Hand pains..???

katrina · #1 09-09-2006, 01:25 AM

Lately I've been playing a LOT of classical guitar, so I'm fingerpicking a bunch with my right hand. When I write, and now when I fingerpick, I feel intense pain in my left hand... It feels like a cramp starting from below my knuckles but on my PALM... It especially hurts when I write though. Does anyone else ever feel this pain, too? I want to know number ONE what it is, and number TWO how to get rid of it!!!! Can anyone help me? There's no possible way for me to stop playing guitar, I have one - three tests every week in school, and I told my teacher about my problem and he just said that he's not a doctor but he has similar pains.

Any help is appreciated!! Thanks!!!

~ Katrina

mi2tom · #2 09-09-2006, 01:28 AM

Firstly I don't know what "sickness" is that, I'm no doctor, secondly I think you need to take a break

and thirdly go and visit a doctor and get it treated

katrina · #3 09-09-2006, 01:31 AM

I can't take a break!! I have TESTS EVERY SINGLE WEEK THAT INVOLVE FINGERPICKING!!

It's not too too TOO intense when I play.. I'm going to go RELAX my fingers now..

~ Katrina

JJEMMER777 · #4 09-09-2006, 01:44 AM

Put your arm straight out, plam down! Rest it on a chair arm (or something similar)

Point your fingers down. Then grab your fingers with your other hand and pull back slowly. Like stretching your wrist.

Keep doing this to keep lose. Your probably just over doing it with the rigorous school schedule.
Your a bit young for carpal, etc..

And...it helps not to be a klutz and fall / run into things

j.arledge · #5 09-09-2006, 02:15 AM

i know that some classical guitars have large necks and i have noticed that when i play them i want to use a different position of my arm and wrist .

are you getting your left hand up over the neck so that it is prependictular to the strings ? you may need to move you thumb down on the back side of the neck so more of your hand can reach over letting you use your thumb to push off of not your plam .

TongueShredder · #6 09-09-2006, 02:26 AM

Its a Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). This usually comes when you strain yourself to do a certain thing (in this case playing the guitar). I guess somebody is learning how to shred

. Anyway, layoff from playing anything that uses your left hand for a few days. That might help...

j.arledge · #7 09-09-2006, 02:27 AM

man i suck at spelling .

one more thing , be sure you warm up too .

what i do is this :

take your first and second finger .

-------------------------------1-2 then sweep the same pattern back down
--------------------------1-2
----------------------1-2
------------------1-2
--------------1-2
----------1-2

then move up the neck until at least the 5th fret using that . then go to using your 1st and 3rd finger starting on the first fret , puting your 3rd finger on the third fret then going up the neck . The your first and fourth . then go your 2 and 4 fingers in the same pattern as your 1st and third . then go second and third then go 3rd and 4th fingers .

using you 1st and 3rd

-
-
-
-----------so in
------1-3
-1--3
using 1st and 4th fingers
-
-
-
-------------so on up the neck
------1-4
-1--4

do you get what i am trying to say ?

katrina · #8 09-09-2006, 02:30 PM

Hey, tongueshredder and j.arledge, it's not my LEFT hand that hurts... it's my RIGHT hand.. From fingerpicking, writing, etc... Thank you though..

And Jim, I'll try that. I just did it a few times and (miraculously) it hurts a little bit less to type!!

I'll have to refrain from doing that as much as possible for a few days...

~ Katrina/Ladybird

tTz · #9 09-09-2006, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJEMMER777

Your a bit young for carpal, etc..

Take it from me, you can get tendon disorders at any age, no matter how young you are. I know from experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by katrina

I can't take a break!! I have TESTS EVERY SINGLE WEEK THAT INVOLVE FINGERPICKING!!

Well then, you'll have to make a decision for yourself. Do you want to take a short break, practice less, miss a few tests and come back to playing in a month or so, or do you want to develop potentially incurable tendonitis in your hand?

I've got tendonitis/tenosenovitis in both hands. I've been playing guitar for less than two years, and I've had tendonitis for one year. I may never be able to play again. Seriously Katrina, go see a doctor if the pain is still there in about a week or so, sooner if it feels serious. I'd also recommend hunting down a copy of Rock Discipline (Petrucci's DVD), or specifically just the exercises he lists at the start (the vid is on YouTube somewhere - the one that JJEMMER777 is one from that, if I'm not mistaken).

I may seem harsh and a little paranoid/over the top in my advice, but if I could turn back the clock, I'd do anything to avoid getting tendonitis...if you're showing the first signs of it, then don't let other commitments get in the way of common sense. Stop, and let it heal. If you're lucky, you'll only be out of it for a few days. Your school won't punish you for being injured.

Jaden · #10 09-09-2006, 04:29 PM

hmmmm, I recently went through this again when I agreed to dep for a bass guitarist...
my hands were killing me and I admit that I was worried but it was just like using muscles that I hadnt used before....

I perservered and eventually was OK - think back to when you first picked up a guitar and making a G chord was agony

perhaps you are just too tense - relax the hand.... who knows !

J.

Mr.WizardNeck · #11 09-09-2006, 05:10 PM

*Massages your hands*

**GilkyBear** · #12 09-09-2006, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katrina

When I write, and now when I fingerpick, I feel intense pain in my left hand... It feels like a cramp

Quote:

Originally Posted by katrina

Hey, tongueshredder and j.arledge, it's not my LEFT hand that hurts... it's my RIGHT hand..

You sure which hand it is there Lil Sis?

Ozzdoc · #13 09-09-2006, 05:52 PM

I had a intensly insane tight right wrist that hurt to bend but after a coupledays of vigourous strething, it isnt tight anymore, nice and loose likes it supposed to be

So STRETCH!!

Eggy · #14 09-09-2006, 06:18 PM

Eat more bananas !

I know it's sounds daft but there is a method to my madness,

I was suffering from slight tendon pain last year and I wasn't keen on taking a month off either. I read that when Yngwie was having this problem Ritchie Blackmore advised that he eat more bananas as the potasium (sp?) in them is good for this kind of thing.

I tried it and I felt like it helped.

Ben

the.godfather · #15 09-09-2006, 06:29 PM

Before I play guitar I usually do the warmup thats on the John Petrucci: Rock Discipline DVD/Video. He does all the wrist and finger stretching stuff, and he also does this "massaging" technique to his fingers as well. Ever since I saw it, I have done it through force of habit.

The most important thing though, if you feel pain at any point - stop. Dont carry on through the pain.