Back Pain when playing Bass Guitar!

[bass12]

As already suggested: see a physiotherapist. Depending on where you live there may even be someone who specializes in musicians’ needs.

 

[Ric5]

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?

you might look into physical therapy, or a chiropractor, or arnica, and boswellia.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

You should get it checked by a doctor.

 

[zubrycky]

As someone with an old man's back, I suggest this: Try a Danelectro.

 

[Eric Swaim]

I have back issues as well, and I see a Chiropractor 1 to 2 times a month and a massage therapist 1 time a month. Been dealing with this for 10 years. Be careful on choosing a Chiropractor, some are snake oil salesman, but there are really good ones out there if you do your research.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

It's not the side where the strap goes that hurts, it's on the opposite shoulder blade.

Chiropractor

 

[arbiterusa]

It’s from playing heavy Warwicks

 

[RattleSnack]

Get sugar completely out of your life. (Notice I said sugar and NOT CARBS)

Agree with everything you said, but special plus for this. Industrial sugar is very bad for health and it's used in food production in huge quantities.
OP, first say goodbye to sweetened drinks. Water or home-made sugar-free lemonade are much better.
Than, say goodbye to all cookie/chocolate products that are high in sugar. You can find diabetic sugar-free chocolates that are much better quality and taste. Me and my family eat two a day!
You fill have more stamina and lug less weight around.
Oh, and get that injury checked by a doc or a chiro. I have a chiro friend and visit him any time I have a repeating pain or pain that lasts longer than a day or two.

 

[Basically Bob]

I dealt with a severe back issue for about two years. After many appointments with professionals that included my GP, Chiropractor, Physiotherapist, “Advanced” Physiotherapist and a whack job that tried to pull me apart, an Osteopath finally nailed it.

She determined that the problem was caused by playing my bass with poor posture. I took her advice, changed the way I play and after 6 months the problem was resolved.

 

[pcake]

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.

torn rotator cuffs don't always require surgery - mine didn't. but they do at least require serious recovery time.

i had frozen shoulder during the period right after i tore my rotator cuff but in the other shoulder. definitely not fun.

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.

besides all the other possbilities that have been brought up, it could be that the position you hold your right arm is causing the pain or even causing tendonitis.

the problem is that there are many things this could be. without a doctor and an MRI, your only option is to experiment, each experiment should take place when there's no pain at all and only one thing should be tried in a session. for example, does it hurt if you play sitting down? does it hurt if you lengthen or shorten your strap? raise or lower the neck to affect the angle of the body?

playing through pain sucks and can make things worse.

good luck getting this sorted out.

 

[lfmn16]

I don't ask my doctor how to play bass, I don't ask bass players to be a doctor. But that's just me.

 

[Benj-jammin]

I've been in the Physical Therapy dept. at a major hospital for 30+ years - yeah, some good suggestions by the members here with diet and exercise, but you really do need to see a physician, like Bunk M said, maybe get an MRI or scan, just to see there's tissue or muscle damage. It could also be strained ligaments, which may take some time to heal. For me, pre-playing warm up exercises help, plus I swim a lot when I can and get a monthly massage, which really helps, especially at my age. I'm 63, yeah, part of it's Father Time, but lighter basses ( I used to have a couple of those heavy-ass Kramers), and a 20 year old Tobias wide leather strap with a slight spring action to it, have really helped. Hope you get better, brother!

 

[ricardol]

The solution may be to eliminate the strain on the spine by transferring the weight of the guitar to the waist:

 

[Logic_11]

As the person above me said, find a way to take some weight off the shoulders

Or get a lighter bass. One of those travel basses with either a wide strap or dual strap. Although, a travel bass might be light enough to use with a regular strap.

Good luck! Would love to hear what you decide to do

 

[Logic_11]

One of these, or a hollow

 

[51PRI]

I got three of my basses out tonight to compare them. The bass that I have been using, a 1966 Hagstrom is almost like a short scale compared to the Precision's. My next gig is over a month away. I think I'll use the '51 reissue, which used to be my gigging bass, and see if the back pain is still there.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

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.

I would agree with this, different people, different issues, different solutions.

I had a weakness in my left shoulder. Weight of the bass? Bad strap? Sure could have been those things for some folks. In my case it turned out to be 3 degraded vertebra in my cervical spine, MRI showed clearly the bones were pushing on the spine. Surgery and recovery were not great but not doing anything would have been much worse.

 

[lionindustries]

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this really helped me. Check it out.

 

[Kevorargh]

See a doctor/Chiropractor as others have said. I have back pain from a number of injuries when I was younger, and it has been helped by three things - seeing a medical professional who could work on that area (chiropractor, d.o, who is my PCP), stretching, and working out with a trainer. The exercise and weight training I have been doing has been helpful for my back and my knees (I can now hike down a mountain without taking ibuprofen or wearing knee supports, and I don't need to see my chiropractor nearly as often, and I don't pull my neck and shoulder muscles as often as I used to). Again, make sure that's approved by a doctor.

I do wear a cross style strap - the cheap Planet Waves one that goes over both shoulders. It does help, but the exercise and medical advice work better. Two Fingers suggestion of changing your diet is also a good idea, although it may not directly help your shoulder, it will certainly make you healthier and help your endurance and stamina.

Good Luck!

 

[TNCreature]

I recently lowered the straps on my basses. I realized they were too high, causing me to cramp up on my right side.
That was my experience. So retraining your posture may help, or you just may be at the point of needing a lighter bass, and yes, a dr or physical therapist.
Good luck!