aching thumb caused by slapping?

[elpelotero]

I woke up this morning with a good deal of pain in the joint of my thumb, especially when I moved it around. I took some advil and it seemed to help, but the joint is still kind of sore.

Yesterday I was slapping a lot, but I didn't really think it was anymore than I usually do or haven't done in the past.

What went wrong? Is this normal? I'm only 21.

[Deacon_Blues]

Maybe you kept it in a strange position during the night...?...or did some heavy physical work with your hand yesterday or the day before?

My thumb once got really bad when I fell of a bike. It was ok after a few weeks, but I could still feel it for two-three years afterwards when for instance squeezing a shampoo bottle. It didn't prevent me from playing bass though. Perhaps, I even learned to play lightly with my left hand during that period..

[rockwarnick]

ive never had that problem before even if i slapped alot the night before. its strange though cause my hands hurt from boxing recently and i notice it all day but when i play bass i dont feel it at all. its like when i play music i feel no pain...

sounds like a lyric to me...

[aceshigh92]

are u new to slapping? if so it might be your thumb not used to hitting a thick bass string.

[elpelotero]

^^ relatively yes. been doing it for only a few months. it doesn't hurt anymore, but i haven't slapped for as long as i did that day in one session since.

[chaosMK]

It might be from hitting your pickup. I've banged my thumb a few times that way and wondered why it was hurting the whole show.

When my hands were sore from Kung Fu I picked up a pain from slapping right on the side of the joint that lasted for a day or two.

[MonetBass]

Lighten up on yer axe there, Paul Bunyan.

Seriously, you don't have to hit as hard as you think. And make sure you're using the side of your thumb; that should ease the stress on the joint a bit.

[BassFTW]

Do what I do then--hit with the bottom inside edge of your thumb between the tip and joint and (here's the kicker) instead of attacking the string straight on, hit it downwards and let your thumb go through it onto the next string. It takes a little bit of practice to get speed down and when I first heard of it I thought it would impede movement; but it doesn't.

[lbanks]

I have that problem, but I also have arthritis.