[stormie]

Hi

I wasn't sure whether to add this to the other thread about small fingers, but my topic is slightly different.

My left little (pinkie) finger is bent - I have been told (casually, not by a doctor or anything) that I have a shortened tendon in the back of my hand. My hand looks absolutely fine when relaxed, but if I stretch it out my little finger bends backwards from the knuckle (making a hook-like shape). It's always been like that and is not painful, but I think it makes my little finger weaker and I have much less control over its movement.

I have just started learning to play electric guitar and cannot stretch over even three frets - my little finger just cannot hold a string down. I have been told by my bassist boyfriend that the more you play the better your stretch gets - but he doesn't have the same tendon problem that I do.

What I want to know is if anyone else has the problem I've described and if it has affected your playing, or if playing has made your finger worse? Or does anyone have any suggestions for how to strengthen and get some control over my pinkie?

[Teddy Madison]

I agree, Just do what you can and push the envelope gently. I have been in lessons for four weeks and I am stretching beyond what I thought possible. Just don't push it, if it hurts, you need to rest.

Wayne

[stormie]

Thanks - that's pretty much what I was thinking. My fingers haven't really toughened up to the strings yet anyway so I tend to stop when my finger-tips get sore, and that's before my hand feels too 'stretched'! I work in a special needs school so when we go back in September I'm going to track down one of the physio team and see if they can suggest anything. The person who told me I have a shortened tendon also stated I could only get it fixed with an operation and as I'm not in any pain I think that's a little drastic!

[coldethyl]

Originally Posted by stormie

What I want to know is if anyone else has the problem I've described and if it has affected your playing, or if playing has made your finger worse? Or does anyone have any suggestions for how to strengthen and get some control over my pinkie?

Hi Stormie, several years ago I broke the ring finger on my left hand and it took some physio, determination, and time on my part to be able to get it to straighten out properly. Even now if I hold it out as straight as I can, it gives me some pain. Fortunately it hasn't impeded my guitar playing.

One of the exercises I was given by my physio to do on the finger was "the pinch grip" which was to close my left hand into a fist and then straighten out my fingers as straight as I possibly could and to do this several times per day. Initially I had a lot of difficulty getting my ring finger to straighten like the rest of my fingers could but eventually over time it did improve, to the point where now it will straighten out like the other fingers.

I also had a squeeze ball to exercise my fingers with and that was quite a help too.

Here's a site that may have some things on it to be of help to build strength in your problem finger......

Finger Exercises

Hope it helps!

[stormie]

I can straighten my finger - but it does take a bit of effort and you can really feel it pulling back. It naturally wants to be a hook! It's more uncomfortable than painful but does become a bit sore if I try to hold it straight for too long or repeatedly straighten it too much. I'll try the pinch grip exercise you suggest over the next few weeks and see what happens.