Too much practicing - Hand hurts :(

NickInMesa · #1 09-16-2009, 10:10 AM

Fretting hand: carpal tunnel hurts, pinkie hurts

Besides not playing for a couple days (if it is humanly possible), what else do you recommend?

Thanks!!!

THand · #2 09-16-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

Fretting hand: carpal tunnel hurts, pinkie hurts

Besides not playing for a couple days (if it is humanly possible), what else do you recommend?

Thanks!!!

Seeing a Dr. before you do permanent damage to the nerves.

Some things I have done are:

Trying a different technique since its a repetitive motion injury.

Swapping back and forth between basses with different size necks for the same reason.

wear one of those carpel tunnel supports when you play

My problem tends to be more in my plucking hand, so I will also cut back on the PC (except on the job), and use a pick (recommend a thick one, say 1.14 or more...the one I use are around 1.32 IIRC)

And really, see a doctor.

That's a much better source for advice for the health of your hand than TB, as great as this place is for advice.

TimXSweeney · #3 09-16-2009, 10:33 AM

Dont be a damn fool! it is either rest for a few days or end up never being able to play again! a wrist brace might help also. my girlfriend (guitar player) had here wrist flare up a week ago. 3 days in a brace and she was golden

MysticMichael · #4 09-16-2009, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

Besides not playing for a couple days (if it is humanly possible), what else do you recommend?

1) See a doctor
2) Make sure your playing technique is excellent (consult a pro if necessary)

FYI, I've been playing for many years - at times woodsheddng hours per day. Never once had any hand or wrist problems. Good technique is the key to avoiding injury. Check out your technique...

MM

fearceol · #5 09-17-2009, 03:24 AM

You have obviously not being heeding the advice given on the recent (see link) thread you started. Even on the first few replies, it was advised that you were over doing it.

Finger exercisers: anyone got results?

caeman · #6 09-17-2009, 08:33 AM

Is it possible you are trying too hard? I've been watching a lot of Victor Wooten youtube videos this week and the man appears to barely touch his strings. He is very loose, and he even mentions as much in one of the vids.

two fingers · #7 09-17-2009, 08:42 AM

Oldest joke in the book:
Guy says to his Dr. "Hey Doc, it hurts when I do this"
Doc says "Then don't do this"

Rest for a few days. Take an HONEST look at the way you are holding your hands when you play. Even if it doesn't look as cool, CHANGE the way you play. You could raise the strap, lighten up a bit, in stead of sitting at the bass for hours, try short practices spread out over a whole day. But 1st off, see a doctor during your rest days.

bassike · #8 09-17-2009, 08:54 AM

Excuse my ignorance but what is a carpel tunnel support
Is it something you buy at the pharmacy?

I had once a weird feeling on my palm very close to my index finger; right under the Knuckle.
It was like a pinch with a needle.

Very weird.

MonetBass · #9 09-17-2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caeman

Is it possible you are trying too hard? I've been watching a lot of Victor Wooten youtube videos this week and the man appears to barely touch his strings. He is very loose, and he even mentions as much in one of the vids.

This. Relax your hand(s). You really don't need to press down that hard, especially on an EB.

NickInMesa · #10 09-17-2009, 09:18 AM

I also slept on my hand 2 nights ago and my hand fell asleep. It's been hurting since. I think I am going to just get a support at the pharmacy and not play for a couple days.

THand · #11 09-17-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassike

...
Is it something you buy at the pharmacy?

Yes. Most Pharmacy's carry them.

CatfishStudios · #12 09-17-2009, 10:14 AM

I practice for around 5 hours a day recently with no pain... I have rheumatoid arthritis AND carpal tunnel. Most other activities inflame my wrists, but I changed my fretting technique a few years ago, with the help of a pro. I also set my action lower, and began playing at higher volume with a lighter touch. It did the trick. I can play for hours now with no discomfort. I used to work way to hard to get a note out of my bass. I also play banjo, and talk about hand cramps, curse you Scruggs!

Bassorama57 · #13 09-17-2009, 10:15 AM

Seriously. And the only reason I'm posting to this is if you're not careful you'll get to the point where you can't play at all. Ever. Again. That would suck. A lot.

1. See a doc.
2. Get a professional teacher. If nothing else, that's someone you pay to watch your technique. Well worth my money to pay someone to correct my form on a weekly basis.
3. Go to the drugstore and buy a carpal tunnel brace - there's a few that are marketed "for wear during sleep." Put in on every night when you're sleeping - it'll keep your wrist straight - you might be one of those guys that balls their fist up at night. Bad. Wear the brace.
4. Find the Gary Willis videos on You-Tube where he demonstrates proper form. http://www.garywillis.com/main.html

And take this advice - use your amp and lighten your touch:

Quote:

Originally Posted by CatfishStudios

I also set my action lower, and began playing at higher volume with a lighter touch. It did the trick. I can play for hours now with no discomfort.

