pink discomfort ?

[jacohead]

Hey Adam.. I love what you do on the axe, and the total control of the instrument. My question for you is, have you ever experienced discomfort similar to tendonitis in any of the fingers ? Thanks !

[adamnitti]

hi jacohead!

thanks for the kind words. yes, i have dealt with issues like that on and off throughout the years. i try to take care of myself as much as i can and do as much preventative maintenance as possible to try and avoid stuff like that now. years ago i also got really serious about trying to eliminate tension from my playing altogether. i like to tell players that relaxation starts at the shoulders... so many players carry so much tension in the shoulders, and unfortunately when the shoulders are tense it works its way down the arm all the way to the fingertips and will ultimately compromise your dexterity and endurance. the worst bout i ever had with was when i was younger i had numbness in my left hand ring and pinky fingers. turned out it was due to a pinched nerve in the neck and a really good chiropractor helped to reverse the issue. ever since then, i try to see a chiropractor just for 'maintenance' visits every few months, or whenever i feel any symptoms threatening. as for tendonitis, i've only dealt with temporary bouts. once again, i try and do preventative maintenance. therapeutic massage is really great for trying to keep a handle on repetitive motion challenges...

[gzarruk]

that´s vety true adam! i´ve been dealing with some muscular issues for a couple years. It´s a muscular contraction on the neck area but it also hurts on my back and shoulders and sometimes in my head, how this affects my playing?? a lot! because my arms are never relaxed and everything feels rough, looks like i need to have physical therapy again