Wrist ''problem''

wesker · #1 07-13-2006, 09:56 AM

The past year i have been practising hard enough to reach a better
level.One day i had a very serious pain in my left hand(fretting).Went to different doctors took some x-rays and the problem was that the tenton on my left hand seemed to overjump the cyclic bone located on the left of the wrist.Doctor said that there should be no problem.The most annoying thing is the silly sound that the tenton makes it's like cracking.Does anyone share the same problem or does anyone know what i must be careful of?

Cheers 2 you all

tZer · #2 07-13-2006, 11:53 AM

I have a similar issue - although I do not think I have a tendon jumping around. Every so often, on the outter side of my left wrist (pinky side) I get a really sharp pain. Feels like if I move it too suddenly something will crack... I went to the doc and got x-ray'd and they found nothing.

I work with computers all day and USED to do a lot of FPS video online gaming (Battlefield 1942, Vietnam) - so my left wrist really got abused on top of my bass playing.

I went and got a really good brace - reinforced with a metal shim. Whenever I start to feel my wrist 'going that way' I wear the brace all day and night. If anything, it reminds me to be conscious of my wrist and to not hyper-extend or abuse it. After a day or two of brace wearing, my issue goes away.

Sundogue · #3 07-13-2006, 12:03 PM

I had some wrist pain too, and what I found contributed to it was the way I held my bass. I had a longer scale bass at the time that forced me to reach out so far to play the low notes that my wrist bent awkwardly and cause the pain after playing for a while.

Now I have a shorter (standard) scale bass, and I wear it up high enough that my fretting hand wrist is not bent too much when playing.

Try adjusting how you wear your bass and see if it makes a difference.

wesker · #4 07-14-2006, 09:13 PM

Thank you guys.tZer i also wear a brace during nights when i am in pain..Sundogue thank you for the advice i should check out the bass positioning...

Cheers

**ccbass71** · #5 07-14-2006, 09:48 PM

Believe it or not, a chiropractor can help. My wife is a chiro and will take care of my wrists when I have pain. I know some people think they are quacks, but it never hurts to look into it.

Correlli · #6 07-14-2006, 10:01 PM

Anti-inflammatories are really good. I also do lots of yoga stretching from the shounders down to the fingers.

tZer · #7 07-14-2006, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwi Kid

Anti-inflammatories are really good. I also do lots of yoga stretching from the shounders down to the fingers.

Yes - Ibuprophen is your friend and I too have been comtemplating yoga. When I mentioned my aches and pains to my friend she immediately suggested yoga - demonstrated some 'routines' (not sure what you call that kata-like thing you do in yoga) - and I see how it could easily make me less susceptible to aches and pains.

Ok... now I actually need to DO it... hmmm....

IanStephenson · #8 07-15-2006, 05:08 AM

WARM UP
Stop when it hurts
Look for non-bass agrivating stuff
fix your technique (straight wrists!)
read randall kertz's book

I basically made two or three tiny changes to my routine based on the above, and the painwent away. Still feels stiff or "out" occasionally, but no more problems

Ian

IanStephenson · #9 07-15-2006, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccbass71

Believe it or not, a chiropractor can help. My wife is a chiro and will take care of my wrists when I have pain. I know some people think they are quacks, but it never hurts to look into it.

I'm very scepical about the whole alternative medicine thing - most of them ARE quacks, and talk about stuff that makes no rational sense at all.

Chiro on the other hand doesn't require you to believe in any mystical energy, or imbalances in your waters... It just says that your bones/muscles and tendons are out of wack (he we KNOW thats true - I don't need a mystic to tell me me wrist pain is something to do with bones, muscles and tendons!), and a bit of poking can get them back in the right place! Not exactly an off the wall idea...

It's not going to cure all ailments, but chiro is definatly something I'd consider for this sort of thing.

Ian

**Vorago** · #10 07-15-2006, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwi Kid

I also do lots of yoga stretching from the shounders down to the fingers.

Can you give us some routines?

morf · #11 07-15-2006, 07:17 AM

Here is advice I got from dlloyd on my technique:

The "correct" playing position is with the body of the bass in the position it would be in if you were sitting with it on your right leg. So you should adjust your strap to suit this.

The headstock of the bass should be raised to about the level of your left shoulder. So there should be somewhat of an upward angle to the neck of the bass. You should find that, with your thumb at the back of the neck in the centre in the position I described, your wrist will naturally be straight.

The left shoulder and arm should be relaxed and the thumb should only be used as a guide/rest for the hand, with no pressure exerted on it. One way to achieve this is to practice playing with the thumb hovering over its usual position (and avoiding touching the neck with any part of your hand that doesn't usually touch it )

It's possible to get the neck into the correct position for fretting in lower positions by wearing the bass higher with the neck horizontal, but you're then in trouble with your right hand.

You see a lot of rock musicians wearing the bass a lot lower than this. I agree, it suits the rock image better. What you'll tend to notice is that a lot of them will have their hand around the neck so that their thumb is around the top of the neck, leading to a straight wrist.

You do see a lot of bassists with bad technique. It's a natural by-product of the self-taught school of thought. What's worse than this is that a lot of guitarists and bassists who are self-taught (or badly taught) go on to become teachers in their own right and it never occurs to them that they are passing on bad habits that may be damaging.

The damage you experience with tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome is a cumulative effect. You may go for years thinking your playing is comfortable and everything is fine, until one day you realise that a couple of your fingers are numb and lack any strength or that fretting gives you searing pain in your wrist or hand.

I went for years using bad technique myself and wished I'd been taught correctly in the first place. It's much harder to unlearn bad technique than it is to learn it properly the first time around.

Definately try that out, works like a charm.

wesker · #12 07-17-2006, 12:47 AM

ok you have been a great support.
I can say i already wear the bass high enough i should improve the position using your instructions morf.
Also +1 with vorago if kiwi can tell us some yoga routines.
I went to a doctor a month ago who is kind of orthopedic for hands only he was really good stayed there for 1 hour.He told me there should be no problem to continue playing.Maybe i should pay him a visit one more time.

Cheers

Correlli · #13 07-19-2006, 12:58 AM

I'll get the pic's up in the weekend.

morf · #14 07-19-2006, 05:14 AM

Actually these are dlloyd's instructions, dont give me any credit for them as I argued against them for quite some time before he explained them to me this way and I figured out it was indeed the correct way

He should get all the credit on this one.

McHaven · #15 07-19-2006, 12:27 PM

I had a ton of wrist pain switching my main bass. I played a soundgear as my main for over a year and recently switched to a thunderbird, which has a much chunkier neck. My hands were in pain whenever i tried to make a fist. I could only get about halfway before it hurt too much. Went away after a couple of nights. It was very relieving. This doesn't have much to do with the thread but oh well.