Home › Forums › Guitar Techniques and General Discussions › Injuries from guitar playing
Tagged: #guitarinjury
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February 17, 2019 at 8:27 pm #125569
I just noticed a post from a new member who mentioned he developed some shoulder issues after playing his new Martin dreadnaught. I am just getting over about 8 mos with a frozen right shoulder. I’m pretty sure it started with tension in my shoulder trying to work on speed drills. I know there were times in the past few years where I experienced numbness in my hands from a mild “carpal tunnel syndrome” likely from overuse and, thankfully, this seems to have passed. Anybody else out there suffering from this hobby? I already gave up tennis due to overuse injury. I think the key is to consciously stay relaxed from the shoulder down and give it a rest if issues start to develop.
John -
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February 17, 2019 at 8:38 pm #125571
Well if practice a pattern over and over for speed and accuracy, my tendonitis flares up on my back shoulder and I probably have a minor rotator cuff tear from weightlifting but I can’t play Barr chords because of that issue… I try but then I’m icing and taking ibuprofen. I’m glad I can play power chords though. I do wear my tendinitis wrap on my forearm and that seems too help.
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February 17, 2019 at 8:52 pm #125577
John,
When I first retired, I was playing one and a half to two hours a day on an acoustic dreadnought guitar. Started getting a lot of shoulder pain. Switched to a parlor guitar and the problem went away. I bought an archtop guitar which might be a bit wider than the dreadnought, but is more of a thin line. Haven’t had any problems playing that.
Bob
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February 18, 2019 at 12:15 am #125593
I have found that full-sized guitars really bother my right arm and shoulder, so I have given away all my full-sized guitars except for one – which I can play standing up with no problem. So my main acoustics for practice are a Taylor Baby and a Taylor GS Mini. Very kind to my body. And when my body is happy, I’m happy.
Sunjamr Steve
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February 18, 2019 at 3:43 am #125606
I regularly practise on a dreadnought for 2 hours or more at any one sitting but currently don’t suffer any undue physical effects however, during my practice time, I do try and keep the shoulders relaxed and make a point of moving around after short intervals.
Richard
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February 18, 2019 at 3:43 am #125607
I once hurt the first joint of my left index finger while playing guitar. That was very painful and the only reason why I put the guitar down for a 15 year hiatus. I have to be really careful how far I bend my index finger and how much pressure I apply when grabbing chords or else I may have to rest for I don’t know how long. It’s got worse lately, so I decided to take Glucosamine Chondroitin, a substance freely available and pointed out on several occasions by sunjamr-Steve. I started using it this past Saturday and hope it‘s going to help.
It’s funny that so many players mention that their Dreadnoughts give them pain in their right shoulders. I am no small guy at 6‘3, but noticed the same. Hence my Grand Concert sized Harley Benton is my favorite acoustic guitar. I can play it for hours and still feel comfortable. I miss the sound of the fatter strings, but also changed to .10 gauge strings over the weekend to reduce strain in my fretting fingers (from Elixier.12). -
February 18, 2019 at 5:14 am #125609
I had an injury to my fretting hand thumb a few years back. I don’t believe it was the result of playing guitar but from laying flooring. It feels much better these days but I still have to be careful and not over do it, especially playing barre chords on my acoustic. I just watched Andre playing Layla and thought why don’t I play this and others like it any longer? Well that’s why, one time of playing thru a song like Layla and my thumb will begin to ache and burn down to my wrist and forearm.
Just remember John, Speed Kills!
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February 18, 2019 at 6:56 am #125610
Just remember John, Speed Kills!
RobHmmm, I always thought it was the sudden impact that did that.. “Stopping kills”, a new slogan for the Anti-quitters and speed freaks?.
I was for some time feeling strain on my finger joints when learning to do bends, turns out it was my technique was wrong, I was pushing up with my fingers instead of rotating my wrist..
No shoulder aches or pains no matter what guitar I use, then again I always sit down to play and dont as a rule wear a shoulder strap...Billy..
