Avoiding hand cramps

[Fergie Fulton]

Warm ups and stretches, stay hydrated, warm down and stretches.

Cramps are involuntary muscle contraction/contraction's.
in playing they are normally the result of de-hydration caused by lack of fluids in a hot environment.
Muscle fatigue is caused by lack of energy, not enough fuel for the muscles.
Bananas, pasta, fruit sugars etc are good fuels as are energy bars, you want slow release foods for the long haul, and fast release sugar based ones for a quick hit.
Foods with potassium will help cramps, as will quinine tablets.

Cramp is a condition you manage yourself, so avoid alcohol, as it diuretic, so it will cause you to urinate more and stop the re-hydration of fluids.
So you go to the toilet more and the ratio is about 130% of fluid loss for every 100ml of alcohol drank...or there about.
Sport or energy drinks that help replace electrolytes, potassium and salts.
You can make up your own drinks, see a dietician if you want to make one to target your own body type.

In all good thread...good info.

 

[BassinCT]

There are some great responses here that are valuable reminders for all of us! many are interconnected. Technique/posture, hydration, warmup, potassium, medical advice, relaxation/slow breathing, little or no alcohol or caffeine before a gig. Besides helping us remain hydrated, potassium also takes the edge off of any anxiety and helps us maintain a steady heart rate.

 

[Ric5]

I'm hoping someone can help, I'm not sure how common a problem this is: I've had problems where during a gig my left hand has basically seized up with cramp. I wonder if either a shorter scale (somewhat small hands), or if a thicker neck especially beyond the 12th fret (I play a US standards Jazz) might help avoid this. Has anyone else us similar problems and if so found a good fix? Ta!

Cramps can be a result of a poor technique ... or tendonitis, or arthritis, or a combination of all of the above.

 

[Ric5]

These pills can help

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[jeffbassguy]

besides the hydratiin thing im gonna throw something out there that may seem far fetched but I have personal experience with. I had been experiencing hand cramping and tingling and eventually went to a naturopath and had bloodwork done for something completely different. When my results came back, it turned out my thyroid was not working which was sending ridiculous signals to my body one which was cramping and tingling. Root cause of all this was frigging gluten, crazy. Since my levels are normal now and my thyroid is back to functioning, i have had zero cramping and tingling.

 

[dtripoli]

I remember hearing that in his maturity Michael Jackson said that he was so comfortable on stage that he could just fall asleep there. This from one of the most disciplined and experienced musicians and performers of our time (whatever his shortcomings in other ways), whose gigs involved tens of thousands of people and millions of dollars.

Yep, hydration, warm up and practice.
As for Michael Jackson, just wow.
I almost forgot how talented he was and how well choreographed his shows were.
Perhaps at the time I just took it for granted and was a bit turned off by all weird antics surrounding him.
Nevertheless, the guy was an incredible artist. Also maybe he was so comfortable on stage because he'd been doing it since he began to walk.

 

[BaltBass5]

View attachment 1031197 Strap length, and position of the bass on the body can also fatigue the hand and cause cramping. This guy is going for "cool", and I doubt very much he actually plays.View attachment 1031198 While this gentleman is "cool", and actually plays! He wears his bass where he can play is correctly, not where people think it's cool looking.

This is a valid point but some people (such as myself) sling low because they have long monkey arms and it IS more comfortable down low.

 

[Ant Illington]

I don't know if I used to get cramps or simply sore muscles but when I came back after a 12 year layoff I never had any problems even though I practiced longer. I My case must have been either unconsciously using different technique, greater arm/hand strength or a shallower neck. Or a combo of all. Best of luck. Make sure your technique is decent above all else!

 

[eb0248]

I usually take a couple of potassium tablets before I leave the house to for a gig.
And I drink water throughout the gig.

Smart...I was going to say eat a banana, drink water throughout the gig.

 

[eb0248]

This is a valid point but some people (such as myself) sling low because they have long monkey arms and it IS more comfortable down low.

