wrists hurt!!! OUCH!

[UnderDogbassist]

i notice (painfully) that when i'm doing my scale runs, my wrists get really sore really quickly, and can be quite painful if i do it non stop. when i do it up around the 12th fret i barely feel anything. i try moving my fretting arm around more, that helps a little bit, but doesnt get rid of the pain. when i'm in the lower frets, my had seems to do create more of a 90% angle at the wrist, and that's what it think is getting to it. it's not like my bass is at a robert trujillo stance, it's actually more jaco, around where i was taught it should be. the problem is i have to make that odd wrist position in order to reach those frets., so any advice?

[JimmyM]

yes, get a good teacher who knows good technique and can straighten you out. you should keep your wrists as straight as possible. also, are you hanging your thumb over the fretboard? that forces you into poor technique, too. keep your thumb behind the back of the neck, your fingers curved, and your wrists straight. study players with impeccable technique like victor wooten, dave larue, etc. and do what they do.

[UnderDogbassist]

I try to keep my thumb front hangin over the fretboard, and about...98% of the time it stays there so that's not the problem. Lolz

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by UnderDogbassist

I try to keep my thumb front hangin over the fretboard, and about...98% of the time it stays there so that's not the problem. Lolz

yes it is. at least it's a major part of it.

[fearceol]

As recommended, I think it would be best to have a teacher look at your technique as advise accordingly.

In the meantime take a look at these links about technique. As Jimmy M says, the golden rule is to keep both wrists as straight as possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeRoQuXlj9w


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU

[drunkenrobot]

You should only bring your thumb over the top of the fretboard when you need to fret a note on your lowest string and the rest of your fingers are busy elsewhere. This situation is very rare though and you should really try to find alternate fingerings instead of doing this.

Doing it all the time out of habbit is bad, and as others have said, most likely the cause of your pain.

[Deathblade Eric]

Originally Posted by UnderDogbassist

i notice (painfully) that when i'm doing my scale runs, my wrists get really sore really quickly, and can be quite painful if i do it non stop. when i do it up around the 12th fret i barely feel anything. i try moving my fretting arm around more, that helps a little bit, but doesnt get rid of the pain. when i'm in the lower frets, my had seems to do create more of a 90% angle at the wrist, and that's what it think is getting to it. it's not like my bass is at a robert trujillo stance, it's actually more jaco, around where i was taught it should be. the problem is i have to make that odd wrist position in order to reach those frets., so any advice?

As stated elswhere, your stance/posture is at fault.

IMO there's no truly "right" one-size-fits-all answer to this, as we're all built differently.

For me, this thread (Developing a safe left hand technique (BENT WRIST IS BAD, MKAY)) and the attached video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRkSsapYYsA) nail it. Pretty much what I've done (by chance!) for the last 28 years & wrist pain has never been an issue.

YMMV, naturally.

Pete.

[okcrum]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

yes it is. at least it's a major part of it.

+1 Check the references in this thread you'll be fine. Also, I was taught to stretch my wrists before playing, by rolling my hand around on them as far toward 90 degrees as I could, to limber them up.

[notdavey]

I have to agree with everyone else. Your posture, instrument height and wrist angle will all contribute to fatigue and pain in your wrists (hands, upper arm etc). Definitely warm up your hands before breaking into a scale session too. Try some simple warm up exrcises (again check youtube for some good exercises to do for a few minutes before tackling your scales regiment).