Suffering from 'bottleneck finger'?

Subject: Suffering from 'bottleneck finger'?
From: The Shambles
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 06:43 AM

'I woke up this morning',,,,,,,,, with a sore middle finger. I have been trying to work out exactly what has caused the problem and have come to the conclusion that it due to using the slide. I have had this particular pain before and it has arrived this time after playing bottle-neck, and after not doing so for sometime.

The pain is in the finger, from the hand up to and around the first joint. It did wear off before with rest, so I hope it will do so again but I was wondering if anyone else has had similar problems due to this?

Subject: RE: Suffering from 'bottleneck finger'?
From: GUEST,Roger in Baltimore
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 09:52 AM

Shambles,

The type of pressure used to apply a bottleneck to guitar strings is not duplicated much in ordinary life, so overwork can lead to pain. You might also be using too much pressure. It really doesn't take a lot to get the proper effect.

Finally, you can try varying fingers. You may be able to use another finger without attendant pain (until you overwork that finger, too). Many players place the bottleneck on their "pinkie" or little finger. This leaves the possibility of two or three fingers available to chord the guitar.

When I first tried bottleneck guitar, I used my index finger. It seemed the strongest. Of course, it allows no damping over the overtones since there is no finger behind the bottleneck, but it worked for me for a while.

Good luck with your recovery.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Suffering from 'bottleneck finger'?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 11:15 AM

Great advice from Roger, Sham. The plain truth is that there is NOTHING we do that replicates the "slide" thing, whether you're using your middle, ring or little finger. Simply "new" muscles being used. It'll hurt.....and then it'll stop. Keep slidin'

Rick

Subject: RE: Suffering from 'bottleneck finger'?
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 01:35 PM

Shambles, you only metioned pain. Is there also a slight paralysis or inability to open the finger? Many people our age get something called trigger finger which I think is analogous to carpel tunnel.

Subject: RE: Suffering from 'bottleneck finger'?
From: The Shambles
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 02:03 PM

Thanks to all.

There is just the pain as the finger opens and closes OK. I can still play my other instruments, without any restriction. It just hurts a bit.

You get these aches and pains, from time to time and put it down to overplaying or whatever. It is unusual for me at least, to be able to identfy exactly what the cause was. Doing that is some of the way to avoid doing it again, I suppose?