It used to drive me nuts how some people would play that low (Krist Novoselic), but then he is a tall drink of water...whatever works. (It's not my world, Monkey Boy!...John Lithgow in Buckaroo Bonzai. Great movie/line, made me think of it.)

 

[BaltBass5]

+25 on Coconut Water!

 

[Whippet]

La bella Black Nylon started giving me hand cramps once again.

Not sure if it's the string or the strings relationship to FBass AC6, because I don't get it when I play the Takamine B10.

But then again the Tak has a baseball bat thick neck while the FBass has a thin wide neck with a much higher string tension.

Also playing the same old chromatic scale at the same place (1st - 5th fret) doesn't help much either.

 

[Modder]

I agree with what Chris 'Wighat' Jordan said about fretting too hard. I've seen people fret so hard they are pushing the strings into the fretboard (on a fretted instrument.) That isn't good for the bass or you. Hopefully you aren't doing that but if you are, you know what to work on.

Hm: think I might be actually

 

[okcrum]

Weigh yourself before and after the gig. I was surprised to find I was 3-4 lb. lighter after 4 sets, every time. Guess where that weight went? Water in the winter and sports drinks in the summer for me.

 

[okcrum]

Warm ups and stretches, stay hydrated, warm down and stretches.

Cramps are involuntary muscle contraction/contraction's.
in playing they are normally the result of de-hydration caused by lack of fluids in a hot environment.
Muscle fatigue is caused by lack of energy, not enough fuel for the muscles.
Bananas, pasta, fruit sugars etc are good fuels as are energy bars, you want slow release foods for the long haul, and fast release sugar based ones for a quick hit.
Foods with potassium will help cramps, as will quinine tablets.

Cramp is a condition you manage yourself, so avoid alcohol, as it diuretic, so it will cause you to urinate more and stop the re-hydration of fluids.
So you go to the toilet more and the ratio is about 130% of fluid loss for every 100ml of alcohol drank...or there about.
Sport or energy drinks that help replace electrolytes, potassium and salts.
You can make up your own drinks, see a dietician if you want to make one to target your own body type.

In all good thread...good info.

Believe what this man says. Luckily, I don't cramp if I don't warm up.

Unluckily, I sound like crap if I don't warm up, until I do.

 

[Modder]

Believe what this man says. Luckily, I don't cramp if I don't warm up.

Unluckily, I sound like crap if I don't warm up, until I do.

LoL! By the way, what kind of thing do you do to warm up?

 

[okcrum]

First, I usually stretch the fascia in my palms by trying my best to make my thumb and pinky point 180 degrees apart. Pressing them against a straight table edge or something is useful also. I also roll my wrists to get them streched out a little.

Then I'll play a variety of patterns in position to get my mind limbered up a bit - and so I don't fall into habits with fills. Then I'll just play some stuff that makes me get up on my game, maybe something I'm working on, Jaco, Tony Grey, ToP, Snarky Puppy, Tal/Rhonda (actually about any of Jeff Beck's bassists), or some of the fancier MJ parts. Of course, on a country or americana gig I do this last bit with Mute on.

 

[Modder]

First, I usually stretch the fascia in my palms by trying my best to make my thumb and pinky point 180 degrees apart. Pressing them against a straight table edge or something is useful also. I also roll my wrists to get them streched out a little.

Then I'll play a variety of patterns in position to get my mind limbered up a bit - and so I don't fall into habits with fills. Then I'll just play some stuff that makes me get up on my game, maybe something I'm working on, Jaco, Tony Grey, ToP, Snarky Puppy, Tal/Rhonda (actually about any of Jeff Beck's bassists), or some of the fancier MJ parts. Of course, on a country or americana gig I do this last bit with Mute on.

Brilliant! I suspect my level of playing is not up to yours to be honest (Foxton or Mannie are about as advanced as I get) so I'll do some pentatonics or a couple of riffs from the set. Like the idea of the stretches and wrist rolls

 

[Fergie Fulton]

Here is my daily warm up explained, and also video on basic stretches.
Make your own blend of both warm up time and stretches to suit your time and use.

 

[primusfan1989]

Hydration and Bananas (potasium helps with cramps)