I've suffered from chronic Gout for many years. I finally stopped drinking (it's been over a year)changed my diet and take medication (Allopurinal). However, the gout attacks did severe damage to the joints of my fingers. I can hardly move the fingers of my right hand, and have about 75% motion in my left. As a guitarist for 44 years, I'm making due the best that I can. I've had to relearn how to hold a pick. Finger picking is out of the question.
Getting back to that C chord, one way to attack the problem is to learn triads in every key every where on the neck. This way you should be able to find a comfortable way to play every chord somewhere on the neck.
For major chords, you need the 1st, third, and fifth notes of the major scale. C,E, and G for a C chord. Anywhere that you can play those notes together, you're playing a C Major chord. Learning these triads will also help you in learning your way around the fretboard.
For Minor chords, it's the 1st, flatted third, and fifth notes.
For myself, I started on a Glucosamine/Chondroitin regimine so far, I haven't noticed any results. I pick up the guitar for at least an hour a day and play the songs that I like using the chord inversions that I can still play. I also try some things that I can't really reach hoping that maybe I'll be able to do it tomorrow.
It's almost like learning to play all over again, you know, when your fingers just don't want to reach that note, but eventually they do.
Tom Walsh
Bronx,NY