can adjust.

[okcrum]

Originally Posted by rtslinger

I have not had that happen but, it sounds like you will need to do some training to get it back up to speed. For hand strength I use a sponge ball affordable solution. This works for me 40+ years playing bass guitar no tendon problems knock wood!

+1. Even a pen squeezed between thumb and pinky is an effective exercise tool; just don't push it too hard while you're recovering.

[jacohead]

Can someone explain what finger arthritis feels like ?

[jacohead]

Originally Posted by jacohead

Can someone explain what finger arthritis feels like ?

anybody with arthritis?

[MyWifeBoris]

You really need to learn the art of patience. :\

[Haysoochreesto]

If it doesn't come back, don't worry. Michael Schenker, while a guitar player, rarely if ever used his pinky on his fretting hand. Hell, Tony Iommi doesn't even have real finger tips. I'm not saying it's a good thing what happened to you but it's definately not the end of your playing career. But see a doctor, don't take anyone's word for things medical here.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Tendonitis can take a good while to heal up.

[delta7fred]

I have never had tendinitis in my fingers, but did get it in my left elbow. The cause was too much practice time playing slide on a very heavy strung resonator guitar. The doctor advised me to lay off the practice as much as possible and prescribed Ibruprofen gel. It took quite a few months to clear completely. I still play slide but am mindful of how long I do per day.

Back in the 60s when I was learning bass I had either very bad fretting technique or a very lazy pinky (or possibly both). I took every opportunity to strengthen it up. Even just pressing it against my thumb improved it no end. It also meant I could exercise it at any time not having to remember any equipment. It is now as strong as the rest and fully independent. I can use it without resorting to holding it down with the next finger as I did for the first year of playing.

Hope it clears up quickly
fred

[jacohead]

Thanks for everyones help. I just been playing for over 13 years and just hate even the thought that my playing might never be the same. Anyway, thanks again for all the info

[MyWifeBoris]

At least you don't have MY problem. My pinkies are both disconnected in my hands, so they work like really skinny pseudothumbs. Problem with that is that they're pretty weak even though I work them out as much as possible.