Take good care of your hands!

[seanm]

Originally Posted by tinnitus_98

The skin on your hand is thin and delicate; therefore take special care of them.

I have to disagree with this. If you follow all those skin care tips your hands are delicate because you pamper them Nothing wrong with that.

When I worked construction as a labourer I gave up on gloves because they wore out too fast

I do wear gloves quite often now because my hands have gotten old and soft

[Wookiee]

I picked up the bass to try to rehab my hands. I am retired AF spec ops and after 20 years my hands have taken a beating. I have Psoriatic Arthritis bad in my hands, especially the left. I catch myself asleep with my hands curled up so tight at the wrist that it wakes me up from pain. I am trying to find something to do to try an limber them up, and I always wanted to learn an instrument. This is the one I chose. I hope I can make this work!

[Blisterfinger]

I recently took up the doublebass and I've been having some pain in both forearms, tingling in the ring and pinky fingers on both hands and surprisingly, this happens mostly on days when I don't practice a lot. I'm booking an appointment with the doc soon enough but I speculate that it's some form of RSI. Can anyone reassure me that it isn't? If not, wish me luck.

[rarisgod]

Just my 2 cents, haven't read the rest of the thread, but I had some major problems with my arms when I was practicing a lot for a show a few years ago. I found switching to the floating thumb technique helped a lot. I have a very light playing style though, so YMMV.

[Tupac]

Your wrist is what really needs protection!

[Sjobi 1]

Glad to see this pop up. I messed up my hands when I was 19. I spent a summer working on the kill floor of a pork plant. I got trigger fingers in 2 fingers of each hand and incredible pain in the forarms/wrists/hands with repetitive stress injuries. I'm a painter first and foremost and in recent years started playing bass and guitar to have another creative outlet. I just turned 37. I guess I might have a longer view than some, as I've been dealing with this on and off for 18 years now as of this summer.

I've had problems come and go since 1994. I find that it gets worse the more I'm on the computer, clicking away. So I switch the mouse to the other hand. Of course the smart thing to do is to just get off the stupid computer all together. Oddly enough, painting makes everything feel good again. That was my biggest worry, I worked at the pork plant to make some decent money the summer after my freshman year of college, I was an art student. At the time, when the injuries were fresh and most painful, I thought I had destroyed my hands and that was it for me. Not the case. I don't know what it is about painting, but it must be quite a thorough exorcise of the hand and wrist. If my hand had been straining at all, the movement of painting makes all well again. I realize that taking up a new hobby probably isn't for everyone, but this has been my experience.

My day job is very physically demanding. I'm an art handler. So, I'm constantly dealing with straining my body, moving crates the size of a minivan, hanging giant paintings and placing large and awkward sculpture. It takes a toll. A few days ago I was visiting the in-laws. The wife and father in law insisted that I join them for a yoga class, I had never done it before. I've never had the desire to do yoga, but since there was nothing else to do that morning, I tagged along. I must say that I was surprised at how great my entire body felt after the class. It was the perfect day to try it too, as I woke up totally stiff, having spent the whole day before moving the family's 3 kayaks and 1 row boat with the wife and 65 yr old father in law from a garage, down about 50 yards to the dock, and then going for a 2 hour kayak ride, my first ever. The next morning was rough. By the end of the class I felt great, more relaxed and flexible than I've felt in years. I want to see if there are any specific stretches I can do for my hand/wrist/fingers. I'm curious if anybody knows of any? I know the regular finger stretching exorcises have done little help for me when things get messed up feeling.

[Lambic]

Originally Posted by Sjobi 1

(...) I want to see if there are any specific stretches I can do for my hand/wrist/fingers. I'm curious if anybody knows of any? I know the regular finger stretching exorcises have done little help for me when things get messed up feeling.

If these exercises

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

aren't included in your "regulars", then you definitely should add them to the list!

[Calaverasgrande]

I have been down this path. I no longer have this problem.
Some advice from a guy in his mid 40's that licked this problem in his 20s.
Stay hydrated.
Coffee and alcohol dehydrate you.
Splints, pills and doctors do not fix RSI or tendonitis.
Accupuncture & accupressure do.
I spent several months seeing my HMO's doctor about RSI. it got worse and the pills they gave me made my stomach queasy.
$180 of accupuncture (6 visits at $30) fixed it.
Finally, listen to your body. of your wrist hurts, dont play bass that way!

[seanm]

Originally Posted by Calaverasgrande

Coffee and alcohol dehydrate you.

Actually, they have show that coffee only dehydrates you if you are not used to drinking it. Regular coffee drinkers can process coffee.

[punkjazzben]

Just having a quick glance through the thread me thinking about my own health. I have back and feet problems that make long gigs, heavy basses, bad straps, and double bass quite painful at times.

But I had tendinitis in my left wrist from rowing while I was a teenager. It settled down and I haven't had problems since I stopped rowing when I was 19 (now 25). Is it likely to come back? Or, if it was going to come back as a result of bad technique or something, would have it already done so?

