Sore Index Finger Joint

i'm no doctor or anything, but i advise you put down the guitar for a couple of weeks, until everything is back to normal.

rather you rest a little now and go back to normal playing conditions, rather than add additional strain to your joint and continue playing now, which could risk more serious (and possibly permanent) damage

yeh thanks, unfortunately i think that's what i'm going to have to do, but i'll keep reading about theory and stuff so i don't fall to far behind

Yeah, give it a rest, it sounds like you've been overdoing it. I did that to my pinky finger joint awhile back, & after a week or so layoff, I was back at it. It didn't take too long to come around, but you have to give it time to recover. :)

yeh thanks, unfortunately i think that's what i'm going to have to do, but i'll keep reading about theory and stuff so i don't fall to far behind
How's your pinky control? We'll have no skiving here, even if it is for theory ;)

If it's not affecting your index, you could use the time to work on that... I did when I burned my index finger, and it was quite helpful. I was just playing pentatonics with my middle and pinky etc., nothing exciting. But obviously, as everyone else has said, don't take that advice if it affects your index in the slightest, it's not worth it.

Don't know about the permanent damage thing but I do know it won't get better if you keep re-injuring it. You did say you think you did it playing the guitar, so .... I would advise a break as well.

yeh thanks, unfortunately i think that's what i'm going to have to do, but i'll keep reading about theory and stuff so i don't fall to far behind
How's your pinky control? We'll have no skiving here, even if it is for theory ;)

If it's not affecting your index, you could use the time to work on that... I did when I burned my index finger, and it was quite helpful. I was just playing pentatonics with my middle and pinky etc., nothing exciting. But obviously, as everyone else has said, don't take that advice if it affects your index in the slightest, it's not worth it.

haha yeh i tried that yesterday! i could get that little fella a LOT stronger :lol:

but i think i will just ease of the playing for a bit anyway, to make a full recovery

the first knuckle of my ring finger is really sore for some reason. I'll take your advice though.

thanks

learn to play the slide, or play without using your index until it feels fine.

if i play too much i will do some permanent damage. Dom

Yep! Just like getting calouses...you'll get RSS and tendonitis...and (later) osteo. But don't worry about it to any degree until...geez...2049. :?

Until then, string lighter / play lighter...and, importantly, vary what you play.

Cat

I'm a newbie and I have the same problem. I've been playing for about 3 weeks and my index finger joint started hurting after I started practicing "C" chord. There's no swelling, but it starts to hurt if I bend it too much, and it's right in the joint.
I've been going easy on that finger and taking Alieve which makes the pain almost disappear. It has been feeling better each day.
I wouldn't worry too much. Is your swollen? If so put some ice on it.

i get sore fingers. i got a free weekend after being pulled every direction for a month, and i sit there and play for like 5+ hours a day, watching movies or reading forums or whatever, and not even realizing how much time passed, and now my hands are sore everywhere, i want to crack my joints but they won't pop and if i push too hard they hurt. even using the touchpad makes my index finger knuckle tender.
but i've been through it before and i actually have found that playing more is the key, although it helps to ramp up to it at a natural pace and not push it, as long as it's just plain soreness and not exacerbating an injury. it gets the blood moving and loosens the joints up and after a few more days the soreness is gone. and the pain usually keeps me from avoiding bad technique. sometimes it's too much and i have to take it easy, though. don't let your brain or desires override your body.
after that point you have to keep your forearms loose, because usually they're all knotted and tight by that point.

Reading this made me wonder. Anybody ever experience soreness in the upper arm of your fretting hand, like back towards the shoulder? I been experiencing that for awhile but I never attributed it to my playing. I thought it might be from sleeping; I kind of grab the pillow from underneath with that arm sometimes and so I thought it was the weight of my head. Couldn't see why playing guitar would cause pain there, but you never know.

ooh that's a scary one. :D well, treat it as early as you can. We'll never know if something might happen. Hmm relax you fingers at a time after playing. That's your life... remember it. Not everybody can be gifted by the skills you have. Take Care. :D

Reading this made me wonder. Anybody ever experience soreness in the upper arm of your fretting hand, like back towards the shoulder? I been experiencing that for awhile but I never attributed it to my playing. I thought it might be from sleeping; I kind of grab the pillow from underneath with that arm sometimes and so I thought it was the weight of my head. Couldn't see why playing guitar would cause pain there, but you never know.

Poor posture while you're practicing (or doing almost anything) can cause all sorts of un-expected soreness.