I recently had some minor elective surgery on my thumb to remove a small growth that had been present for a couple of years.  Being a guitarist, I was concerned with how the procedure would affect my playing.  The doctor gave me a couple of treatment options.  One would be less invasive, yet would probably require several subsequent visits to fix the problem.  The other would be more involved and leave scarring, but would result in an 85% or so cure rate with a better long-term prognosis of never having to deal with it again.  I asked him which process would hinder me more.  He said that cutting the growth out and cauterizing it would definitely be more difficult for me in the short term, but that he would recommend going that way to eliminate it for good.

Without going into a deep medical analysis here or grossing you out anymore, I decided for the more invasive procedure and have thoroughly enjoyed sticking it in people's faces at the dinner table as they are eating.  Everyone seems to relish seeing the big hole in my thumb and they all marvel at the crater where my guitar pick used to rest when I played.  The problem is that it has limited some of my technique and I am in for a little stretch of healing before I get back to 100 percent.

I have encountered injuries or other conditions which have either limited or prevented me from playing the guitar before.  It's during those times that I tend to appreciate things more and I long to have my health back.

Our hands are easy to take for granted, but they are precious instruments in their own right for the guitarist.  One scrape or bump can knock a player out of commission.  Several months ago, I burned the tips of my fingers when I mindlessly picked up pot of boiling water without insulated handles.  The incident forced me to cancel a gig that was scheduled for later that evening.

I once had the bass player's speaker cabinet land on my hand, cutting and crushing it right before a show.  I played with blood dripping all over the white pickguard, which made for an interesting visual effect that would've made Gene Simmons proud.  Work gloves always stay in my car for loading in and out at gigs now.  They can definitely help to protect against the heavy wear and tear a musician's hands go through.

One condition not to be overlooked is the drying out of skin due to the ravages of winter and low humidity.  Every winter, my hands, coupled with the normal rigors of bending steel, dry out and become more prone to cracking.  Whether it's from a paper cut or a split from the cold and dry air, guitar playing can be miserable with hurting hands.  I try to make sure that my hands don't dry out too much during the winter, while not using so much moisturizer that could damage the guitar strings and fretboard.

Perhaps my most aggravating experience with my hands was a long battle I had with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  I still have small recurring symptoms from time to time, but physical therapy, stretching, and proper icing and warming have greatly reduced the inconveniences of the condition.  When I originally encountered CTS, my doctor told me to not play a guitar for 2-3 months.  I was so stir crazy that I tried to play too early and it made things worse.  Things got so bad that I was entertaining surgery as an option.  I don't ever want to go through that again.  One of the most useful lessons I learned from the whole situation was that I was better off making my guitar strap shorter and playing the instrument higher than slinging it low.  The latter may have looked cooler, but wearing things higher definitely helped to alleviate much of the discomfort.

There are other health areas that can affect players.  Back pain is a common occurrence, especially for guitarists who lift heavy equipment and stand for several hours during a performance.  Bad knees and aching feet also qualify as common musician ailments.

We tend to associate injuries more with athletes or people with very strenuous jobs.  However, the health of a musician is every bit as vital as it is for anyone else.  Whether it is a singer's voice or a guitarist's hands, it is important to take common sense precautions to avoid injuries or any other conditions which may limit our capacity to make music.

My latest obstacle is not the result of any particular thing that I was in control of.  There was no way that I could have prevented it.  It is difficult not being up to full-speed with the guitar right now, but the good thing is that I can still play and things should be much better down the road.

So, my advice is to appreciate your health and ability to make music as much as you can!
 

Jason