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Fretting Hand Pain


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Posted

I suppose i have a bit of tendinitis going on in my right hand as i have discomfort across the top of it every now and then. I always warm-up before playing/practicing and try not to have my guitar slung down too low to avoid uncomfortable wrist angle at the risk of "not looking cool" :rolleyes: I've been told i'm more of an open hand player and that could be causing it...

 

Do any of you guys have a remedy for this that DOESNT involve putting the guitar down until it "goes away"? I've read where this can become a serious problem for guitarists and although i hate like hell to limit my playing, at the same time i don't want to eff up my fret hand due to stupidity. :idk:

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Posted

i have tendonitis. i got it in my right hand when i used to play lefty and just started playing again in january after 6 years off. now i have to learn to play righty. it sucks. my experience is that doctors aren't very good at treating it. you didn't describe your problem very well though....

 

where is your pain exactly? is it all the time or only when you play? how long to you play each day? do you drink lots of water/take breaks? do you drink lots of caffeine/smoke?

 

compare your wrists - is one of them swollen? if you place your palms together and bend you hands backwards do you have the full range of movement in both hands? how much time do you spend at a keyboard/how are your computer ergonomics?

 

any other activities that put stress on your hands? do you have small hands and use stupidly heavy strings?

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Posted
i have tendonitis. i got it in my right hand when i used to play lefty and just started playing again in january after 6 years off. now i have to learn to play righty. it sucks. my experience is that doctors aren't very good at treating it. you didn't describe your problem very well though....


where is your pain exactly? is it all the time or only when you play? how long to you play each day? do you drink lots of water/take breaks? do you drink lots of caffeine/smoke?


compare your wrists - is one of them swollen? if you place your palms together and bend you hands backwards do you have the full range of movement in both hands? how much time do you spend at a keyboard/how are your computer ergonomics?


any other activities that put stress on your hands? do you have small hands and use stupidly heavy strings?



Lemme get on this:

1) Pain is across the top of my left hand and oddly enough, it doesn't seem to hurt while i'm playing (but then again maybe im not paying attention to it then)

2) I probably don't drink enough water, i do take breaks while playing, drink my share of coffee but do not smoke

3) No swelling is apparent however i do spend alot of time at the keyboard..good point.

4) I do some light weight lifting during the week (nothing that seems to cause the pain in my hand)

5) i do use 12's but don't have small hands...lol

thanks for the input/help :)

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Posted

i don't know - my tendinitis was in my wrist, not on top of my hand.

also - you may want to try playing with lighter strings/shorter scale guitar for a bit and see if that helps.

 

here's what i would do:

 

start a journal in which you write down each day when your hand bothers you, for how long and how severe the pain is (on like a scale of 1-10). also note if you have to take anti-inflammatories for pain

 

try to set practice sessions so that for every 45 minutes on the guitar, you're taking at least 10 minutes off. work on memorization, singing, visualization reading or whatever during the break so you don't waste time.

 

drink water throughout practice sessions.

 

DON'T suddenly increase the amount of time you're playing each day - add like an extra 20 minutes every week.

 

if it gets worse, see a doctor.

i really like this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Athletic-Musician-Guide-Playing-Without/dp/0810833565

 

lots of people take glucosamine chondroitin supplements for joint issues with great success, although it did nothing for me

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Posted

Tendinitis is from overuse.

 

Take ibuprofen. Take a week off from guitar.

 

Read a book instead.

 

Life exists beyond the guitar. Are you addicted to the guitar so much that you can't stop for a week or two?

 

You have your whole life to play guitar. A week or two off won't hurt you.

 

And get rid of the .12's. Go to .09's or .10's

  • Members
Posted
Tendinitis is from overuse.


Take ibuprofen. Take a week off from guitar.


Read a book instead.


Life exists beyond the guitar. Are you addicted to the guitar so much that you can't stop for a week or two?


You have your whole life to play guitar. A week or two off won't hurt you.


And get rid of the .12's. Go to .09's or .10's



LoL@ read a book

;)

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Posted

I also had that in my left hand, it was a real bummer... I would suggest that instead of cutting your playing, you just split it up into 30 minute or even 15 minute chunks. this will have the effect of a "relaxing" workout instead of something tougher on your hands. stretching is good, but the most important thing is to notice any discomfort while you are playing. if you feel pain, STOP and take a few minutes to rest. if the pain continues, then take a little longer.

 

if it continues for a longer time, or gets worse, you may want to see a physical therapist- NOT A MEDICAL DOCTOR, who will just tell you to take drugs. physical therapy will help you understand the root of the problem and help it go away.

 

this happened to me and it was really crushing... I thought I would never play again because my pain was awful. I ended up taking a rest for about a month, with no serious playing, then when I got back into it I payed such close attention to each movement of my hands that my playing actually improved tremendously. I was lucky! but some people don't have the luxury of stopping to rest. :/

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Posted

This is not a hard fix.

 

Your hand hurts. You overdid it.

 

Rest for a week or so. Take some ibuprofen to reduce swelling.

 

After the pain stops resume activity but take it easy.

 

Not complicated.

 

Are you a professional gigging musician such that you cannot take a week off from your guitar?

 

Are you currently on a demanding national tour with your band and cannot take a week off?

 

Are you currently in studio recording for your soon-to-released CD and cannot take a week off?

 

Otherwise maybe you can afford a week or two away from your guitar to get better.

  • Members
Posted
This is not a hard fix.


Your hand hurts. You overdid it.


Rest for a week or so. Take some ibuprofen to reduce swelling.


After the pain stops resume activity but take it easy.


Not complicated.


Are you a professional gigging musician such that you cannot take a week off from your guitar?


Are you currently on a demanding national tour with your band and cannot take a week off?


Are you currently in studio recording for your soon-to-released CD and cannot take a week off?


Otherwise maybe you can afford a week or two away from your guitar to get better.



Dr. Virgman, in da house ;)

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Posted
I just saved you $150 for a doctor visit.
:wave:



I've actually taken a few days off and it's helped (which i figured). I guess i just need to get over the fear of "losing ground" with my playing progress that i'm trying to work on......

in lieu of playing tonight maybe i'll just drink heavily :idea:

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