Weird stuff happening with my hand.

[staf Wouters]

Hello forum

I already made a post once about my hand.

It gets purple when playing for a few minutes. It especially does when I play fingerstyle.

It's extremely frustrating as it makes it harder for me to play.

BUT: This time I have a video to show you guys.

The first one is a cover of "adventures of raindance maggie", and when you start the video, w8 a few seconds, then fast forward to somewhere near the end. You'll notice the color change of my right hand.

adventures of raindance maggie - bass cover.avi - YouTube

In the next video however, I am playing "tell me baby", and my hand doesn't get that purple:

tell me baby - bass cover.avi - YouTube

What's wrong with me? It also seems that I am the only bassist I know with this problem. Why am I always limited, I just wished I could play like all the other bassists out there.

I hate this problem, makes me wanna stop playing.

I went to a doctor, he said it was due gravity, but after 2 years of playing, I don't really agree on that. I am seeing a doctor again soon.

Your help/advice will be extremely usefull to me,
Hoping for responses,
With best regards,

Me

[Mayers]

I think you should check both video you provided. In Tell me baby your hands aren't in the same position. So I think the problem you get in Advantures of raindrop maggie is because your hand is somewhat bend or your forearm cut the blood flow in your hand.

I suggest a classical guitar position. Well just try it and si if you get that kind of problem again.

If you see a new doctor ... bring the video or your bass to look if it is because of your position or not ( you know I may be wrong ).

[ffutterman]

It's hard to tell because the bass kinda blends in with the background, but it looks like you're resting the inside of your wrist on the top of the bass in Maggie (or at least resting it there sometimes when you start moving back and forth). That could certainly do it.

[fearceol]

I agree with the above posts. Your technique seems to be somehow restricting the blood flow, either by a bent wrist or from resting the fore arm on the body of the bass. Try using the technique below for a while and see if it makes a difference.

Todd Johnson Bass Guitar : Floating thumb technique - YouTube

[makkE]

Your right hand positioning looks a bit strange to me, you are somewhat far out there to the right - and comming to the strings more from behind and angled towards the strings.

If I hold out my arm like that, I can feel a lot of tension, especially around the ellbow. It feels like there are two bends that aren't right - once in the ellbow, then in the wrist itself, it feels twisted sideways.
Does it help if you stand up, so your basses body isn't so far out?

You also seem to have a rather harsh touch, with your fingers looking somewhat stiff - you seem to be doing more like a clamping motion with your whole hand while plucking, instead of moving the fingers only.

It's hard to say anything specific, but your right hand technique seems tensed and your arm posture doesn't look comfy either. The region between your thumb and index finger on the back of your hand even looks a bit swollen.

[Tigger Bangdang]

Does your hand get cold? Look up Raynauds Syndrome.

[drdunwoody]

Hmm...sorry to hear that. Nice playing BTW. Your hand turning purple implies that the blood is pooling in your hand (but I'm no M.D.). If it is, then why? Could be as some have suggested that you are cutting off the blood flow by your hand placement. You place slap on the second song with no pressure on the wrist to reduce bloodflow. As others have suggested, you should play with different hand positioning to see if you can get it to go away AND reappear so you know what causes it.

Tensing up areas for prolonged periods reduces bloodflow. Not breathing properly reduces oxygenation. Those are likely NOT the main cause but may contribute. Most meditative traditions focus on learning to breath (deep and relaxed) because most of us physically tense our body and lungs as we experience stressors (performance can be a stressor). The tightness of the lungs and chest reduces oxygenation to feed your muscles and brain at the very time they most need it (while under stress). Martial arts has a similar focus on relaxation. You need to play with your technique to try and figure out exactly when it does and doesn't happen.

BTW, other bassists have problems. I've had my right hand go numb from shoulder/neck issues due to years of playing with less than ideal posture. Today I do some physical exercise to counteract this and I've changed my playing posture as well as put together a lighter bass. Don't give up, just be paitient and try and problem solve. Good luck!

[staf Wouters]

Thanks for the replies! Yes, I will try other positionings, and I'll see if it goes better. At tigger bangdang: I think I have Raynauds, How can I get it to go away? :s.

