HI Vondelle - glad to hear you're back with the instrument. As Bill Cosby says, "There's always room for cello."

I'm 47 - I've played assorted instruments all my life - mostly strings, but I dabble in other veins. Only after recouping from a really bad dog bite to my hands have I ever had any problem. (Bit one hand severely, bite the other one trying to pry it's jaw open to free my hand). Now I find that if I don't eat right, and have a consistently good diet, it affects not just my physical well being, but I've had my right fingers cramp and curl up in the midst of performing. I had so much pain that I had to use the other hand to reach over and stretch them straight so I could finish the set. I think I finished that set plucking the strings with my ring and pinky fingers. It was incredibly painful; but taking vitamins, eating right, and basic exercising(stretching too) has prevented this episode from ever happening again.
That was one of the scariest experiences ever.

Tom Tracy
http://www.soundclick.com/tomtracy