“The biggest mindset shift is that guitarists should think of themselves as athletes”: As arthritis creeps into the hands of aging guitar heroes, what can we do to prolong our peak playing days?

Alex Lifeson at the KIA Forum on Sunday, June 7, 2026 in Inglewood, CA. Opening night of the band's first tour since the death of former drummer Neal Peart in 2020.

The shred generation is hitting retirement age and beyond, and arthritis diagnoses are becoming increasingly common – but the good news is that the condition doesn’t have to be the death knell for anyone’s playing days.

Our aging guitar heroes have shown the impact a life of playing can have on our bodies. Jake E. Lee’s right hand has “basically no cartilage.” A sports doctor laughed in amazement when Steve Morse showed him his hands, ground down by years of shredding – and relayed his ambition to continue touring.