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Right Hand Fatigue

sigmafloyd

sigmafloyd

May 1, 2011
1,994
675
#1
Hey guys/gals,

I am a computer programmer by day and play in a covers band on the side. Lately I have been having a pretty bad time with my right hand. Often times my ring and little finger are kind of numb and my index and middle finger feel a little clumsier than usual. It comes and goes, some days are fine, some days I can hardly play. I play 99% fingerstyle now and have for 15 years. It's to the point where I'm thinking of maybe trying to get better with a pick. I play a P bass as my main bass but have been thinking about maybe getting a mustang because the reach wouldn't be as big.

Anyway, not really asking for any specific answers, I know there is a lot to read about RSI on here. Mainly just looking for moral support/suggestions from anyone with similar issues. It sucks to not feel confident in your ability to play. Not to toot my own horn, but I can play pretty darn fast with my fingers on a good day and I feel like a beginner again :(
 
#2
Sounds like you have the symptoms of carpel tunnel syndrome. I have the same issue and I started to do CTS exercises and bought a pair of wrist braces. You can still be an awesome player with the syndrome, you just have to take the steps to help prevent further damage to your wrists. Hope all goes well!
 
#3
Are you an employee? If so, this could be a workman's comp claim, meaning the medical billing claims process goes down a different road. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (common in office workers) requires a prescribed set of physical therapy procedures. Please consult with your HR person before you do anything else.
 
#4
A buddy of mine has carpal tunnel from spending too much time playing video games and he tells me it's excruciating. How high do you wear your bass? If you wear it really high your wrist might be on a sharp angle which will increase strain. I'd suggest you lower your strap but I'm a high rider myself and know how hard it'd be to do if that's what's causing it! Try elevating your arm when you play to keep your arm in a straight line (like so). I hope this helps!
 

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#5
Nowhere in your post do you say you have sought or received medical advice. IMO this should be your first port of call.

Having said that, there are one or two things you could try in order to see if they help. As Progfan44 suggests, you could try lowering (if you play with the bass strapped high) the playing position of your bass. Also, if you play with the thumb resting on the pick ups, you could check out the "Floating Thumb " technique. Playing with bent wrists are a recipe for potential injury problems.

Finally, you could do regular Yoga exercises to help alleviate your problem. Spend five to ten minutes say, twice a day on them, especially before and after a practice session.

Here is a link to some clips on You Tube :

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=yoga+exercises+for+carpel+tunnel


Hope this helps. :)
 
#10
I know we all mean well, but these types of posts I find a bit funny or odd. IE, I just burned my house down because I plugged in my ho-made amp, what should I do? I was changing strings when I snipped off the tip of my finger cutting the E string with a gardening shears, what should I do? After the gig, I tripped on the back stairs, dropped my 'fridge, the 'fridge slid back down crushing me and I can't breathe, and am chocking on my own vomit. What should I do? Am I missing something, or is there a new trend in not calling licensed professionals anymore for serious issues now-a-days?
 
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