A Hearty Thanks to the AGF!
 

I have been nursing a sore left elbow these past few months which has severely cut down my playing time. My typical routine has always been to play guitar 3-4 hours every morning, all the while keeping the AGF open on my laptop so I can check out posts when I take a few brief breaks from playing. But now, with this tennis elbow, the opposite is taking place. I spend about 3-4 hrs every morning on the AGF and play an occasional tune on my guitars as my elbow allows. So I've been posting a lot these last few months and am very grateful to have the AGF to help alleviate the frustration of not being able to play. So thank you everyone for putting up with me more than usual. The elbow is being a real pain in the butt and taking its sweet time healing. It is getting better but won't go away altogether. I suppose I may have to put the guitar down entirely for a few weeks for that to happen. Dear God, that means I'll even be posting more than I already have been! :eek:

For your elbow, have you looked into treatment such as cortisone shots? Or tried warming up? Wearing a tube grip? MSM, glucosamine, marine chondroitin and other joint supps?

I wish you a speedy recovery, hopefully you can switch that ratio of playing:AGF back to where it should be.

I do a lot of stretching and wear one of those tennis elbow supports. It all helps. I'll be seeing a doctor next week and will ask for a cortisone shot as well. I wish I wasn't so stubborn and could actually stop playing altogether for a few weeks. But I find it's easier to stop eating ice cream by comparison. And its impossible to stop eating ice cream.

Bill,

I've enjoyed your posts and I sympathize with the elbow problem. I have severe arthritis in both shoulders and hands, with the left (fretting) hand being the worst. I find I keep playing through the pain and stiffness, foolishly thinking I will get past it or maybe wear it down to where it doesn't hurt anymore. Neither is the case.

Oh, and I feel the same way about ice cream! (smiley face goes here)

Dave

Bill, I hate to be the one to break this to you, but if you're somehow maneuvering your elbow so it's ending up in your butt, you're not going to be on the road to recovery any time soon. It's bad for your butt AND your elbow, and quite frankly I'm amazed that you can do that and still play guitar at all....

Short version: keep your elbow away from your butt. Don't argue, just do it. Some day you'll thank me.


Wade Hampton "We're Here To Help" Miller

Dave,

I can sympathize even though I don't have any arthritis to speak of. But, as you say, things definitely do not loosen up the more I play. In my present state of disarray I have take 10-15 minute breaks in between songs. It still hurts but at least I can keep on playing. As my wife is fond of saying, "William, you are a fool". Is it any wonder that I love her?

Wade, are you by any chance British even though you live up there?! And moreover, were you a member of Monthy python?! :D

Wade,

I seem to have talents that no other man nor woman can even envision. But it is messing up my elbow!

After I suggested to Bill that his elbow might heal more quickly if he resisted the temptation to insert it into his nether regions, Villamarzia asked:

No, I'm not British but I am a native English speaker. So I read and comprehend English pretty well.

Then Bill wrote:

And with that we draw the veil of discretion over the activities that Bill may or may not be engaged in with his various bodily extremities and apertures...


Wade Hampton "Hey, It's A Free Country!" Miller

Wade,

Wouldn't you like to know! I imagine some pretty strange stuff goes on up there in your neck of the frozen tundra! ;)

Tim had that a few years ago. He ached terribly. He has added flax seed to his diet and it is all well and good. No medicine. He looks and feels great now.

I had a deep pain in my right elbow so I added a teaspoon or two of coconut oil to my coffee each morning. I no longer having pain, but I gained weight. :(

I wonder why men do one thing and they look distinguished while the wife looks fat?

yes, wade, tells a story about your personal "frozen tundra" and your neck. :D

Must be terrible for a luthier to have elbow problems. I imagine anything involving a chisel would be a nightmare in that situation. Glad you both figured it out.

On a side note, I've seen many a man that did not put weight on gracefully. Its more the grey hair and age lines that look distinguished. ;)

Bill,

Hold on! Wait a minute!

Are you saying you have a sore elbow from playing guitar, or "tennis elbow" from playing tennis, or a sore arm from playing guitar you are just calling "tennis elbow", or have been using one of your guitars as a tennis racket and that made your elbow sore?

It's very confusing. I do recommend using a small body guitar if you are using it as a tennis racket, less elbow strain, and you definitely wants to use 13's tuned to concert pitch.

If you're going to post more, please be more concise, I confuse easily.....;)

At least Bill wasn't complaining of headaches, so that's good......;);)