Geezer Question???

[happyrat1]

Not sure if this belongs in Technique and posture or General Keyboard.

I have a simple question that affects most, if not all, keyboard players sooner or later.

Maybe we should add a geezer forum and make this a sticky?

Sooner or later, if you are a keyboard player, your fingers will begin to fail you.

Be it arthritis, or carpal tunnel, or some other nasty form of "digitosis" (Tm Gary G. 2023 ) eventually we stop advancing in our craft and begin to slow down and begin regressing. (My thumb these days is making me far more sympathetic for Keith Emerson's demise. )

The question?

What have been your experiences with the ravages of old age, or injury and what sort of coping strategies have you used to extend your playing time.

For some of us, therapy is a costly option not covered by our foundering government.

Every thing is welcome here, though the mention of copper bracelets might draw a snicker or two.

Let's archive our experiences with what works and what does not.

Ian: Please make this one a sticky Thanks...

(Ironically, my keyboard time pretty much spans the lifetime of this forum

 

[m0trfinger]

Been playing piano or keyboards since the age of 5. I've come to the realization that my expectations exceed the physical realities of the aging of my hands.

Keeping fingernails trimmed and sanded along with using O'Keefe's Working Hands moisturizer on fingertips, always helps.

I try to "keep my claws sharp" every day @ least 30 minutes, stretching before I sit @ my rig before and during practice or shows.

Aspirin always helps too, but notice that my fingers/palms swell after playing 2-3 hour shows.

I'm in my mid 50's and this has worked, so far, for me.

 

[Biggles]

Its not just the fingers Gary.

Whilst it is my own fingers that caused me to switch from guitar to keyboard, a few years with tickling the ivories and the hands are still degenerating.

I’ll explain the issue which is worst with my left hand, my fingers, especially my third finger, were and are becoming deformed. The result was that barre chords on guitar are impossible and even fast runs up and down the neck got to sound pretty dire as my fingers stick due to the growths in the joints. Coupled with the sheer weight of the Gibson or Fender that played havoc with my back so the kit had to go.

The hands is why I like arrangers, limited finger movement of my left hand means all I can now really play with my left hand is triads, some chords are difficult as I do not have the finger span to effectively play them and the “sticking” third (finger) means sometimes I miss playing what I intended to play.

Playing simple exercises I firmly believe are helping to delay the inevitable deterioration that will occur, its a family trait so there is no avoiding it happening. The routine may be a tad boring but if it helps then its worth it.

Arthritis is not just a hand illness its a whole body thing, a botched up hip replacement operation have left me unable to sit at the keyboard for long, coupled with lower back osteoarthritis any controlled movement is difficult. An operation in the next couple of months will put be out of action for about three months and any activities will be very dependent on how my recouperation goes.

Strategies.

Finger/hand exercises, using one of the string hand squeeze products help to keep joins mobile.

Keyboard, exercises to maintain fluidity in playing and stick to it two or three times a day for 15 minutes each session.

Whole body exercise, for me specifically aimed at back mobility ie the cat exercise in Yoga, plus Tai Chi.

Walking the dog, no dummy not the song, walking our actual dog. Come hell or high water she has to go out so what ever the weather we are out there with her, it can hurt like hell vut it has to be done it does help in maintaining my mobility.

Diet, avoiding processed foodstuffs and meat where additives have been added. No soft drinks like Coke, Monster, Red Bull etc. Organic foodstuffs wherever possible.

A nice glass of wine, because life is not worth living without ones pleasures.

 

[Rayblewit]

Reply #1
In my case it is arthritis and deformed knuckles. Yes, often painful, however it is the brain that fails me, not my fingers.
I think I lose concentration during my playing and I get cocky. I tend to look one or two bars ahead and rely on the fingers to keep up. Yet they often fail me and miss cue a wrong note.
Professional lessons and mentoring would be good advice but I am too stubborn and tight ass to go that path.

Reply #2
Before making this thread a sticky, I would call it something else other than "geezer"
This word has too many variables. . .
Often refers to just old people. and usually just male. Also relates to grumpy and dopey people. In Australia a geezer is sometimes a fat person.
I refer to these forums for good advice, suggestions and remedies for all aspects and I am not sure this thread warrants a "sticky" status. However, we will see and regardless still a relevant subject and good on you Gary for raising it.

R

 

[happyrat1]

Absolutely every other descriptive title I come up with can be misconstrued or even offensive or divisive to some other group.

If you have a better, more descriptive phrase I'd love to hear it.

"aging gracefully" would exclude injuries or youngsters with disabilities as well.

 

[happyrat1]

Do we refer to ourselves as "Special needs keyboard players?"

Or do we get mired in juvenile political correctness looking for an acceptable label for our Venn diagram?

 

[Rayblewit]

"How to play with afflictions and handicaps"

 

[happyrat1]

Sounds lame

 

[Old No7]

For several years running, I had awful pains in the hands and wrists if I worked them hard over the weekend, and it would take days for the pains to subside. I used to wear wrist braces on each hand at night to keep the wrists in neutral positions and not further aggravate them or the hands any more.

Then a Hindu friend of mine suggested that I take 2 Tumeric Curcmin (the yellow Indian spice) daily. I get it from Amazon -- Nature's Nutrition brand, as it has Bioperine (a form of pepper) in it which helps with the absorption. Taken with food, I have no upset from it -- but it has worked wonders in REDUCING and preventing inflammation, and not only in my hands & wrists, but elsewhere too.

It's an all-natural spice that's been used for centuries to treat inflammation, and it's worked great for me! No more wrist guards or days of aches and pains, and if I do turn-a-wrench really hard on one day, any soreness is gone very quickly. It's really helped my keyboard playing these last few years, as I just turned 63 and my chops are now better than they were when I was 33.

