Wrists...

[keewa]

Ok, so I've been playing for several years without incedent and just recently I've found when playing my Jazz Bass I've had an ache develop in my wrist almost immediately, and it doesn't go away for quite a long time. Now, I've been commented a few times by local bass teachers as having great technique. This does not happen on my 5 string. I think it may be that my wrist is slightly crooked and my thumb is being daft. But I've honestly no idea how to remedy the situation, I have a bass teacher but I've not seen him in months and months, heh.
So, what's up and how do I solve it chums?

p.s this has probably been asked numerous times before, but since it's personal I felt I should ask in a new thread rather than use someone elses.

 

[Jazzdogg]

Fretting hand or plucking hand?
What kind of pain? Any numbness or tingling?

Do you play sitting or standing?
How low do you wear your bass?

 

[keewa]

Oh yeah, sorry about that, guess I was a bit vague
Fretting hand.
aching. gets numb after awhile
Both. hurts more sitting
quite high. it's not a stretch down anyway

 

[daskatze]

ive got a jazz bass too and i get this from time to time as well, i dont really make much of it though, id be interested as well to see what other people say

 

[Poop-Loops]

Try putting your thumb in different places (more or less behind the neck). That's what worked for me. I made a thread like this a while back. Not exactly a 4 string jazz, but same symptoms.

 

[Vorago]

Take some pictures of you playing. That would help making a diagnosis

Where is your thumb of your fretting hand when you're playing?

 

[Blunt]

I find with certain repetive funk grooves the wrist can ache.
I caught the Katy by Duck Dunn is an example.

I find that to release the tension the thumb creeping over the neck can be OK. Go with a more guitar technique on the pentatonics and that can also work.

 

[keewa]

2 photos of me playing, thumb on top of the neck or thumb behind the neck.

 

[keewa]

So I should just exercise? I have a few concerts coming up and I really really need a remedy for this. I can't risk damaging my wrist at all

 

[keewa]

what the?
My left thumb's starting to ache now.
*loud expletives*

 

[WillBuckingham]

2 photos of me playing, thumb on top of the neck or thumb behind the neck.

That hurts just looking at it! Keep both of your wrists as straight as possible.

 

[Vorago]

Way too much angle in that first picture.

 

[Poop-Loops]

man just strengthen your wrists and try some stretches too.

If brute force isn't enough, then you're just not using enough brute force.

Try to bend your thumb and your big knuckles on your fingers more to have more of a curve.

 

[thewanderer24]

where, more specifically, in your hand/wrist are you having the pain and numbness?

 

[keewa]

That hurts just looking at it! Keep both of your wrists as straight as possible.

Yeah. looking at it, I have no idea how my wrist manages that.
I have real spider hands though. bah.

 

[MeYHymN]

Could be leading into Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, depending on where you're getting the pain like thewanderer24 said. IMHO, it looks as if your neck is too high and you've got your entire arm in an unnatural position.

 

[keewa]

where, more specifically, in your hand/wrist are you having the pain and numbness?

the crease between wrist and hand.

and earlier it was the muscley bit between thumb and index.

it's so weird. It was fine until one day something just changed, and no I can't seem to remedy it whatever i try.
bad habits eh

 

[steveb98]

Look for a picture of a classical guitarist and how you could almost draw a straight line from their elbow to through to the fingers. The wrist should bend very little. There is only a small hole in the bones of the wrist that all the nerves and stuff get to go through to the hand. When you bend your wrist at drastic angles you are crimping down that opening.

I would say hold the neck of your bass higher, pull your elbow back some to straighten out the forearm/wrist. Key is during practice every now and then look at your forearm/wrist and make sure no drastic angle.

 

[keewa]

I've tried that a few times, but it seems to cane just as much as before

 

[tZer]

From the pics my first thought is pic no. 2 - no, no, no... it's a bass, not a baseball bat! LOL

Pic no. 1 - yeah, from the pic it looks like you've got quite an angle going there - and my first thought is for you to bring your elbow out a bit from your side.

But pictures are deceptive. I have some other questions and possible answers:
1. What else do you do that might be causing your wrists pain? Do you play computer games that are wrist-intensive (First-person shooters et al.)
2. Do you work on a computer a lot? Doing graphics/photoshop/Flash/Illustrator?

These sort of activities take an awful toll on your wrists - both of them. If the computer is a factor, you may want to investigate some ergonomic equipment - mouse - keyboard and possibly some wrist wraps like these:

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And finally, here are some bass player stretches for you:

1. Stretch fingers back opposite of the joint. 10-15 seconds each hand.

2. Bend hand forward as far as possible stretching wrist for 10-15 seconds each hand.

3. With hands and fingers extended in front of you, slowly rotate each hand as far left and right as possible 10 times.

4. Starting in same position, rotate hands in circular motion through full range of motion.

5. Drop hands to side and shake out.

6. Pull elbow with opposite hand across body. 10-15 seconds each arm.

7. Clasp hands and extend palms above head.

8. Find muscle that controls arm movement above chest and under collarbone. Massage and warm up muscle.

9. Find forearm muscle that controls finger movement. Massage and warm up muscle.

Take care of those wrists! You need 'em!