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February 18, 2019 at 9:29 am #125621
John, I remember getting nervous and posting here I had what I thought might be pulmonary heart disease issues, it turned out to be the left arm rest on my puter swivel chair! once I removed it, my left arm pain went away .. recently my index fret finger felt soar from over playing (all day) but I know just to go with a lighter stringed guitar such as the 9s on my strat or tele.. too much pressure on heavier acoustic gauge strings like the 12s ( Alvarez) and 13s( Martin D35) yesterday was on my acoustics all morning and again in afternoon by the time I sat down on my desk top for most recent lessons for acoustic.. I felt like using the electric lol .. pain goes away.. just got to heed when the body speaks .. no pain no gain rule doesn’t apply though.. it is good to minimize the pain and rest until pain goes away.. this morning going to start up the telecaster and finish EP 295 didn’t do this yet! very cool lesson reminds me of Clapton bends!
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February 18, 2019 at 9:37 am #125624
The time that I played classical and flamenco guitar I often had pain in my left hand to my elbow.
After I started to play electric guitar this has been solved, but now I have to watch out for my left shoulder due to the weight.rgs
Luc
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February 18, 2019 at 9:38 am #125625
I think the key is to consciously stay relaxed
Wise words from a medical doctor.
yes, when i do speed drills I have to consciously remind myself to RELAX my arm and wrist; consciously relaxing not only avoids injury, I think it actually increases speed. -
February 18, 2019 at 11:30 am #125639
It has been mentioned here before, but I had the same problem as Tremelo. I had to take about 6 weeks off to recover. It still flairs up a bit if I do a lot of index finger bends. Not being able to play had a surprising psychological effect on me. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to play again, and was a bit depressed over the issue. I even contemplated what it would be like to be a slide guitarist. But when I recovered I was euphoric.
It’s an example of how much guitar playing can mean, even to those with modest skills.
So I now practice using light strings, limit my index finger bends, and play something else if it starts hurting. I just can’t woodshed for 2 or 3 hours at a time, at my age.
BTW, I also have right shoulder and arm problems when playing a large dreadnought. My D28 causes my arm to go to sleep, and an ache in my shoulder. It doesn’t get played much for that reason.
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February 18, 2019 at 3:16 pm #125650
Tremolow wrote
I once hurt the first joint of my left index finger while playing guitar. That was very painful and the only reason why I put the guitar down for a 15 year hiatus.
Richard wrote
I had the same problem as Tremelo
When I played Stairway to Heaven my first joint of my left hand hurted.
But I also had a problem that I kept my fingers too flat so that I also touched the strings next to it so that they did not sound clean.
Now I try to press my fingers as perpendicularly as possible on the strings and the pain I had while playing Stairway T H is gone.
A better technique can prevent and remedy problems.rgs
Luc
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February 19, 2019 at 3:21 am #125692
I did not expect the size of a guitar to have such an impact on injuries. I thought guitar injuries mainly occurred in the left hand and forearm.
I also heard guitarists talk about a ‘Les Paul shoulder’, because of the weight of these guitars.
A solution could be the acoustasonic telecaster
No problems with size and weight (and GAS)grt
Luc
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February 19, 2019 at 9:27 am #125720
I also heard guitarists talk about a ‘Les Paul shoulder’, because of the weight of these guitars.
I played an Epiphone Les Paul for over 30 years and even tho the Epi LP was lighter than the Gibson LP, it was still a shoulder/neck/back killer. I finally sold it and had a hollow-body light-weight Tele custom-built. Now I can play that little Tele for hours without pain.
Only change I’d make now is to contour the sharp edge of the Tele’s upper bout so it doesn’t chafe my underarm so much.
Otherwise, lightweight guitars and/or acoustic-electric combos can prevent injuries over the long term, and besides I believe that tone comes mainly from amps or modellers and choosing a guitar is more about comfort and feel.
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