finger joints-ouch!

[wako_kato]

recently especially in my thumb and little finger joint, i have had quite a lot of aching/pain, and not just when im playing the piano. i only do about 2 and a half hour practise a day since im still at school, but i havent particually increased the amount of practise i do recently, yet my fingers have only in the last month started hurting. anyone got any ideas what could be causing it? since im quite sure its somthing to do with piano playing....
i will b grateful for any help at all
thanks

[henrah]

Might be growing pains.

When you play, do you curl your fingers a lot? I.e. using the curling action of your fingers instead of the moving action of your knuckles. This might be giving them a lot of pain.

How old are you? It might just be plain old age, but unlikely if you're like 15 Start taking some cod liver oil as that helps with creaky and achy joints, and also go see a doctor. You might have a problem with the cartilidge in your finger joints.

Hope I don't freak you out too much,
Henrah

[wako_kato]

thanks for replying - im 14 and im pretty sure i hold my hands in the right way, since no one has ever criticised it, and checking now, it looks like i use the moving action of my knuckles.thanks for the advice, my dads a doctor and has had a look, jus says it may be aching from piano playing, he isnt a great help really.....
might try and see another doctor
thanks
kat

[franzliszt2]

I used to get pains, just little ones, nothing big, and it went away, but I was about your age. Sometimes still happens, and I'm 17, and still growing haha wouldn't think so to llok at me I'm tiny. Sometime hands ache, just as legs do, and heads etc... pianists (me included) worry about tiny glithes in out hands, if it doesn;t hurt when playing then it should be fine, is the pain in EXACTLY the samne place everytime?

Do you knuckles collapse at the joint closest to the nail?, my teacher stopped me doing that straight away, but I don;t no why, he just said it bad if it happens all the time.

[persona]

It happens to me when I cut my nails too short. But leaving the poor fingers alone a day or two will usually solve it.

[shoshin]

thanks for replying - im 14 and im pretty sure i hold my hands in the right way, since no one has ever criticised it, and checking now, it looks like i use the moving action of my knuckles.thanks for the advice, my dads a doctor and has had a look, jus says it may be aching from piano playing, he isnt a great help really.....
might try and see another doctor
thanks
kat

Okay this isn't the answer you want but I think its the right answer. Take a break from the piano. A long one 1-2 weeks.  Maybe take some aspirin once or twice a day, but not too much.

You're young your body will heal, but you have to give it rest. If you think this is impossible to take 1-2 weeks off think of what will happen if you injure yourself further. 1-2 weeks could turn into 2-3 months.

[daniloperusina]

I think Shoshin's advice is very good!
I don't think the number of hours you spend practicing has so much to do with it. Except that it's good to take a break every now and then.
It could be a number of reasons, a tense technique, stress from other things than the piano...

The general rule, though, is: when it starts hurting, STOP!

[wako_kato]

thanks for ur help everyone! ive had a couple of days without much practise and it is improving, yes it usually is in the same place bt thanks to your advice its happening a lot less now. thanks all!