Fretting hand wrist pain

Linkgehrinbass · #1 05-25-2009, 05:20 PM

I've played about 15-20 hours in the last 3 days and my left hand is killing me. Got any advice? Do I just need to improve my technique or is there no way around it if you just play nonstop?

Rudreax · #2 05-25-2009, 05:29 PM

How is your left hand holding the bass? How hard are your fingers pushing down on the fretboard?

Linkgehrinbass · #3 05-25-2009, 05:34 PM

I try to cup the neck in my palm and let me fingers rest over the fretboard, with my thumb sticking up. I've probably been pressing down too hard on the strings due to fatigue, but usually try to keep pretty relaxed while tensing my upper arm.

Rudreax · #4 05-25-2009, 05:37 PM

Your arm shouldn't be tense. Try relaxing it and see if that works.

Also, it might really just be from playing too hard for too long over such a short period of time.

John Wentzien · #5 05-25-2009, 05:53 PM

Shorten up the strap and wear the bass higher..See if that helps.

schismpunk · #6 05-26-2009, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linkgehrinbass

I try to cup the neck in my palm and let me fingers rest over the fretboard, with my thumb sticking up.

Well, that could be a large part of the problem. Try this: push your wrist under the neck, putting your thumb on the back of the neck. This will increase your fret reach, and ultimately, reduce that pain.

Not so good:

Good!

I know that this looks counter intuitive, but really, the pain is coming from your hand collapsing in on itself, when it's better for your fingers to be spread in a fan like shape.

Santraginus · #7 05-26-2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schismpunk

Well, that could be a large part of the problem. Try this: push your wrist under the neck, putting your thumb on the back of the neck. This will increase your fret reach, and ultimately, reduce that pain.

Not so good:

Good!

I know that this looks counter intuitive, but really, the pain is coming from your hand collapsing in on itself, when it's better for your fingers to be spread in a fan like shape.

IMHO, the second picture does not show very good hand posture... The wrist is bent quite a lot, causing danger tendonitis. In my experience, it is better to play with the wrist as straight as possible and the thumb placed right in the middle of the neck's backside.
Just my 2 cents....

schismpunk · #8 05-26-2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Santraginus

IMHO, the second picture does not show very good hand posture... The wrist is bent quite a lot, causing danger tendonitis. In my experience, it is better to play with the wrist as straight as possible and the thumb placed right in the middle of the neck's backside.
Just my 2 cents....

I agree, I posted that picture as it was the best thing google gave to me at the time. I think the picture is trying to illustrate a position shift, and it's low on the neck so the wrist distorts a bit. That's the general shape, though. Just not as bent in the wrist.

Santraginus · #9 05-26-2009, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schismpunk

I agree, I posted that picture as it was the best thing google gave to me at the time. I think the picture is trying to illustrate a position shift, and it's low on the neck so the wrist distorts a bit. That's the general shape, though. Just not as bent in the wrist.

Ah, I see... I think that is a matter of constant focus to be able to keep clean technique, anyway.

Stumbo · #10 05-26-2009, 06:51 PM

I suggest you stop playing until the pain goes away otherwise you're setting yourself up for longer term problems.

I also suggest that while practicing, take a couple of breaks per hour. Stretch your arms, wrists, etc. Practice for no more than two or three hours at a time and then break for 1/2 hour and probably no more than six hours a day.

See how that goes. You may need to change your technique and check your bass' setup and see if you can lower the strings so it will be easier to fret.

blockinlay · #11 05-26-2009, 07:10 PM

I work pretty hard outside this time of year, and my tendonitis flares up in my wrists. I don't want to play in pain, so I wrap it. If you don't want to rest, learn how to wrap your wrist with an ace bandage. I have one on my right wrist as I write. I play with a sports wrist brace when I play out. Just looks like a sweatband, but the elastic gives enough support. Gives me support so it can go away and I'm not in pain for an extended period. Sometimes it takes a couple weeks till the pain goes away, sometimes just a week. When it occurs, I have it wrapped all day every day, and at night, as if I was wearing a cast. Last week, I had both wrists wrapped, and the only issue I have playing is if I want to palm a string, but I still do it. The smaller wrist strap lets me do that though. I'm thinking about designing some cool gauntlets.

markkoelsch · #12 05-26-2009, 07:11 PM

First, stop playing until the pain resolves. In the time that you still have pain, you should ice your wrist several times a day for 20 minutes or so. You could also taken a mild antiinflammatory like advil. Do not start playing while still taking the Advil...it could mask the pain and cause you further damage.

Once you have no more pain stop taking the Advil. Then, start playing slowly. Maybe 20 minutes to start. Play slowly, accurately, and with better technique. This means puting your thumb on the neck, keeping your palm off the neck, and wearing your bass higher.

It also means that playing for 6-7 hours a day is a no go. Frankly, it is a great way to injure yourself. I know...I did. At one time I was obsessed with practice...5-8 hours a day. After a while I started to get pains in my left wrist, and my technique is pretty clean. I ignored it, and paid the price. It got so bad that I could not pick up a bass and play without pain for almost a year, and so I essentially did not play bass for almost a year. It took a couple of years after that (yes, 3 years after the initial stopping of playing) for my technique got close to what it was before the tendonitis. I am not, nor will I ever be, as fast as I was before the injury. That is ok.

You need to stop playing with your ego, and pay attention to your body. Muscles and connective tissue require time to rest and regenerate. Frankly, playing everyday is questionable in my mind unless you are playing laid back stuff. Everybody should take at least one day a week off from playing for the health of your hands, and frankly to recharge the batteries...input other than music is healthy, and can lead to improved music as well.

xzzy · #13 05-27-2009, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schismpunk

Good!

That looks pretty terrible to me, and I guarantee you if I did that for 10 minutes, I would be in agony. Granted, my wrists are in shoddy shape due to years of working IT, so I'm not a model figure, but I think if anyone did that for long enough they'd have problems.

My solution was to angle the neck away from my body, and tilt the neck a little more upwards. This may not be how all the cool kids on MTV hold their instrument, but it lets me keep my wrist straight and I can play for hours.

My thumb alternates between hooking over the top of the neck and resting against the back, depending which strings I'm trying to hit. Bad technique I know, but this is an extremely common "flaw" with musicians of all skill levels.

Gary Willis has a decent video explaining the importance of a straight wrist:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_oBJ...eature=related

He discusses the plucking hand, but it applies to the fretting one as well.