Help my wrists on fire

[Jiro]

Okay, I just learned like 13 songs in like 2 weeks and suppost to learn about 50 more by the end of september... My wrist is starting to hurt but i cant afford to stop practicing! What do I do? Glucosamine Sulfate suppliments I heard these help your joints somehow has anyone else taken them? besides that what else can i do to help my wrist get better? i dont want to go to the doctor I dont think its that bad yet but if i dont do something soon i might have to later.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Jiro

Okay, I just learned like 13 songs in like 2 weeks and suppost to learn about 50 more by the end of september... My wrist is starting to hurt but i cant afford to stop practicing! What do I do? Glucosamine Sulfate suppliments I heard these help your joints somehow has anyone else taken them? besides that what else can i do to help my wrist get better? i dont want to go to the doctor I dont think its that bad yet but if i dont do something soon i might have to later.

Turn up your amp and use a lighter touch.

[invisiman]

Which wrist? The Fretting hand one? Or The picking one?

[Jiro]

My fretted hand one haha sorry

[invisiman]

I'd check your technique, and try to make sure you never have it at an awkward angle for to long. Other than taht, I'd recommend wearing a brace between your practices.

[LowEbandit]

Glucosamine Sulfate suppliments take about 6 months to start working effectivly, but I guess it can't hurt. Take a couple days off, your wrist will thank you and it's better to rest your wrist now than not being able to move it all when the time comes at the end of september...

Turn up your amp and use a lighter touch.

Also good advice....
LEB

[jokerjkny]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Turn up your amp and use a lighter touch.

and learn to play relaxed. also, after each practice session, try using a heated pad to keep the blood moving in your wrist, and to relieve the tension.

[Jiro]

heated pad, turn up the amp a bit, use a lighter touch, make sure im not at an awkward angle for too long, wearing a brace between my practices, all good advice thanks guys now i can go even into more extremes. practice 24/7 lol

[xyllion]

Yep, playing relaxed is the key. Your thumb should not be putting any pressure on the neck. If you are pinching the neck, you will cause damage. This is one reason why I like light gauge strings and low action. It forces a light touch.

[Whafrodamus]

There are special pills that you can only find withing.. Hrm.. what are they called? Oh yes.. Chill Pills.. Take one.

[abaguer]

Make sure your posture is good (I practice with a strap even when sitting down); make sure your wrist is not crooked for too long. Try practicing in front of a mirror and check out your forearm and try to keed a straight line when possible. Oh yeah, remember to breathe.

[embellisher]

Are you wearing the bass too high or too low? If you are, that can cause your wrist to be at an unnatural angle, and lead to RSI, which is not something you want.

I am moving this to Technique.

[Joe P]

Originally Posted by xyllion

Yep, playing relaxed is the key. Your thumb should not be putting any pressure on the neck. If you are pinching the neck, you will cause damage...

What? Do you mean 'excessive pressure'?

Joe

[FenderBender]

Sounds like repetative stress syndrome, that could lead to carple tunel. Comes from gripping to hard!!! let your hand glide by relaxing your thumb. Reduce the swelling by icing your wrist when done playing (like any sports injury) Advil 400-600 mg every 6 hours around the clock for 3 or 4 days (its not just a pain killer but a very good anti inflammatory)and continue ice wraps for 2 days. Then heating pad to speed the healling.

Best bet is to lay off for 48 hours and bring down the swelling!!! then really try to "fret lightly". If the above therapy dosent work go to your doctor and try to get a scrip anti inflamitory like Cialis . But if you dont take it easy it will get worse and worse untill the point that you wont even be able to wipe your own butt!!!

Hope this helps I feel for you , I developed C P from 25 years of being a chef and griping butcher knives to tight!!

[malabito]

Originally Posted by Jiro

Okay, I just learned like 13 songs in like 2 weeks and suppost to learn about 50 more by the end of september... My wrist is starting to hurt but i cant afford to stop practicing! What do I do? Glucosamine Sulfate suppliments I heard these help your joints somehow has anyone else taken them? besides that what else can i do to help my wrist get better? i dont want to go to the doctor I dont think its that bad yet but if i dont do something soon i might have to later.

Although you are saying you dont want to go to the doctor I´ll will highly reccomend you to do it. About 4 months ago i started with some wrist pain at both of my wrists, I didnt do much about it, just some stretching and rest, and continue playing, but after more than a month it just got worst almost to the point were i couldnt play at all, and thats when I got really scared and decided to go to the doctor, maybe a little to late. They make me this bunch of tests and diagnostic me with cubital syndrome and atrapment of the median nerve (thats where you rest the forearm of the picking hand), thanks god no cts was mention, and no surgery is needed. So after 2 months of doing rehab i have just improve a little, enough to play again, but not much as a I wish, it still gives me pain to play and for the time being slapping is not even consider.

So if their is pane, you must be doing something wrong, as everyone has mention, maybe your technique, or to much pressure while you play, try to visualize yourself to find out what you are doing wrong and dont cross out the idea of going to the doctor, it wont do you any harm and can make things much better. Remember that not being able to play bass would be a real pain in the .....Specially if you really love to play bass.

[uprightdave]

I've had serious problems, started taking glucosamine and DAYS later noticed a big difference. I take it regularly and have very little problems with pain. Years ago I had to stop because of pain, had I known about glucosamine....
Definitely make sure ALL the other issues have been covered first, hand position, bass position, relaxing your shoulders, arms and hands, etc. Good luck! Need a sub?? just kidding!

[seanm]

Something I learned from cycling is: don't try to change too much at once. If somebody tells you that your technique is wrong, and the solution hurts, don't do it. Everybody's hands are different and the "correct technique" may not work for you. However, trying to slowly nudge yourself towards the "correct technique" might work.

[RicPlaya]

First make sure your thumb is behind your middle finger while playing (or near). A ton of bassists play bass with the web of their thumb on the neck of the bass...this is bad. I always put too much pressure on my thumb too, my wrist hurts sometimes from that.

[andrewd]

definitely keep your thumb behind the neck at all times...you aren't playing guitar here, you dont need to play big barre chords

[bigbeefdog]

B-vitamins are thought to help, although some experts don't agree.

Run a Google search on "carpal tunnel" and "B vitamins" and judge for yourself.