• JohnK3
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2006-11-19
  • Posts: 1

Topic: Aching Elbow

I'm 52 years old.  I began playing acoustic guitar about 6 months ago.  (I'm learning from a House of Blues DVD, and the songs I see on Chordie)  My left elbow is starting to hurt as I do everyday things life grasp a shirt cuff to slide an arm into a coat.  Interestingly enough, it doesn't hurt to play guitar.

   The pain is not excruiciating, but it's there.  It's not bad enough to quit playing. Or put another way, playing is satisfying emough to put up with the pain.


Has anyone else had the same problem? Are there any exersizes to minimize the pain?


JohnK3

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,198

Re: Aching Elbow

Hello JohnK3,


At about your age I was sufering from aching joints and I started taking Cod Liver Oil and Glucosomine Sulphate daily and started the day with some simple stretching exercises. As a last resort I also took Ibruprofen when the pain was bad. This worked for me until I moved from the UK to Portugal two years ago now I take nothing, the warmer climate and possibly healthier eating have meant that I am pain free. Yipee!


Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • Registered: 2006-05-01
  • Posts: 5

Re: Aching Elbow

I thought it was just me with the sore elbow mate! At 46, I have rekindled my music  passion in the form of an acoustic duo playing mostly 12 string guitar. Since starting to really practice in earnest,"tennis elbow" like symptoms have presented themselves. I keep the discomfort in check with something called Woodlock Oil.  Only available here in Cleveland at the Asian Market;this medicated oil seems kind of hard to come by, but definately worth the effort. It is much better than any other camphor/menthol(whatever) analgesic balm or oil that I have ever used. It has some type of transdermal analgesic that works wonders for me. I wish I knew what type of biomechanical warmup or stretching us "mature" players should be doing before a 4 hour practice session as this tends to require an application of Woodlock oil on the lower back, knees, hands <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_mad.gif" border=0 alt="Mad"> ...and the band played on!

Yes..It does suck getting older,but the dividends are much more gratefully received!

Best,

Jeff

  • Registered: 2007-03-05
  • Posts: 3

Re: Aching Elbow

John.

Same age but I've been playing since I was 15. The elbows are fine. It's just everything else that's packing it in. Do you take a cholesterol "statin" medication, ie Lipitor etc? If so they have a detrimental affect on muscle. My osteopath recommends Co-enzyme Q10. Check it out on the web.

If it's a little arthritis setting in, take 20mill of apple cider vinegar daily. My wife uses it and it completely fixes her arthritis. It works on arthritic horses and it's cheaper than every other supposed remedy.

Good luck