NickInMesa · #14 09-18-2009, 02:45 PM

Well I am giving myself a 3-day rest, no bass playing, and I am wearing a brace, plus taking some aspirin to help the inflammation.

Note it was not excruciatingly painful, I felt the pain start and I decided to stop right away and give the hand and wrist a rest.

As for the pinkie, it's the tendon. There too, a bit of rest is a good thing. I tend to play with all 4 fingers and not move my hand up and down, which means the pinkie sees a lot of action, so a bit of rest should help.

Doctor? Sure, if the pain does not recede and even gets worse.

By the way, it's the fretting hand that hurts, not the plunking hand.

caeman · #15 09-18-2009, 02:48 PM

I am a bad man...I don't use my pinkies when playing. But then again, I don't plan on going for any speed records.

jaywa · #16 09-18-2009, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

Good technique is the key to avoiding injury. Check out your technique...

MM

Translation = You are probably working much harder than you need to to get sound out of your instrument.

For your fretting hand, figure out the least amount of pressure you need to ground the strings and don't use any more pressure than that. If your bass is properly set up with low action, you do not need a death-grip on the neck to ground the strings.

For your plucking hand, again, the light touch is the key. It's not like an upright where you have to "pull" the sound out of the instrument. That's why you have an amp. Lightening up your plucking touch will make your hand much happier and produce better tone besides. If you hear "clacking" while you're plucking the bass unplugged, you are plucking too hard. I see this in younger players all the time... I have been playing for 28 years and I'm certain I don't hit the strings with even half the force now that I did starting out. If you watch my right hand when I'm playing you can hardly tell I'm moving my fingers at all. That's what I'm talking about.

Take a few days off (which would be a great time to have your bass set-up and the action lowered if necessary), come back and give it another try with these tips in mind. Additionally, as you learn how to play with a lighter touch you may be able to go to lighter guage strings as well, which are also hand-healthy (although some people including myself aren't in love with the sound of lighter strings).

Hand injuries suck and can last a long time if you push too hard... and if you let it get to the point where surgery is required, your bass playing career could very well be over and I am not joking. So if you think you're being paranoid or overly cautious, don't. Good luck and keep us posted.

NickInMesa · #17 09-18-2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywa

Translation = You are probably working much harder than you need to to get sound out of your instrument.

For your fretting hand, figure out the least amount of pressure you need to ground the strings and don't use any more pressure than that. If your bass is properly set up with low action, you do not need a death-grip on the neck to ground the strings

For your plucking hand, again, the light touch is the key. It's not like an upright where you have to "pull" the sound out of the instrument. That's why you have an amp. Lightening up your plucking touch will make your hand much happier and produce better tone besides. If you hear "clacking" while you're plucking the bass unplugged, you are plucking too hard.

Take a few days off (which would be a great time to have your bass set-up and the action lowered if necessary), come back and give it another try with these tips in mind.

Hand injuries suck and can last a long time if you push too hard... so if you think you're being paranoid or overly cautious, don't. Good luck and keep us posted.

My action is set super low on one and rather low on the other. I think it has to do with my position when playing sitting at my desk (with the computer into my Pandora) and I had my hand at an odd angle.

I also had a few 3-hour sitting sessions and that was too much. Rest is needed.

bassermaniac · #18 09-18-2009, 03:07 PM

detune your bass...it might be a problem but it works...

jaywa · #19 09-18-2009, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

I also had a few 3-hour sitting sessions and that was too much. Rest is needed.

Excellent observation. A couple of years ago I played a pit orchestra gig where I was playing my bass in a sitting position for about 3 hours a night for, like, 10 nights out of 14 between rehearsals and performances. By the end of that gig I had developed a good sized cyst in the wrist of my fretting hand. Thankfully, it went away over time but it had me concerned for a little while. I think it totally had to do with the radically different playing position I was in compared to my usual standing gigs.

NickInMesa · #20 09-18-2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywa

Excellent observation. A couple of years ago I played a pit orchestra gig where I was playing my bass in a sitting position for about 3 hours a night for, like, 10 nights out of 14 between rehearsals and performances. By the end of that gig I had developed a good sized cyst in the wrist of my fretting hand. Thankfully, it went away over time but it had me concerned for a little while. I think it totally had to do with the radically different playing position I was in compared to my usual standing gigs.

I will do what I used to do when I played Rugby (prop position, pretty hardcore): strap up to avoid soft tissue injury (soft tissue = tendons, muscles and sometimes cartilage in some context).

Sport tape around the base of the wrist should help.

As for the pinkie, maybe a sport massage

When I play standing, no issue. No issue with the right hand, by the way, I can lay it fat, fast and heavy.