Wrist/Hand problems

[Travis]

Carpal Tunnel, Tendinitis, Repetitive Strain Injury, anything that gives you trouble or pain...post your experiences, remedies or whatever here.

A little over three weeks ago, I did a recording session playing bass for a few friends of mine (John Longstreth among them). It was pretty intense and I pushed myself pretty hard...ever since, I've been noticing slight pain in both wrists, especially my right one. While it is very minor, it hasn't gone away at all.

Upon realizing this, I started researching and treating it more seriously. I bought a wrist brace, have been icing it every few hours for 10 minutes, taking 800mg of ibuprofen every 8 hours, and doing various wrist/hand stretches every few hours. Haven't touched an instrument in 3 days now.

 

[DeathDancer]

That sucks, I hope it gets better for you. Sounds like an overuse injury to me but I'm no expert, I had a dull aching pain in one of my wrists after not warming up for an intense session but it went away about a week later.

Won't help with yours but here is my story:
In 2004 I slipped on an overly waxed floor and landed on my left elbow. It was painfully swollen at a 90 degree angle for three weeks ( I was just two weeks into a new job too so no insurance) It continued to hurt thereafter and my arm from my elbow to my 3'rs and 4th finger often were in constant pins and needles mode. s soon as insurance kicked in I went to the dr's and over the course of the next six months I saw a chiro, a family dr and a neurologist, had all sorts of tests done including needle EMG, neck and elbow MRI's and CT scans and no one could determine where the ulnar nerve compression was. By the time of the last test it had started to fade so neurologist said we likely won't find it either! Since then it has come and gone with the needles and pins or a constant 'tense' feeling. I have to avoid leaning on my elbow at all time including resting my arm on a pillow while at work and driving (seems to me the issue is at the elbow but no one could find any bone spurs or anything) I also use ice packs when it acts up as well as lots of ibuprofin. You don't realize how much you lean on your elbow until you aren't suppossed to! I've had to play quite a few shows where I couldn't feel the strings in my 3rd and 4th fingers of my fretting hand...

 

[Sigurðr]

I have 3 bands, all with extreme bass lines, after some recordings my right hand start to hurt a little, later become a little stronger so i decide to play some musics with a pick, i dont like to play with a pick but some covers i play, the bassist plays with a pick *children of bodom in the case* so i start to play with a pick and help me a little because now i play with my fingers just in the musics i really need to play with them, like ensiferum or borknagar, bands where the bass lines are too beautiful or something i think 'if I play with a pick here..well, will suck'

 

[Allfader]

If you feel pain, wherever be the reason, STOP. If you continue playing on any way, you'll just hurt more to yourself.

@Travis: Your problem on the right wrist seems to be a technique matter. Do you know something about the 'floating thumb' technique?, most people plays with the wrist bent and the thumb fixed on the pickup. That position forces to the hand to make a greater effort, and tendoms will fucked up. Try to play with the hand and wrist straight to the forearm, and your thumb over the strings (you can search on TY for videos, there are plenty of them). The floating thumb also allows to mute the strings below the band. Gary Willis has the best right hand technique IMO, check his playing.

For your left wrist - and hand -, the problem could be one (or more) of the following:

-Lack of strenght
-Lack of warm-up before playing
-excessive effort while playing, mainly for the 'hetfield/slash' way of playing (with the instrument hanging ridiculously low, so the balance is lost and you unconsciously lift the fretboard over and over). It looks cool but it's unhealthy.
-Bad thumb position/left hand technique.

 

[Travis]

I really don't think it's a matter of technique - I play classical style while sitting (ie, bass in between legs rather than on right leg) which keeps my right hand straight, and I've always made a conscious effort to keep my left hand pretty straight / relaxed; when I was younger I used to fret with WAY too much force when I played live, which brought that whole aspect to my attention...but my point is, this is the only time in 6+ years of playing this has happened. I'm almost sure I simply pushed myself too hard one specific night; kept playing when my hands were burning and tired as hell.

Guess I know when to quit now...!