Welcome aboard mate!
I’m only through Module 2 / Lesson 4… as I learn my new bass.
Loving every moment of it… but at the end of some fast workouts, I may or may have not told @JoshFossgreen to… well… you know… 
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Welcome along @Cragsman !
Arthritis is a real kicker isn’t it. Where do you have it? Fingers, wrists elbows? I’m 67 and have it in my fretting pinky and I’ve just resigned myself to lots of microshifting instead of stretching and simply not using the pinky (at least most of the time).
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My middle finger on left hand and slightly on my index right hand.
PT has been helping. 
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Killer, you can’t really do without either of those fingers in the same way that I can manage without my pinky.
My Physio recommended supplements which I have been taking for a year now. I use one with Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM and Turmeric. All ones that she reckons show some benefits (though there are few really serious studies that have been done. IE. with sufficient numbers). I’m not sure it has improved things but it hasn’t got worse which it was doing before I started, and if I stop it does get noticeably worse. So probably worth it. I also strap my bad finger with these:
They do a pretty good job of supporting the painful joint and whilst they are self adhesive they don’t stick to you so easy to put on and take off. They definitely help.
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Yep. All those tricks also.
Adding to the fact that I am still recovering from a broken scaphoid… its fun!
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Arthritis is a thing. I’m gifted with a really nice case of osteoarthritis. The gift That just NEVER stops giving. Fact is, i get to go get my other hip replaced 30 July. Take care of yourself.
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Hope all goes well for you!
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G’day mate, I have a form of arthritis called Ankylosing Spondilitis which is similar to rheumatoid and for wich I have a weekly injection of an immuno suppressant. It affects mostly the whole of spine and SI joints. Started when I was around 20 and over the years spread out to my right shoulder, elbow, wrist and yes, the dreaded pinkies(both of them). In my case however I’ve found that the stronger my left hand becomes, the less pain I have. I have found a couple of things that have really helped me in this regard. Firstly I bought a finger exerciser like this one, popular with musos and rock climbers, just a few minutes every day or two helps a lot. Amazon.com
Secondly I found this little exercise by Josh on YouTube (actually one of the reasons I’m doing this course). Prior to this exercise I barely used my left pinkie but but now I can use it quite comfortably. Just a few minutes each day at the middle level has worked wonders for me. Even if I don’t do anything else on the bass on any given day I try to do a least just 5 minutes. Just pick up the bass, set a beat in my head and go for it, moving to different positions on the fretboard as I go. Can’t yet do much at the top of the neck because my wrist doesn’t flex enough but I’m hoping that will come in time. Practice THIS Daily (10 Mins) - YouTube. Hope this helps. Cheers, Craig.
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G’day autumsdad1990, you say your OTHER hip. Bugger! I suppose at least you know what you’re in for. Hope it all goes smooth for you. Cheers
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Speedy recovery!
Hope you lay down some beats! (pun intended)
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Yeah, got the other one done about 18 months ago. Guess i never thought I’d be 53 and start turning into a cyborg… Bright side is the tech has come so far. Not only is it less than 8 hours in the hospital start to finish, i think maybe I’m getting Bluetooth connectivity!
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Best of luck and quick recovery, man, but as long as they have you up on the rack, have 'em throw in the Wi-Fi hotspot upgrade! 
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Right? I can get me down with that 5g sickness!
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Hey, stick with it! I’m only about 6
months into playing bass. I’ve got rheumatoid. I do the weekly injections as well. When I first started I had a lot of trouble with my pinky. It seems to have gotten a lot better the more I play. I feel playing is like therapy for my hands. They feel much stronger and more flexible than when I started. Good luck!!
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Do you also wake up with fingers numb and only cold water helps?
I must also say… my symptoms decreased a bit since I reduced the action on my MM. On my Ibby I haven’t had much issues… but I have a bad habit I brought from the MM, I use the middle finger less… during B2B course I am trying to put it to use… and see how it is.
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I don’t get numbness in the am, but more stiffness/soreness. I really think this is better if I play for a bit before I go to bed. It’s definitely better the past few months. I use my hands a fair amount at work and I think my dexterity has gotten better also.
I’ve found setting the action low has helped me a lot too. I’ve set up most of mine as low as I can get them. Also, I think thinner flats are much more comfortable to play.
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Unfortunately I work in IT so any “dexterity” work has been the bass.
I have also now returned to cooking(I spent nearly 5 months recovering from a broken scaphoid) so that helps… plus small manual labor around the house.
I’ve also bought a ball and some rubber bands to keep doing “hand fitness”… another thing that helps is hand yoga.
Also… some esports warmup exercises work:
There are a few other, but these will get you started.
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Greetings everyone, my name is Jeff. I played guitar off and on during my early teen years and again in my late 20’s but never really dedicated myself to actually progressing. Now I’m in my late 50’s and I’m determined to learn music. Told my wife I wanted to learn bass as I’ve never been that out front (guitar) guy, preferring to be in the background maintaining the foundation :). She bought me a Fender acoustic bass for my birthday and I’ve jumped into BassBuzz with both feet and am loving it. If I stick with this for at least 6 months I’ve promised myself an electric bass. My history with the acoustic guitar is definitely helping out with my fingering. I’m currently on track to complete the whole course in about 1.5 months as I am going back a couple times a week and playing prior lessons as practice. I’m curious to know what folks turn to for further guided learning after completing this course?
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Welcome @jefflangford67 !
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Welcome, @jefflangford67. Glad you’re here. There are lots of other guitar players on the forum, and past experience sure does help with bass. Enjoy the lessons!
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