Old No7

 

[happyrat1]

For several years running, I had awful pains in the hands and wrists if I worked them hard over the weekend, and it would take days for the pains to subside. I used to wear wrist braces on each hand at night to keep the wrists in neutral positions and not further aggravate them or the hands any more.

Then a Hindu friend of mine suggested that I take 2 Tumeric Curcmin (the yellow Indian spice) daily. I get it from Amazon -- Nature's Nutrition brand, as it has Bioperine (a form of pepper) in it which helps with the absorption. Taken with food, I have no upset from it -- but it has worked wonders in REDUCING and preventing inflammation, and not only in my hands & wrists, but elsewhere too.

It's an all-natural spice that's been used for centuries to treat inflammation, and it's worked great for me! No more wrist guards or days of aches and pains, and if I do turn-a-wrench really hard on one day, any soreness is gone very quickly. It's really helped my keyboard playing these last few years, as I just turned 63 and my chops are now better than they were when I was 33.

Old No7

I'll give it a try. What's the dosage you use?

I see all sorts of strength's and with or without black pepper added.

How big a daily dose do you need to see positive results and what time of day do you normally take them? AM or PM?

 

[Old No7]

Hi Gary -- see my post, (2) per day of that brand that's mentioned (with the Bioperine in it). I take them in the morning with food.

Old No7

 

[happyrat1]

FDA Warns Seller of Curcumin and Cholesterol Supplements - December 11, 2020 - ConsumerLab.com

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A New Jersey company has expanded its recall of ground turmeric to include additional brands distributed nationwide. Excessive lead, which is particularly

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Massive Recall of Supplements Sold by Over 800 Brands - January 23, 2020 - ConsumerLab.com

On January 21, 2020, a group of contract manufacturers of dietary supplements issued a recall affecting products sold by over 800 brands that sell the products under their own brand names and labels.

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Lots of scary hits on google.

 

[happyrat1]

I've been taking a 3050 mg capsule of Turmeric daily for two weeks now and my playing dexterity and speed has doubled if not tripled.

I've gotta give this stuff a big thumbs up for effectiveness.

Of course I also have to take into account hat temperatures have dropped below 0 degrees Celcius as well removing all but a trace of the humidity from the winter air.

My arthritis always gets worse in the cold and rainy spring and autumn months.

For the time being, however, the stuff works.

 

[Old No7]

I've been taking a 3050 mg capsule of Turmeric daily for two weeks now and my playing dexterity and speed has doubled if not tripled.

I've gotta give this stuff a big thumbs up for effectiveness.

Glad to hear that report Gary -- good luck!

Post a video once you master "Flight Of The Bumblebee" -- or Rick Wakeman's licks on "Close To The Edge".

Old No7

 

[KeysDude]

I'm 53, been playing keyboards since 1980 and guitar since 1992 and so far my fingers are not failing me.
I have also been a computer enthusiast since 82 and worked in IT professionally from 88 so my fingers move a lot most of the day, every day. I find stretching and warming up my hands before I play something crucial to do if you don't want to get any issues or develop any issues later on.

Now, my feet are another ball game altogether, thank god I don't need my feet to play keyboards or guitar lol. Gout is a nasty thing to have and unfortunately can suffer from this if I don't watch what I eat and drink. Luckily it strikes only in my feet or occasionally ankle or knee, affects only one joint at a time but no issues with that in my hands thus far.

 

[happyrat1]

Do you have a pedalboard for sale?

Seriously though, old man time catches up with us in a hundred different ways as we approach Logan's Run's Carousel.

The younger we are the more that we ignore the approaching shroud of old age.

Karma settles all scores.

Chinese Proverb: May the pleasures of your youth be the chains of your old age.

My brother's mother in law suffered from gout. Strict vegetarian diet her entire life. But hers was compounded by osteoporosis and multiple hip and knee replacements. She passed away a decade ago.

Avoid excessive protein intake, including vegetables like chickpeas, legumes in general, nuts, etc. And learn to enjoy your oncoming opioid addiction

I'm seeing a zillion pharmaceutical options for everything from IBS to itchy hair syndrome but there's not a lot they seem able to do for gout these days.

Keep smiling

 

[Rayblewit]

Lately I have been getting pain in my left shoulder joint at the back. Quite annoying and niggling. It only happens whllst playing keyboard and usually on humid days. I am guessing it is arthritis.
Strange thing is when you think about it, the shoulder does stuff all work playing keys. I wonder why it hurts?
I have tried standing, sitting, raising and lowering height of keybed. No change! Still painful.
I take magnesium supplements and fish oil which assists my knuckles and hip OA but find the shoulder very stubborn.
R

 

[happyrat1]

I never learned to play sitting down.

I find I have to put my whole body into my riffs.

Maybe the stiff posture of remaining seated while your arms and shoulders do all the work has cased connective tissues to atrophy, resulting in an repetitive stress injury.

Maybe you should try throwing away the bench and get your body bouncing to the beat when you play?

Gary

 

[Old No7]

You might try doing some stretching exercises before you play, and taking a break in the middle.

Shoulder-strengthening exercises might help you too. When I had pain after an injury, the physical therapist had me use light-weight (working up to medium) elastic exercise bands; doing the "draw the sword" motion (sweeping arm up and over) and then "picking the apple off the tree" (sweeping arm down and across). 10 reps each for each arm -- slowly, not fast.

But you might want to get the advise of a pro therapist... I know it helped me out -- and I am "pain free" for the last 5 years now! I still do those occasionally if I overdue it and put stress on my shoulders.

Old No7

 

[Biggles]

Turmeric with black pepper and ginger
Cod liver oil
Glucosamine
2 Brazil Nuts (magnesium)
+
A heathy diet with as low a level of additives as possible.

Certainly avoiding any American food products especially meats.