Lately I've been experiencing pretty severe back pain under my right shoulder blade when playing a gig on bass. I switched from my '51 Reissue to a much lighter bass but it hasn't helped. It's gotten so bad that I have started sitting down some, on certain songs, and I don't like doing that, and I really need to be able to stand up so I can sing. I don't have back pain any other time. Thoughts?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Back Pain when playing Bass Guitar!
- Thread starter 51PRI
- Start date
Same thing happened to me after a shoulder injury at work aggravated further playing drums on an album and then re-injured by colliding with a photographer dashing across a stage as I stepped up to the pedal board. Couple that with a bass that weighs a ton and I would be in severe pain soon after slinging on the bass. I did two things: I invested in a wide 3" padded strap which helped because I think the thinner strap was landing on the injured part of my shoulder and I started using weights in workouts focusing on that shoulder.
Get yourself checked out by a professional and see what's causing the pain. Folks here on TB will have experienced similar pain and can give useful suggestions, but their condition/injury might not be comparable to yours. If it's a serious issue (e.g. adhesive capsulitis) a wider strap or lighter bass won't solve the problem.
These might look a bit dorky if you're in your 20's but if you're 70 then I think folks wouldn't care too much:
Could you get a raised stool (like barstool?) so you can sit and still be higher up so you can reach the mic.
Or one of these might work too.
Could you get a raised stool (like barstool?) so you can sit and still be higher up so you can reach the mic.
Or one of these might work too.
It's not the side where the strap goes that hurts, it's on the opposite shoulder blade.
Severely damaged my spine when I was 8 years old, and I now play sitting down with a 4-inch strap to catch whatever weight is left. But as mentioned above - run don't walk to a professional. Physical therapy helped me a lot and made it possible for me to continue to play bass as my body gets older and the back pain effects me more and more.
If you have pain in your right shoulder blade you may have a torn rotator cuff, which requires surgery. I am not a medical professional, just a guy who had this and remembers how it felt. Really, see a doctor!
PS: adhesive capsulitis is also known as "frozen shoulder." I had both, it turned out. Not fun at all.
Try an anti-inflammatory diet. After changing my diet months ago, I have none of the daily aches and pains I used to. I also quit takin omeprazole for reflux. Yesterday I ate both raw onions and Mexican (hot) food in one day. A few months ago that would have set my belly on fire for days. My blood pressure is way down. (And I haven't been able to exercise much since gyms poopie down for C19.)
Get sugar completely out of your life. (Notice I said sugar and NOT CARBS.)
I'm not saying diet is the cure. What I'm saying is that you should try it before starting to take drugs or going under the knife.
Get sugar completely out of your life. (Notice I said sugar and NOT CARBS.)
I'm not saying diet is the cure. What I'm saying is that you should try it before starting to take drugs or going under the knife.
I mean, you wouldn't hang your laptop from your wrist, would you? But we all still hang guitars and basses over the connective tissue of our playing arm.
@EXCAV8 already said it. So +1. Slinger or other waist harness strap. It won't cost you that much to find out if it works. Best of luck to you. There's enough pain having to deal with 1-2-1-2-3-4 counts from drummers and all that racket they make at the end of every song, no need to add any back pain to the mix.
@EXCAV8 already said it. So +1. Slinger or other waist harness strap. It won't cost you that much to find out if it works. Best of luck to you. There's enough pain having to deal with 1-2-1-2-3-4 counts from drummers and all that racket they make at the end of every song, no need to add any back pain to the mix.
Honestly, step 1 isn’t a new strap or diet changes (although both of those suggestions are good and valid). Step 1 is seeing a physio/osteopath/chiropractor. There are a number of reasons why you could be getting pain in the area you describe, and if the pain is as severe as you say, then I’d urge you to get to a medical professional as soon as possible. I’ve had major surgery on my right shoulder (reconstruction and stabilisation to fix the legacy of a serious motorbike accident years ago). Shoulder pain can be serious pain... lots of nerves in that part of the body, and lots of reasons why stuff can go wrong. If you’ve not had an obvious shoulder trauma in the past, what you’re describing sounds like it could be muscular spasms as a result of working particular muscles too hard to correct an emerging instability (or maybe an imbalance in the way you’re holding the bass e.g. hunching your shoulders while playing?) or it could be something like a rotator cuff injury (easily done). But... I’m guessing. A medical professional should be able to point you in the right direction pretty quickly.
No, that particular pain only occurs when I'm holding a bass guitar. I do have some pain in the other shoulder, the shoulder where the strap goes, just in regular life, and it isn't bad, just regular old person aches and pains I suppose, but there isn't any pain in that shoulder when I'm playing the bass guitar.
I have a pain like that in my lower back. For me, it's arthritis. I had a scan and confirmed it. It hurts killer when I lay flat on my back, like today when I had a 45 minute MRI. Ouch!
If you haven't gone lately to see your Doc, I suggest getting complete labs that include vitamin levels.
Have you tried a lighter bass? Playing with a pick? Shifting your right arm position?
Can you get it to hurt when you hold a ten pound weight?
Hope you get better.
On and off over the last 45 years I have also had the pain under the left shoulder blade from, depending on the year, and the gig, sousaphone, guitar, bass, etc. What was said above: get qualified medical help in dealing with it. That's what I have done over the years, including the medical advise of lighter weight, back strengthening exercises, different straps, etc., at different times.
JeezyMcNuggles
Inactive
- Feb 23, 2018
- 14,723
- 20,970
- Disclosures
- I suck, but nobody really notices
Film yourself playing. It could simply be your posture.
