Left wrist hurts while playing

[Vimal]

Hi All,

I am pretty new to guitars and have no idea about all the super techniques and stuff. I just play and don't bother about the technique so much. Although I try to keep a good posture while playing.

Of late my left wrist has been hurting a bit after play for say half an hour or so. I am right hander and my left hand is my fretting hand. I had a squier guitar earlier which was nice and light and very comfortable to play with. Now I have a Hamer which is pretty heavy.

Is it something to do with the guitar or is it just normal to have some pain in the wrist. I have tried adjusting the height of the neck while playing and its most comfortable when it is really really high up. But the guitar doesn't stay in that position for long though!

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Vimal.

 

[Whitestrat]

I think it's not the playing position you have a problem with, but more than most, I'd say it's your hand. You are probably gripping too hard on a neck that's too thin for you. OR, you have too large a cavity between your hand and the neck, that it's adding stress to your wrist. Without seeing you play it's hard to tell why.

When you practice, do you stand? or sit?

 

[FourFour]

I'm sorry to say this but what you have described are the symptoms of tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. You better go to a doctor quick or you may never play guitar again.

 

[deathism]

You better go to a doctor quick or you may never play guitar again.

agreed..u shudnt play ard with problems like this.

 

[jcaosdon]

yea.. it's really worth going to the doc's.. it's pretty serious judging from your stated symptons.. lol, try tie da. hahahaha

 

[steveVAI]

scary syndrome... eekssdzx

 

[Godspeed64]

Posture posture posture!

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/correct_practice/how_to_prevent_repetitive_strain_injury.html

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/correct_practice/discover_your_discomfort.html

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/correct_practice/finding_the_incredible_lightness.html

 

[Vimal]

Whitestrat

I usually sit and practise but once in a while will stand for a while too...

 

[Vimal]

I'm sorry to say this but what you have described are the symptoms of tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. You better go to a doctor quick or you may never play guitar again.

Oh my god! Bro you are scarying the shit out of me man!!! I was doing some research on the tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. It says as below:

What are the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome?

In the initial phases, the carpal tunnel syndrome is characterised by tingling, numbness or swelling of the hand, mainly in the first three fingers and part of the ring finger (see Figure), especially in the morning and/or at night; this is followed by pain radiating to the forearm (symptoms defined as irritative). If the condition worsens, there is loss of sensation in the fingers, with weakening of grip and thenar muscle atrophy (deficit symptoms).


This is not really what happens on me. Its just that the wrist feels very stiff. But there is no pain in the finger, forearm etc..Like I said when the guitar is almost say 80 degrees i.e. very high its pretty comfortable to play as I am not really bending my wrist too much...But obviously the guitar doesn't stay in that position.

Many instructors, videos etc say that if you hang your guitar very low aka Slash its extremely difficult to play as you really need to bend the wrist to reach the 6th and 5th string...something like that but the problem is I almost play like those old uncles with a big belly and my guitar is usually pretty high but it still pains...

Thanks to all you awesome guys for bothering to help me...

Vimal.

 

[Vimal]

Posture posture posture!

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/correct_practice/how_to_prevent_repetitive_strain_injury.html

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/correct_practice/discover_your_discomfort.html

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/correct_practice/finding_the_incredible_lightness.html

Thanks Bro! That sounds interesting. I will try and see if it works...Thanks for the efforts to find those articles for me...

 

[theunknown]

fourfour- are u a doctor?!? wow u know such things eh..

yeah check ur hand.
did u have any injuries in history?
bad fall or just any fall?
u may never know if u had a fall or what ever injury and u didnt take it seriously.
it may become worse than u think

 

[steveVAI]

Posture posture posture!

JCAOSDON!!

POSTURE!!!!!!

 

[billthegeek]

Are you bending ur wrist while playing? Try to minimise bending of wrist.

 

[FourFour]

Its actually quite common for guitarists to have those but... lmao I was just trying to scare the TS.

To TS, just keep your guitar as high as possible, unless you want to look cool and risk permanently injuring your hands and wrists since you're already experiencing pain. Of course, this is assuming you have correct technique and you're not bending your wrists in some weird angle.

p.s. I'm not a doctor...lol

 

[im-jk]

actually i was like that but it suddenly stopped lol

 

[FPaulLes]

=Vimal;

SHIT! I do have weakening of grip and like lose of feeling on my left fingers... what happens if i really get carpal tunnel?

 

[Dime]

try playing with your hand infront of the fret board like michael angelo batio always does.shouldnt cause much pain to wrist but urhhmm...maybe to your shoulders haha.bro minimise the bend on your wrist.dont grip the neck too hard.

 

[Vimal]

=Dime

Thanks for the advise bro!

 

[Vimal]

SHIT! I do have weakening of grip and like lose of feeling on my left fingers... what happens if i really get carpal tunnel?

Not to scare the crap out of you but check out this page

http://www.carpal-tunnel.biz/

There are some braces that you can wear...but it will be funny to play with that! Hehe..

 

[ShredNoob]

I used to have strains but its on the wrist.. but since i've learnt to play with better hand positioning and its not causin problems.