Anyone who has known me for any extended period of time knows i have rheumatoid arthritis. At times it can be crippling. Walking and moving, let alone playing is impossible. I have had more than normal the amount of students ask me about what to do for their pain. I am gonna give some answers the best i can.
If you are suffering from finger cramps sometimes its just low potassium. Eat a banana or take a supplement. It will help in most cases. Eating a multi vitamin cant hurt either. If you keep your body vitamin levels up your brain works better which lets you play better, your body has its nutrients and it performs better.
I have alot of students who are not kids and/or are senior citizens who have some form of arthritis. If you fall in this category make sure you consult with your doctor for some good meds. Celebrex, prednisone and various drugs are great for relieving inflammation. Some great over the counter advil or Tylenol arthritis can help too. There are some great glucosamine supplements that can get your squeaky joints moving. Wall Mart carries them on the cheap.
Another thing for finger stiffness is those bell sounding "chinese" balls. Whenever i feel stiffness starting to set it i roll these things around in my hand. They have no pressure being put on your hand and they feel like they are massaging it. You can get them at any flea market. Another thing that is great for working your fingers are those "finger grip" finger exercises you can pick up at any music store.
Doing finger exercises regularly help keep your fingers and hands limber too. Stretching your arm muscles help your hands too.
If you are experiencing any pain and it becomes severe you just need to stop playing. It will only makes things worse if you push it too far. The more you try things the better you know when it is time to lay back and let your body get the rest it needs to get back in shape. I made the mistake of doing 2 hours of finger exercises after i felt an IMMENSE sharp pain in my forearm. The arm swelled up the next day and i could not play for 3 weeks. The doctor said i tore a tendon.
Alot of musicians do some form of construction work where they put their hands at great risk. Be careful on the job. I cant tell you how many times i smashed a finger with a hammer while doing a roof job back in the day. It always happened the night of a big show too. If you have one of these jobs, be careful.
Other musicians have jobs where they type on a computer all day and get "carpal tunnel" type symptoms from typing all day. These can be greatly painful. The only thing i can tell you here is to go see a doctor.
The best advice i can give is to eat right, treat your body right and listen to your body. It will tell you what you need to do. A good doctor is a must. A good doctor can get you fixed up and back to playing in no time (if thats what you need). Alot of times eating right, exercise and regulating what substances go in your system can make you go from "crampy" and "tight" to loose as a goose and playing all you want. Be safe and happy holidays.
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