Solutions for pain in forearm

[EK4001]

anyone ever experience pain in there right fore arm? Wondering if an arm band or wrist band would help. The area that hurts, is where my arm makes contact with the upper body. I’ve tried different positions with the guitar strap. Just wondering if anyone has a similar experience.
Thanks.

 

[Stumbo]

anyone ever experience pain in there right fore arm? Wondering if an arm band or wrist band would help. The area that hurts, is where my arm makes contact with the upper body. I’ve tried different positions with the guitar strap. Just wondering if anyone has a similar experience.
Thanks.

Can you post a pic of your arm placement?

 

[JeffJ2112]

Stretching would be my go to on that.

 

[Warpeg]

anyone ever experience pain in there right fore arm? Wondering if an arm band or wrist band would help. The area that hurts, is where my arm makes contact with the upper body. I’ve tried different positions with the guitar strap. Just wondering if anyone has a similar experience.
Thanks.

Considering that your member name includes “4001”, I assume you’re playing on a Ric? If that’s the case, then you’re suffering from a well-known problem that many Ric players have had. Specifically, the sharp binding edge is known to hurt forearms. Try a bass with a contour (eg. Fender) and see if you still have the pain.

 

[Malak the Mad]

anyone ever experience pain in there right fore arm? Wondering if an arm band or wrist band would help. The area that hurts, is where my arm makes contact with the upper body. I’ve tried different positions with the guitar strap. Just wondering if anyone has a similar experience.
Thanks.

Actually, I'm a professional massage/neuromuscular/sports therapist. Not only do I help people manage their pain, but given my line of work, I've experienced my fair share of forearm/wrist pain. I can offer up a few tips...

1. In the short-term, "cold" is your friend. It's a natural painkiller (the nerves are wired to detect "cold" over "pain") and anti-inflammatory. Just don't go too overboard with it. Five minutes on, then five minutes off. That'll keep the cold from interfering with the circulation (I usually pick two spots, then alternate between them. Five here...five there...repeat...).
2. It sounds like you might be letting your forearm rest too heavily on the body. Even if it's contoured, too much pressure is still too much. And if it's a slab-style body, that'll dig into the tissue even harder. If you are, it's classic "repetitive stress" at work. If that is the case, you may need to adjust your playing style a bit. Get that elbow up. Mind you, your shoulder won't be happy with you for a while, but as long as your shoulder doesn't get too cranky, just chalk it up to the same kind of soreness that your fingertips experience when you first started playing bass. It's all a part of the adaptation process.

If I learn more about your particular case, I might be able to give more advice better tailored to suit your needs. Good luck!

 

[fearceol]

It sounds like you might be letting your forearm rest too heavily on the body.

I agree that this could be the culprit.

OP...perhaps a change of technique might be worth considering ? It may take a while to master, but things will only get worse if you continue as you are.

 

[Watchootognbout]

 

[Malak the Mad]

View attachment 3421055

Unfortunately, that'd just be the equivalent of popping a couple of pills and expecting it to make everything all better. While it might take a little bit of the edge off the pain, it does nothing to correct the underlying cause...the repetitive stress.

"Chasing symptoms", a phrase I frequently use around my pain-wracked clients, may be fine in the short-term, but the long-term root cause will need to addressed and corrected if they want to do away with the problem for good. Ice, compression, painkillers, and yes, a bit of wrist/forearm protection, are all tools to minimize pain and discomfort, but they're just a series of holding actions if cause of it all isn't dealt with, too.

 

[stringent]

Considering that your member name includes “4001”, I assume you’re playing on a Ric? If that’s the case, then you’re suffering from a well-known problem that many Ric players have had. Specifically, the sharp binding edge is known to hurt forearms. Try a bass with a contour (eg. Fender) and see if you still have the pain.

Or just take a high-speed belt sander to that edge for ten seconds, problem solved.

 

[James Collins]

Unfortunately, that'd just be the equivalent of popping a couple of pills and expecting it to make everything all better. While it might take a little bit of the edge off the pain, it does nothing to correct the underlying cause...the repetitive stress.

"Chasing symptoms", a phrase I frequently use around my pain-wracked clients, may be fine in the short-term, but the long-term root cause will need to addressed and corrected if they want to do away with the problem for good. Ice, compression, painkillers, and yes, a bit of wrist/forearm protection, are all tools to minimize pain and discomfort, but they're just a series of holding actions if cause of it all isn't dealt with, too.

