Author Topic: Wrist pain (Read 8042 times)

Gary · « **on:** September 26, 2006, 06:46:09 AM »

After 6- 7 years playing I finally got round to booking some lessons and I had my first one two weeks ago. Tutor seems very knowledgable, excellent player, nice bloke etc and so far everything feels very positive.

He gave me some chromatic and major scale exercises to take away and I've been spending about half an hour every day on them (due to go back for my second lesson tomorrow). For the first week I had no great problems although I noticed some tension in my left wrist. I didn't worry too much about it because I stopped when it became noticeable and it went away soon afterwards. Last weekend however I spent at least an hour playing and I've had a pain in my wrist ever since.

What am I doing wrong - poor technique/ posture, over doing it, onset of athritis?

Obviously I'll mention it to my tutor but I'd appreciate any advice from anyone who's had similar problems.

38thBeatle · « **Reply #1 on:** September 26, 2006, 07:27:16 AM »

I think it could be posture combined perhaps with intense practice.I note that you have been playing 6 to 7 years and are no novice but did you pick it up and play for 20 minutes or have you played regularly for , say. an hour. Check with your tutor first I think.

_tom_ · « **Reply #2 on:** September 26, 2006, 07:47:37 AM »

This is probably no help to you but I sometimes get that problem after trying to learn some faster songs/riffs. The pain normally goes away in about 10 minutes but once its lasted a few days..

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #3 on:** September 26, 2006, 10:03:42 AM »

DO NOT IGNORE WRIST PAIN
WHETHER IT IS TENDONITIS OR JUST FATIGUE

Seriously - take advice to prevent it becoming permanent
It may be intense practise after a long break - it could be that your hand is not relaxed enough as a result of concentrating so hard.

If you need some relief from it try applying arnica gel (available from health food shops)
But DO seek advice

Gary · « **Reply #4 on:** September 26, 2006, 11:59:00 AM »

After the weekend I took a break and didn't touch the guitar yesterday. I spent 15 minutes playing chromatic scales this morning and I could feel it coming back on so I'm leaving it at least until my next lesson tomorrow.

It's strange because I'm not playing anything I wasn't doing before - approx half an hour per day compared to half an hour every other day before. The main difference is that my tutor is making me play much slower and more accurately. Maybe the concentration on accuracy is subconciously making me press harder or hunch over the guitar. Or something.

Feline - it only hurts when I play so I'm not keen on anything to relieve pain - it would only tempt me to play when I probably shouldn't.

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #5 on:** September 26, 2006, 12:52:07 PM »

Quote from: Gary

Feline - it only hurts when I play so I'm not keen on anything to relieve pain - it would only tempt me to play when I probably shouldn't.

I hear what you say
I would maybe only suggest the pain relief to break the cycle of pain, take down any inflamation and to enable you to avoid adding tension through maybe feeling stressed by it.

The Arnica Gel has much fewer side effects than say Ibuprofen Gel/ Ibulieve and works well on Arthritic joints too

Searcher · « **Reply #6 on:** September 26, 2006, 06:13:43 PM »

Quote from: Gary

Feline - it only hurts when I play so I'm not keen on anything to relieve pain - it would only tempt me to play when I probably shouldn't.

The Arnica should lessen the inflamation, rather than just deadening the pain. So it relieves the cause of the pain and not just stops it hurting.

As for how it's coming about I suspect that it's most likely from tension caused by incorrect positioning of your guitar. Just for an experiment, try standing up to play and raise the guitar right up to a very nerdy height. Then play with your left wrist as straight as possible. Try to focus all of the movement into your fingers and keep the hand moving as little as possible. Small, gentle movements are your goal.

See how that goes. If it seems to work, then keep at it for a while and then modify it to where you can play with the guitar high enough so that it doesn't strain you, but not so that you choke on the guitar. :)

CaffeineJunkie · « **Reply #7 on:** September 26, 2006, 06:21:21 PM »

sorry if this doesn't help much, but that title sounds soooo dodgy

Kilby · « **Reply #8 on:** September 26, 2006, 06:44:41 PM »

Quote from: FELINEGUITARS

The Arnica Gel has much fewer side effects than say Ibuprofen Gel/ Ibulieve and works well on Arthritic joints too

I would very much suggest avoiding Ibuprofen if you have asthma, even then it has been known to induce peoples first asthma attacks :(

Try warming up to your exercises slowly as well.

Rob...

Tol · « **Reply #9 on:** September 28, 2006, 02:33:41 AM »

Slight dull pain is ok like when your doing those chromatic scales. Sharp pains, stop playing, rest the wrist, and go slower.

Wristband/guards did wonders for my wrists, when I had problems.

You can try stretching your wrist before/after playing, and during the day.

Sean

WITH FULL DISTORTION · « **Reply #10 on:** September 28, 2006, 06:38:08 AM »

yeah.
i have some kind of pain if i do not warm up 10 minutes before with some "little balls to pump"
or apropriated medical stuff.
as feline said, do not ignore it, or you will be $%&#ed up.
in other words.. you will feel your entire arm , dormant.. and pain.
this if you manage to SLEEP.
q:/
Go to a doctor.

_tom_ · « **Reply #11 on:** September 28, 2006, 07:35:39 AM »

Quote from: WITH FULL DISTORTION

"little balls to pump"

I dont think I want to know what your warmup routine is :o :lol:

WITH FULL DISTORTION · « **Reply #12 on:** September 28, 2006, 07:38:08 AM »

ahahahaha $%&#gin cr@p.
I´ll have to take pics of it
ahahahah HOLD The $%&#gin ON
ahahahahahahahaah

WITH FULL DISTORTION · « **Reply #13 on:** September 28, 2006, 07:48:09 AM »

Here it is
I use these machines to warm up.
after and BEFORE the guitar playing.

Gary · « **Reply #14 on:** September 28, 2006, 11:55:04 AM »

Thanks for all your replies so far. Having spoken to my tutor, given a lot of thought to it and tried my hardest to analyse what I've been doing differently. I've decided it's probably a combination of over stretching and a lack of warm up. I'm going to try no playing at all until after next weekend and then work out some kind of warm up/ stretch routine. I'll see how it goes then but keep the suggestions coming.

BTW I got myself some arnica gel so'll we'll see if it does any good.