Hi ya'll. I'm a 72 year old newbie. Having some pain in my fingers from arthritis since I started playing. I've found that rubbing a little diclofenac (Voltaren) gel on my fingers a few minutes before I play helps loosen up my fingers. I hear it's available over the counter now. Somebody else on here also said Tiger Balm works for him. So just thought I'd share with the community.