If the edge of the bass body is digging into his forearm and causing pain, padding is preventative, not covering symptoms. Ice and pain killers would be covering symptoms. He could also sand the edge of the bass or switch to a more ergonomic bass in addition to changing technique and padding. All are going to have the same result.

@EK4001
Does your bass tend to want to have neck dive?

 

[Ric5]

anyone ever experience pain in there right fore arm? Wondering if an arm band or wrist band would help. The area that hurts, is where my arm makes contact with the upper body. I’ve tried different positions with the guitar strap. Just wondering if anyone has a similar experience.
Thanks.

Physical therapy might help

topical arnica might help

 

[LowRick]

There's nothing for it. You'll have to lose the arm. sorry to break it to you.

Just kidding of course. i've had pains and still do sometimes in both hands and arms after playing a lot. I see it as part of my body getting used to playing and bite through it. of course i don't know how long you've had this pain, but i always find a bit of pain wont hurt... or erm... whatever.

 

[EK4001]

Considering that your member name includes “4001”, I assume you’re playing on a Ric? If that’s the case, then you’re suffering from a well-known problem that many Ric players have had. Specifically, the sharp binding edge is known to hurt forearms. Try a bass with a contour (eg. Fender) and see if you still have the pain.

I recently bought a new bass and that’s when it all started. I’m a precision guy. I’ve played fender all my life. Also, as my member name applies I also play Rics and never had this problem. I played 4 gigs this last week and by the 4th gig I played my Fender and all was good.

 

[EK4001]

Actually, I'm a professional massage/neuromuscular/sports therapist. Not only do I help people manage their pain, but given my line of work, I've experienced my fair share of forearm/wrist pain. I can offer up a few tips...

1. In the short-term, "cold" is your friend. It's a natural painkiller (the nerves are wired to detect "cold" over "pain") and anti-inflammatory. Just don't go too overboard with it. Five minutes on, then five minutes off. That'll keep the cold from interfering with the circulation (I usually pick two spots, then alternate between them. Five here...five there...repeat...).
2. It sounds like you might be letting your forearm rest too heavily on the body. Even if it's contoured, too much pressure is still too much. And if it's a slab-style body, that'll dig into the tissue even harder. If you are, it's classic "repetitive stress" at work. If that is the case, you may need to adjust your playing style a bit. Get that elbow up. Mind you, your shoulder won't be happy with you for a while, but as long as your shoulder doesn't get too cranky, just chalk it up to the same kind of soreness that your fingertips experience when you first started playing bass. It's all a part of the adaptation process.

If I learn more about your particular case, I might be able to give more advice better tailored to suit your needs. Good luck!

 

[packhowitzer]

Turn up your volume. This is a good remedy for pretty much anything bass related.

 

[Lobster11]

Something else to consider: If your arm is sore from resting it heavily on top of the bass, you might have a more serious issue: You might be plucking with a badly bent wrist, which can lead to serious injury over time. It makes me cringe when I see guys resting their arm on the bass so that it is virtually perpendicular to the bass body (i.e., parallel to the floor), and then severely bending their wrist in order for their fingers to reach down to the strings. If you hold your elbow out so that you can keep a straight line from your elbow to your fingers, your arm will be parallel to the bass body and your forearm will rest gently on the front of the bass or not touch it at all. (See the video posted by @fearceol.)

 

[Jokei]

View attachment 3421055

I see you and I raise.

 

[Turbo Sparky]

IMO:
Warm-up/stretch, double check strap height/drop, double check your technique etc.
Hopefully that helps...but
I play with a simple wrist sweatband on my plucking/playing hand (right) wrist. Gently cushions the wrist, and elevates it/arm just enough so that my fingers/pick are parallel/even with the strings and not canted upwards. Plus, it allows me to more rapidly slide to-an'-fro' on the strings while playing. No more right wrist pain where the tendons rest/touch the bass body.
Good luck.

 

[AndyPanda]

When I was starting out I had the same issues. I tried all the wrist cushions etc and they help but the problem is that you really shouldn't (IMO) be resting your forearm on the body of the bass at all. If you pull your elbow out a little bit and let your forearm hang down naturally without using the body of the bass to support it -- that will help. It'll feel funny at first (like your shoulder muscles are doing work to hold the weight of your arm) but as you get used to it you will be able to get around the strings even better and without the pressure on your arm you'll be safer from injury (I'm old - those things you can get away with when you are young will cripple you after many years).

 

[Bassdokes]

I’m thinking flexor tendinitis.
Technique modification, and therapies/massage stretching to address the problem.