starting to get strong wrist pain

[Samilyn]

The oweee is not in the wrist more in the hand but I am sure the biking is not helping. But I really only get it when playing the guitar. So day one with out playing....great!

Hmmm...you maybe have a bit of tendonitis setting in? Your hand is doing a lot of work, given the biking and git playing. I wonder if the biking is taking a toll on your hand, and then playing is pushing it beyond the limit? Dunno, but I hope you find a solution to the oweee.

[bigald18]

Yeah...I used to jam with some dude by the name of Flintstone. One day, while me and Fred were hunting mammoth, we dug this ancient guy out of a glacier. We didn't know how long he'd been there, but we took him back to the cave and thawed him out so we could pry a git out of his frozen hands. Figured we'd eat him, but he sat up and sang "In The Pines" so we kept him around for entertainment and named him BigAlD18.

Well said and very creative Wilma!

BigAl

In the ice, in the ice, yeah he melted so nice, but he shivered the whole night through.

[jamesp]

"Finding The Incredible Lightness"

That's a great article Capt. Thanks!
Dealing with physical tension while playing is an area that doesn't get enough attention imo, and something I work on daily. I strive not to struggle, or vice versa.

fwiw, I've always thought relaxation was a key to good mountain biking too, especially climbing. Any unnessecary tensions that aren't directly related to pedaling just wear me out unnessecarily.

[EdBega]

... I wonder if the biking is taking a toll on your hand, and then playing is pushing it beyond the limit? Dunno, but I hope you find a solution to the oweee.

Yep probably ... and thanks you are to kind!

[Galabar]

I'm a computer programmer and a new player (1 1/2 years). The combination of typing on a keyboard all day and pressing way to hard on the fretboard, has caused similar results. I've really focused on having as light a touch as possible on the fretboard. It allows me to practice and play without pain and has improved my technique immensely.

It is interesting -- when performing barre chords on my classical, it almost feels like I am barely laying my finger across the fretboard with just about no effort. I am trying to duplicate that feeling for fretting on the steel string. I still sometimes get fatigued, but I continue to focus on this light touch and I get better at it every day.

[EdBega]

... and pressing way to hard on the fretboard, has caused similar results....

 

I know I am guitly of the same thing and for some reason the longer I play the harder I clinch. I'll have to work on that for sure though.

[busby99]

I play left-handed, so it's my right wrist that does the fretting (along with anyone in earshot). I also work on a computer all day using the same wrist to work the mouse. Also, 10 years ago I suffered from the peripheral neuropathy spoken of earlier to the point that I couldn't even open one of those cardboard milk cartons. The feeling came back, but not all the way and I've learned to deal with it.

Anyway, my wrist gets painful at times and the pins and needles are always there. My doctor, who's been there for me since the neuropathy, recommended getting one of those ace bandages that has a piece of steel in it to hold the wrist steady while I slept at night. I don't know if it will help you, but it did help me to the point where I rarely have pain while I'm playing, only afterwards, but it's nowhere near as bad as it was.

[EdBega]

Just learned Badfish by Sublime so I didn't quite make a week but fwiw Flexall seems to be working pretty good that and trying to keeping the lighter grip in mind...

[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]

[Gary Palmer]

One method you can use as a means of lightening your grip is to remove your thumb from the equation and practise fretting using your fingers only. As always, the trick is to have fretted strings make clean contact with the frets without finding yourself trying to drive them through the fingerboard with a vice-like grip. On a well set-up instrument this isn't too difficult an exercise, but if the thumb is anchored into place or poorly positioned you'll tend to encounter hand, finger and wrist fatigue.

If you have problems using the fingers only technique I suggest either having a set-up/adjustments carried out or reducing strings to lower tension/lighter gauges until better fretting technique has taken root.

Ed,

Deflate your mountain bike tyres to zero for a week or so - whilst adopting the above methods - and you should find hand, wrist and finger pain decreases.

[peachcowboy]

I am just learning about the finger pressure on the fretboard. I was amazed at how little pressure is required actually, and now start every practice by just touching the string to deaden it, then plucking the string while adding pressure to the string at the fret, until the note sings clear. Similar I guess to the "Incredible Lightness" article. It also helps me stay relaxed, and keeps my shoulder out of my ear....

[Maximum]

shortly after a year of playing my left wrist is in moderate/ highly annoying pain constantly. It feels numb and swollen, pinched maybe I dunno it's a strange hollow sensation which I cannot compare to anything else. It feels deep though, like right down to my bone and marrow. I find it hurts more after playing my acoustic for obvious reasons... although electric can be just as bad. I need some home remedies to get over this, assuming it can go away at all.... anyone? I don't have any insurance so the hospital is out of the quesiton, I could try WebMD but I'm more interested in the opinion of other guitar players who have been through this than any psuedo internet doctor.

 

 

First thing is to take a break from playing.

Also, I know some people who swear by acupuncture for this.

[EdBega]

One method you can use as a means of lightening your grip is to remove your thumb from the equation and practise fretting using your fingers only. As always, the trick is to have fretted strings make clean contact with the frets without finding yourself trying to drive them through the fingerboard with a vice-like grip. On a well set-up instrument this isn't too difficult an exercise, but if the thumb is anchored into place or poorly positioned you'll tend to encounter hand, finger and wrist fatigue. If you have problems using the fingers only technique I suggest either having a set-up/adjustments carried out or reducing strings to lower tension/lighter gauges until better fretting technique has taken root....

 

 

It is surpising to me how little pressure is required even with barr chords. Since I just started playing again a little over a year ago I think I have gradually gotten worse. Could be the calises and not being able to feel the strings with my finger tips unless I exert more pressure. I am going to file mine down and see if that helps. But at least I am aware of what I was doing wrong thanks to Galabar and thank you for the tips.