Aid in Finger Pain?!

[sulcobass]

Hey Everyone,

Does anyone know why after playing for a while my finger would now all of a sudden kill. Its not the pad, I have great caluses. It's the actual like joints. It is really painful. It happens usually after playing upright for a couple hours.....


Thanks

[Paddy]

I can relate to pain in the joints.

I've got very mild arthritis in my fingers and had that for quite a while now.

Do you warm up properly each and every time you pick up the bass?

I go through the following routine before each practice session or gig.
1) Wash hands in warm water to get the circulation going
2) VERY GENTLY stretch the fingers for 5 minutes
3) Gentle and easy playing for 10 minutes, gradually increasing in tempo until I'm comfortable and up to speed.

If I don't go through this (and the Omega3 supplements!) I get some real pain and swelling in my joints after playing. It's not a problem for me, by doing this I keep things under control.

If the pain continues you really should go see a doc.

Mind you, I suppose each and every player should warm up first!!.

[mrmoonjam]

Paddy's right on about stretching and warming up, even if you don'T have arthritis.

While playing, repetitive motion can cause issues with tendon and muscles. So it's also a good idea to stretch out fingers and wrist during breaks, or even quickly between songs. It can help ward off tendonitis which is often caused by the stress of repetitive motions.