[NorCal Dog]

this has helped me TREMENDOUSLY with pain from tendonitis ( also works on ankles, knees, elbows, shoulders, necks, ect ) ( any kind of pain, except puncture wounds, burns, ect )

Hexane Free Castor Oil packs





i cut the fingers out of a pair of white cotton gloves, saturate with castor oil in a zip lock baggie & keep in the fridge, you can use it over & over

i also turn a latex glove ( or plastic glove of your choice ) inside out ( to get rid of the talc ) & snip the tips out also ( as you wouldn't want to completely soften up those calluses )

put on the saturated glove, then put on the latex glove for protection, as castor oil will stain clothing, bed sheets ect



if you're just having problems with your hands, you can stop with the gloves, if you have problems with your wrists, forearms, elbow continue on

take a piece of white cotton flannel & saturate with castor oil in a ziplock

position it on your forearm



wrap with plastic wrap



then i cover with an ace bandage to keep it all together



sometimes i'll use a heating pad on it for 20min, sometimes not

i usually will sleep with it on & in the morning the pain is gone, ymmv ( it may take a few nights of treatment )

try it.. what have you got to lose? ( i mean besides Dr visits, prescriptions, surgeries, pain )

>>> MUST READ >>> http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/castor_oil.html

[HolmeBass]

Castor oil treatment, especially with heat, looks worth trying.

I beat tendonitis (although it always seems like two or three bad gigs/days away from flaring back up) with ice and regular manipulation by an osteopathic doctor.

I can't say enough about osteopaths- they work right where traditional medicine and alternative medicine meet. They know about yoga, accupressure, spinal adjustments, breathing, etc. and can prescribe nsaids, hydrocortisone, or other medicines.

[NorCal Dog]

Originally Posted by HolmeBass

Castor oil treatment, especially with heat, looks worth trying.

it's been a miracle remedy for many ailments for a couple of thousand years & it truly is a miracle remedy for tendonitis imo

i mean ya, i'll take a couple of ibuprofen before a long gig, but if i'm having a flare up after the gig, i'll wrap it that night, & zero pain in the morning, again ymmv ( could probably wrap it the night before a gig & get ahead of the game as well )

this is a must read about castor oil http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/castor_oil.html

get well guys

EDIT; Castor Oil also breaks up & eliminates Scar Tissue ,,, <<< i'm living proof ( that's why i started using these packs to begin with )

[TolerancEJ]

I wish there was a cure for clumsiness.

Just after New Year, I was trying to repair something at home. I closed the *censored* ladder on my right thumb. That hurt!! Over the course of the last few weeks, a big bruise developed under the nail. Eventually, that nail began to fall apart. I was able to clean some of the dried blood and found a new, paper-thin finger nail growing under it. It's been a few weeks since and the new fingernail is still fairly thin, so I still can't thump without feeling pain. I've pretty much been sticking to my Ashbory and Kala SUB Solidbody in the meantime. I can still play my other basses, but only plucking.

[5 Wire]

I beat Carpal Tunnel without surgery. My doctor misdiagnosed it as wrist tendonitis and treated me accordingly. At the worst point my hands and forearms would swell up at night and the pain was intense. Needless to say I couldn't play at all. My chiropractor was a holistic dude and he sent me for accupuncture and put me on vitamin B6. By the end of the first week the swelling was gone and I could play again. Now it is gone altogether - unless I forget to take my B6.

[Eliz]

I had ever hurt my arms by accident and my doctor ordered me not to play baseball within twelve months. Can you imagine my pain? Still, my love to baseball can't bear the loneliness. I played it one week later, with my head, my left hand, almost my whole body. And now, I play guitar. And I am sure I will keep playing even when getting hurt. Just be careful. Keep your fingers moved. It will be healed well.

[LittleLadyBass]

I'm 17 and I've only been playing bass for a little over 3 years. About 2 or 3 months ago at a gig I experience very sudden shooting pains in my right wrist and the pain has been back and forth ever since.. I have stiffness in both my wrists and I get numbness and very uncomfortable muscle spasms in my forearms. I'm not sure if i have tendinitis because I don't visit the doctor. But the pains persist even when i take a break from playing for a few days. Its now at the point where its hard to use my hands and i play alot. During the time when I first felt the pain I just got used to playing a 5 hour gig i had and i was playing 8 hour days almost every weekend. So now i play about 4 hours a day and i can only go about 2 songs before pain sets in and now i have issues with both my arms, my back and my neck... I can't afford to stop playing for long periods of time.. What should I do experienced bass players?!?!?!

[Calaverasgrande]

Originally Posted by LittleLadyBass

I'm 17 and I've only been playing bass for a little over 3 years. About 2 or 3 months ago at a gig I experience very sudden shooting pains in my right wrist and the pain has been back and forth ever since.. I have stiffness in both my wrists and I get numbness and very uncomfortable muscle spasms in my forearms. I'm not sure if i have tendinitis because I don't visit the doctor. But the pains persist even when i take a break from playing for a few days. Its now at the point where its hard to use my hands and i play alot. During the time when I first felt the pain I just got used to playing a 5 hour gig i had and i was playing 8 hour days almost every weekend. So now i play about 4 hours a day and i can only go about 2 songs before pain sets in and now i have issues with both my arms, my back and my neck... I can't afford to stop playing for long periods of time.. What should I do experienced bass players?!?!?!

adjust your playign angle so that neither wrist is making a sharp angle. I got myself into serious trouble playing bass slung really low because that was what was "cool".
Wearing your bass very high can be great for the left hand, but cramps the right arm terribly.

In my case I got relief by visiting an acupuncturist.
Much cheaper than a doctor visit. No drugs or surgery involved. And no, the needles do not hurt. It kind of feels good.