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 Playing Advice: Clawhammer and Old-Time Styles
 ARCHIVED TOPIC: Heberden's nodes / osteoarthritis and banjo


Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/407515

jsinjin - Posted - 02/26/2026:  14:04:09

Hello. I’ve been playing clawhammer style a couple of years. I have a teacher and I practice daily. I’m 55 and solidly middle aged. Three years ago a bony growth appeared on my pinky diagnosed as a Heberdens node with the suggestion to “wait for it to fully form and take anti inflammatories in the meantime”. It went through that right hand pinky and now a couple of years later it’s in my right hand index finger. That’s still primarily impacting typing and rowing (I row a single scull) but not banjo as of today. Aside from looking like the Snow White witch’s hands from the classic Disney movie it’s not too bad after the node forms. But I’m very worried about it hitting my middle finger in my right hand because it’s pretty painful to touching and tapping with my index right now and my clawhammer uses my middle finger. Has anyone gone through this and how did you handle it? It will come for me eventually.



 

pinenut - Posted - 02/26/2026:  14:16:56

Gogo, Google search:



"Heberden's nodes (bony growths on finger joints) are primarily caused by hand osteoarthritis, but research indicates a significant association with low testosterone levels. Low testosterone reduces its protective, anabolic effects on cartilage and promotes inflammation, which accelerates joint degradation and raises the risk of osteoarthritis, particularly in men.  National Institutes of Health (.gov) +2"

Edited by - pinenut on 02/26/2026 14:25:32

jsinjin - Posted - 02/26/2026:  14:30:01

Yes. Thank you. The doc shared that too. What wasn’t in the google search or the doc visit was strategies to keep practicing banjo through the growth of one in my middle finger .

pinenut - Posted - 02/26/2026:  14:42:15

quote:
Originally posted by jsinjin

Yes. Thank you. The doc shared that too. What wasn’t in the google search or the doc visit was strategies to keep practicing banjo through the growth of one in my middle finger .





Hi John,



Have your hormones been tested and corrected?  



If this is the/a problem; there may less or not be any, "growth of one in my middle finger", to deal with.



Cheers.

Edited by - pinenut on 02/26/2026 14:53:18

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