[AltGrendel]

Originally Posted by staf Wouters

At tigger bangdang: I think I have Raynauds, How can I get it to go away? :s.

Get a referral to a specialist from your MD.

[PurpleDrank]

Agreed with the above posters who said it was a technique issue. I think you are inadvertently pressing your forearm down onto the bass and restricting the blood flow. Your touch looks really deliberate and stiff, and this could be what's leading to the problem, because you are pushing down with your forearm and not noticing.

It really doesn't seem like too much of a problem to me, and I doubt it's medically related unless you have a preexisting cardiovascular issue. I think it's a gross exaggeration to believe it's Raynaud's phenomenon, especially if it only occurs while playing bass and not during other periods of stress. Typically that phenomenon presents as palor rather than just slight purple discoloration (i.e. extended vs brief periods of hypoxia to the extremities).

Do you have the same issue when playing standing or any other time your arm is in a different position?

[azfryguy]

I AM NO DOCTOR keep that in mind but it seems like you have poor circulation to your hand. I am not sure how to fix that but I remember someone saying exercise. I could and probably am wrong on both accounts but very sorry either.

[alec]

I think its the way you play fingerstyle, with your end knuckles flexed backwards. Try arching your fingers.

[DWBass]

Do you have that issue when playing standing up? When sitting down, the edge of the bass is higher up and you're resting your forearm against the body restricting some bloodflow.

[staf Wouters]

It seems to be less worse when standing up, I noticed. But I have this pain in my hand. I think playing like that I got something like CTS too, I now stop playing for a while and I'm going to see a doc. Hope it's not that bad. If it is, well, I hope I can cure it.

[Warfender]

Try using light touch if you aren't already and as well as floating thumb technique to reduce thumb pressure during stretch to higher strings.

I used to get CTS really bad and do these things religously and have minimal if any problems now. Just something to try.

[john grey]

Originally Posted by azfryguy

I AM NO DOCTOR keep that in mind but it seems like you have poor circulation to your hand. I am not sure how to fix that but I remember someone saying exercise. I could and probably am wrong on both accounts but very sorry either.

I agree (& yea, I'm not a doctor) but we are talking about a limited period of playing time here. If you were to have played for perhaps a half hour or longer there could be a lot to concepts of wrist placement, etc. But you are a young guy and not overweight. Frankly I would see a doctor that specialized is circulatory issues: NOT a general practitioner, but a specialist.

Circulatory issues are very important to deal with early on. You can prevent serious issues if you deal with them as soon as they become apparent.
Because you ARE young, you have a good chance to deal with this issue effectively. When you say it's "worse when standing up" that statement alone would make me want to see a doctor. It certainly can't hurt to determine if a circulatory problem exists or not - but that is something that would make me want to see a professional. There are too many good doctors & methods of treatment to not to deal with it professionally.

A sincere "best of luck" to you: I hope you get to the cause and cure fast & effectively.

[Nomad5]

^ this.

[SkylineFiver]

Check out Gary Willis' website. The Willis Site |

Even when using two fingers, this technique eliminated all numbness and circulation problems in my right hand.

[DougD]

Looked to me like you were trying to dig in on the first video. You changed hand position on the second, and didn't play as hard. Try lowering your action and using a softer touch. Let the amp do the work for you. And plus one on the floating thumb technique. Also for some people it is extremely important to warm up before playing. Here is a good example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PxtPH10eq0. Stew Ham uses a similar technique to prevent wrist and hand injuries.

[Fergie Fulton]

Gravity issue.....change doctor, gravity issues have a relation to blood pressure and that can be checked not speculated on.

Point one on any circulation issue that concerns a cut off or restricted supply is a point of contact and pressure. To affect you there must be contact along your forearm and that must leave signs. First off a mark and indentation must be present caused by the edge of the bass if it is just the hand.

This is a complicated matter so please see a specialist, not an MD or GP but a specialist with a background in Hematology, that can if need be refer you to others in this field if his finding are inconclusive.....you will find no real answer here, good advice yes, but no real answer to diagnose your real problems.