Back pain while playing bass

[immy]

Hey i'm just learning to play the bass and when ever i play standing up for more then 10 minutes i start to feel back pains in my lower left back.

Does anyone know why this may be?

I'm 18 and relatively healthy, i'v had back pains before from playing rugby but i never got them while playing guitar so i'm not quite sure what the cause may be.

[hachi kid]

I figure could be improper technique or the strap height may be too wonky. try this. adjust the strap so it's in the exact same position whether you're standing up or sitting down. weight of the bass could have something to do with it, as well.

[MalcolmAmos]

+1 to getting the bass up on your chest, not cool, but you will not have back pain.

[m_bisson]

I have pain in my left shoulder.... same thing happens when I play guitar hero. I think it's from the strap, but obviously a plastic guitar doesn't weigh enough to hurt me (unless i'm a super wimp). What am I doing?

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by hachi kid

I figure could be improper technique or the strap height may be too wonky. try this. adjust the strap so it's in the exact same position whether you're standing up or sitting down. weight of the bass could have something to do with it, as well.

+1.

Could be any one, or combination of these. Try to make sure that your whole body is relaxed. Breathe slowly and deeply. Sometimes we are so intent on playing that we are unaware that our body is tensed up. It is also important to make sure you are not gripping the neck of the bass with that of a dead man's.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

+1 to getting the bass up on your chest, not cool, but you will not have back pain.

not necessarily. the bass is still going to weigh the same and it's still going to hang across the shoulder.

if you're getting back pains, i think it's a symptom of something else, like possibly a pinched nerve that the strap aggravates. this isn't something that a bunch of bassists can diagnose, though. this is more for a sports medicine doctor.

but a couple things you can try are getting a wider strap, or getting a lighter bass. i have a chronic shoulder problem, and wider straps did help but didn't get rid of the problem, so i had to go to a lighter bass. sucked because i loved that jazz bass that caused the problems, but it had to go.

another thing you can try is to get one of those harnesses that goes over both shoulders. didn't work out for me because i still favored one shoulder over the other, but it does work for some people.

[Steady Eddie]

This is caused by muscle tension and bad posture.

I had the same problem until I discovered a book and DVD by Jamie Andreas, a guitar teacher in New York. After working through the program my aches have now all but dissappeared and my playing has improved.

Do a search on the web for Jamie Andreas and see what he says.

[TOOL460002]

if your pain started with rugby but is flaring up with bass playing, then i would look back to where it started, and immediately stop playing bass for now. dont do anything to cause more damage.

if youre just kind of sore, that may be one thing, but if you have nerve issues, and/or weakness in your left leg or anything, then you will want to seek a doctor immediately.

i can assure you that you do not want to mess with your back, because the chances of you being 100% ever again is fairly low. im recovering from back surgery number two, and looking back i wish i knew what to stop doing and what to do to let it heal.

[fokof]

I had back problems over the years and reduced them by doin' these things ;
- I changed all my gear to lightweight stuff , bass included (Over the years)
-Use only these straps ; http://pages.infinit.net/ystrap/1234/anglais/M1-a.html
-I sit on practice.


A session with an Ergotherapist would be the best thing to do to find the perfect positioning of your bass.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by Steady Eddie

This is caused by muscle tension and bad posture.

I had the same problem until I discovered a book and DVD by Jamie Andreas, a guitar teacher in New York. After working through the program my aches have now all but dissappeared and my playing has improved.

Do a search on the web for Jamie Andreas and see what he says.

I have to agree as a first port of call to the problem. Posture and correct strap width are vital as is strap position to the out side of the shoulder, not on the soft tissue of the neck.

Stretching to relax the upper body is a good way to start
follow the link to see how its done.

http://www.5min.com/Video/Learn-an-U...Pain-149472138

[SurferJoe46]

I have severe osteoporosis (I'm a guy, so that's really rare) and degenerative bone disease from Agent Orange in VietNam.

I also have three lumbar crushed vertebra, two damaged cervical vertebra, a fractured pelvis (non-resolvable), spinal stenosis and osteoarthritis, causing peripheral neuropathy.

All the above is non-operable.

I have been through the VA osteo clinic, studied the correct way to bear weight with a 5lb weight carrying limit, I can still play a 10lb bass if I do it the right way.

I sit on a 35" high stool, no padding. I keep my bass at a position that although I can vary it a lot, it is more comfortable rather high. Not directly under my chin, and I certainly don't look like Steve Urkel, wearing a high water bass.

If I stand - (and standing isn't really an option after 3-5 minutes or so, as I can really feel the pain) it is only to adjust something and then sit on the stool again. Needless to say I don't dance, hop or move around too much - but that's OK with me.

Playing bass is not a contact sport. But now I can tell you of every place I got hurt when I was younger - football, car and airplane racing - OH - and motorcycles and two DOAs too!

If I knew I was gonna live this long, I'd have treated my body a little nicer when I was younger and stu-u-upider

Wearing your bass like a gunslinger causes more than just back pain and your wrists will eat it badly if you persist. Kool doesn't always pay in the long run.

The highest propensity of sciatic problems are on the left side - and many people deny that's what it is (it can also be a kidney problem if it is just under the lower part of your ribs in the back quarter). Been there. Ignored it too long.

If you feel something like a burning vine twisting and running down your left leg - MAYBE you've got sciatic nerve damage and that is usually from a damaged/compressed lumbar vertebra.



Needless to say if you are having any untoward reaction to your playing, you need to get to a specialist to see if/how you can resolve it.

All my symptoms are non-surgically repairable and if you think you can treat yourself badly and THEN get it all fixed later on, well -maybe not! Don't depend on doctors to fix what you are so nonchalantly destroying now.

BTW: Vicadin will not make you a better bass player - but you won't care.

[PJMiDi]

I stand for 10 hours a day at work, balance and posture were the best remedies to my lower back pain. It does take a while to change how you stand normally though.

[immy]

Thanks for all the replies guys, I think i'm going to look into a new strap as I am currently using my old guitar one and I think this may not be suitable.