Hands seizing up-scary

[phippsyg]

Never had anything like this happen before. Was playing a gig friday night. In the middle of a solo my left hand totally cramps up. My first 2 fingers bend and roll around and I can't even open my hand. I have to stop playing for a bit and I think just a cramp. Start playing again and everytime my finger bends slightly my whole hand goes into a spasm and folds up. Embarresed and little bit worried I shake it off as a cramp until my right hand does the same. I play the next 3 songs with the thumb of my right hand, and my little and middle finger of my left hand with the index and ring finger folded behind the neck.

Has anyone ever experienced anything like this. Please post if you know anything about this am freaking out!!!

Went to the physio yesterday. I was booked in anyway as I hurt my back a few weeks ago. He said it may be some slight nerve damage from this and the fact that I am using a new wide strap that may be compressing nerves in my left shoulder, but he was baffled as to why my right hand would cramp up. I left thinking that it may be the strap or fatigue or something. So I took last night off from gigging and was judging a band comp when my hands started to cramp up again.
Am really stressing till I can go see the doctor this week.

[bottomzone]

Do you do any warm-up exercises for your hand and fingers? Norm Stockton has a very effective routine in Vol. I of his Grooning for Heaven DVD. Here is something I found today that may help you.

http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/XJ&sdn=mu...eformusic.html

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

[allenhumble]

That really sucks. I am trully sorry to hear that.

[00Funk]

I drink a swig of liquid cod liver oil every morning. Supose to keep your joints, good and lubed

[El-Bob]

Originally Posted by 00Funk

I drink a swig of liquid cod liver oil every morning. Supose to keep your joints, good and lubed

really?

[phippsyg]

Bottom zone thanks for that article-it is good reading for any musician I think. As for your question I don't do any warm-up exercises, but will now. Need still to see the doctor to find out what is happening but am going to try anything to eliminate the potential cause. Most of the exercises I do to some degree as I practice Yoga most days, but just not before playing.

00funk-thanks, have been taking fish oil capsules for the last few months. Have had a few injurys lately and am hoping this helps the ageing process (hard to write that I'm 31!!) as I am trying to rehabilitate to compete in kickboxing and grappling again.

Allenhumble-thanks for your kind words. Hopefully once I build some muscle back up I can use the strap again!

Will keep you guys posted as to what the doctor says.
Thanks.

[jpark369]

same thing happened to me at my last gig. my hang like, "popped" and my fingers went numb. really weird, and scary. i havent seen a doc yt about it, ive just tryed to stay hydrated, stretching and rdrinking plenty of water before and during my gigs, (in between all those beers). good luck though

[mothmonsterman]

Same thing happens to me and it only happens when the humidity is over a certain point, it's the worst when it's raining or it is a gig in the winter.
Do you work on a computer alot? you might want to be checked out for carpal tunnel i've noticed mine is also alot worse when that's acting up.

[AN0INTD]

I think everyone here has given some very good and valid advice. The same thing happened to me a few years ago while I was playing classical guitar. What I would suggest to you is: watch your technique - don't let your hand get rigid from trying to play too fast or too hard. You need to relax. The best tone and feel comes out of a relaxed hand. Also, relax your shoulders. Watch what your whole body is doing. You really need to be more aware of yourself as a whole. It may seem funny but things that might seem to be totally disconnected from your hands and playing, can have a huge impact in your playing (such as back posture, tightened shoulders, numb butt-cheeks ) you get my point. Take care!

[Lucas G]

i sure am glad for this thread... this has happened to me twice in the last week and a half. my right index finger curled itself up while i was playing and was not really being cool about un-curling.

[bearfoot]

I've had that happen in my leg - lack of water is often mentioned, and I also hear that low potassium can bring on the muscle lock.

[C-5KO]

I've had the same problem recently.

At first I thought it was because I would drink during/before a gig. Which I did in the past, but I thought it was just catching up to me. Soon I realized that it was because I wasn't warming up, and because the bottles were cold, it would make my hand even tighter.

If I don't have time to warm up, what I will do, is rinse my hands with warm/hot water for awhile. The only downside to this, is the skin on your fingertips may become soft. Mine stay pretty hard and calloused, so I don't really have that problem. Really though, warming up is a better solution. This was sort of a 3 minute cheat.

[Foamy]

Sounds like simple cramps.
Practice more, eat a banana before a gig, drink fluids - I think electrolytes help(??).
Just sounds like cramps though. It's happened to me in a gig, and it sucks.

[sublime0bass]

31 isnt old

im a decade younger than that and know it to be true

[Thor]

I noticed that you are a doubler as well. I have noticed the
DB guys being pretty concerned about hand fatigue.

The suggestions I had were generally made. I would check:

>Water or nutritional deficiences. Changed your diet?

> Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. See your doctor.

> See a Physical Therapist re hand exercises that might help.

> Try an accupuncturist before agreeing to any surgical
procedures.

Best of Luck, tell Petebass I said 'Hi'!

[allexcosta]

Drink more water and gatorade.
See if you're having water retention due to some medicine or too much salt on your food.
Increase potassium (banana, orange)
Search about Cissus and Glucosamine.
Cut red meat.
Ask about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Just my 0.02...

[Bassman7PM]

I had the same thing happen to me a couple of months ago while playing a Motown Review gig. It was a 3 hour show with 35 songs, after the 33rd song my right hand (I'm right handed) totally locked up on me and completely freaked me out. I couldn't use my fingers so I basically thumbed the last two songs. I beleive part of it was fatique as we had to learn all of the material in less than 2 weeks rehearsing 6 hours or more after work and also playng at Church. I drink plenty of water, so that wasn't the issue and I also take an excellent Multi-Vitamin daily, so that wasn't is either. I've been recently diagnosed with Tendonitis in my right arm, but to my knowledge, that only affects the arm not the hand. I also switched to a lower action and light gauge strings so I'm learning how to play with a much lighter attack with both hands while holding the bass more verticle. Seems to be helping.

[ZanaZulu807]

I'm having something like this going on now, whenever I curl my hand into a fist, it feels stiffened, not really cramped, and won't open up. I recently increased the hours in my practicing, but I make sure my technique is always up to par. This is my left, fretting hand, not my right.

[InQuebAss]

This is a somewhat "normal" occurance to me. Some gigs, or even emotional practices give me cramping in my picking hand. It seems as though I am holding my pick too tightly. Luckily, I only NeeD the pick for the first song of our set, and when I switch to fingerpicking the cramping subsides. Usually I attribute this to nervousness and not a lack of warm up or bad technique, seeing as how I make myself warm up and stay warm for the 2 or 3 hours I'm at the venue before the show.

I just started playing with this band though, and this happened BAD my first show, but like I said, nervousness was a factor. 10 days to learn a setlist is cutting it for me.

Good luck with your problem though, and try some breathing exercises(meditation) before you go on, it helps me.

[Mrdak]

For those of you who drink a pretty good bit, remove alcohol entirely, and it will help with all of the muscle cramps. That and drink a few glasses of water every day. Every Day....