Right hand numbness

Andy_D · #1 12-03-2010, 09:01 AM

Does anyone else suffer from numbness of the right hand during extended playing?

I sometimes get all pins and needles while playing. The only thing I can think of that might be causing this is letting my forearm contact the edge of the bass while playing thereby cutting off the blood supply to the hand. This only happens with a couple basses that have an upper profile that seems to "get in the way". When this happens I have been trying to consciously straighten my arm out and keep it away from the bass body and "I think" that it may be helping. Now I have to try to unlearn a bad habit that I have developed.

hdracer · #2 12-03-2010, 09:05 AM

READ THIS!http://chriskeuken.nl/health/the-nar...ist-guard.html

ChrisK Did a great job addressing this.

superiorpine · #3 12-03-2010, 09:06 AM

"Pins and needles" could also be nerve constriction in your neck. Check you posture when playing, and perhaps use a wider strap.

Chris K · #4 12-03-2010, 09:11 AM

Thanks Greg...
In Andy's case, I would suggest: http://chriskeuken.nl/health/the-rig...r-muscles.html

Andy_D · #5 12-03-2010, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdracer

READ THIS!http://chriskeuken.nl/health/the-nar...ist-guard.html

ChrisK Did a great job addressing this.

Thanks,

Lots of great stuff on that page. I'm bookmarking it as it'll take a while to absorb it all.

Andy_D · #6 12-03-2010, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris K

Thanks Greg...
In Andy's case, I would suggest: http://chriskeuken.nl/health/the-rig...r-muscles.html

Thanks Chris. Yes, floating thumb is something I've been aware and have tried (albeit not that hard) and is something I know that I need to work on because as I play faster my muting becomes exponentially sloppier. So really applying myself on this may have more benefits than just better muting. I guess I just need to spend more time applying myself and break my old habits.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #7 12-03-2010, 09:25 AM

Change your tecnique and change it now. Raise your arm up. Don't have your elbow in your ear, but DO NOT REST YOUR ARM ON THE CONTOUR!! I did that, and combined with resting my thumb on the pickup of my jazz, I got tendinitis, and was MIA for several weeks. It's a popular thing among "laid back" jazz guys, and I'm sure that they know how to do it without gettting hurt, but I know now that when you play fast, all over the place stuff like I do, you have to get that arm up there and float the thumb. numbness is a good sign that you're injuring yourself. If it's only a couple of basses, mod them or sell them. If they are an obstacle to your playing or your hand health, then they need to be changed or gotten rid of.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #8 12-03-2010, 09:26 AM

good luck.

Andy_D · #9 12-03-2010, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OPBASSMAN1994

Change your tecnique and change it now. Raise your arm up. Don't have your elbow in your ear, but DO NOT REST YOUR ARM ON THE CONTOUR!! I did that, and combined with resting my thumb on the pickup of my jazz, I got tendinitis, and was MIA for several weeks. It's a popular thing among "laid back" jazz guys, and I'm sure that they know how to do it without gettting hurt, but I know now that when you play fast, all over the place stuff like I do, you have to get that arm up there and float the thumb. numbness is a good sign that you're injuring yourself. If it's only a couple of basses, mod them or sell them. If they are an obstacle to your playing or your hand health, then they need to be changed or gotten rid of.

OP, you described pretty accurately what I was doing. By resting my thumb on the pickup or the B string I was allowing my elbow to fall back and down curling my wrist and letting my forearm rest on the contour. I think that during extended playing and pressing hard this restricts the bloodflow because I've found that raising my arm seems to alleviate it. It seems also that using the floating thumb forces one to straighten the wrist in order to make that tecnique work. In order to straighten the wrist one must raise the elbow.

This has been a revelation. Now I have lots of work to do to unlearn years of well practiced bad habits. I know it's not going to be easy!

Chris K · #10 12-03-2010, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy_D

Thanks Chris. Yes, floating thumb is something I've been aware and have tried (albeit not that hard) and is something I know that I need to work on because as I play faster my muting becomes exponentially sloppier. So really applying myself on this may have more benefits than just better muting. I guess I just need to spend more time applying myself and break my old habits.

Anchored thumb may work just as well, as long as you make your shoulder carry the weight of the arm, not the thumb. Like Opbassman1994 says, do not rest the arm on the contour of the body; rest it against the body and rest the body against the right hipbone. Elbow away from your side, upper arm in line with the shouders, but do not press the elbow forward constantly. Wrist straight, or flexed a little (etexended never), fingers maybe a little sideways to the right (for RH players)).
And, the most important: relax...