Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 42

Thread: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

  1. #1

    Default Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    I have been playing guitar for a long time and switched to mandolin last Aug. Through improper technique I have developed wrist/thumb pain (primarily thumb) while fretting. I have since learned the proper technique and can now play solos and SOME chords without pain. However, the left hand has not completely healed.

    I am wondering if I should quit playing until the wrist/thumb is completely healed or continue playing as long as I am not experiencing pain while playing.

    What are your experiences?

    Thanks

  2. #2
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Forest Grove, Oregon
    Posts
    2,775

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    From my experience with DeQuervain syndrome, which is an inflammation of the thumb tendon, I followed the doctor's advice and stopped doing the things that initiated the pain. DUH. But I also learned that a dull ache is okay, sore stuff moving by sore stuff, as opposed to sharp pain, which is typically a small tear of tissue. But I have taken it easy to avoid a receptive stress injury as well.

    Less pressure on the back of the neck with the thumb is good, and so is warming up with scales slowly as finger stretching exercises. Keep the fingers down as long as possible without strain to gradually get a longer stretch.

    Caution is the better part of valor. You won't make progress by reinjuring yourself.
    Not all the clams are at the beach

    Arrow Manouche
    Arrow Jazzbo
    Arrow G
    Clark 2 point
    Gibson F5L
    Gibson A-4
    Ratliff CountryBoy A

  3. The following members say thank you to Bill McCall for this post:


  4. #3

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    Thanks Bill.

    My pain is sharp when I do certain things, otherwise no pain at all. For example, most of the pain comes with trying to barre the top 2 sets of strings on chords. I have to exert a lot of pressure to hold them down and my thumb shoots pain.

    I can fret the G and D strings by themselves with no pain.

  5. #4
    Registered User Billy Packard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Grass Valley
    Posts
    885

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    When I started with the mandolin from guitar I had issues too. Mine were in the right elbow from incorrect pick technique. I had to quit playing for about six months before it completely healed up. I've had no issues since.

    BTW, I have been taking a herbal supplement for joint health for years now that I am convinced has helped me. It is by the company Solgar and it's called... 7. Here's a link to their site... https://www.solgar.com/products/solg...able-capsules/

    Billy

    billypackardmandolin.com
    Hear us on youtube - The Duo Lynx
    Billy Packard
    Gilchrist A3, 1993
    Stiver Fern, 1990
    Weber Fern, 2007
    Gibson F4 Hybrid #1, D. Harvey 2009
    Gibson 1923 A2
    Numerous wonderful guitars

  6. The following members say thank you to Billy Packard for this post:


  7. #5

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    If you haven't yet, see your doctor. I suffered for 6 months with pain much like yours, doing everything I could think of to include not playing at all to give the left hand a rest. Nothing worked. Finally saw my doctor and learned through an xray I have severe arthritis in the 3 bones in the thumb. Now with a prescription for diclofenac gel and heat therapy. It's better but will never go away. At least I did correct some incorrect hand positioning, but it will never take away the pain entirely. Its manageable with medication and Tylenol for now but may need a cortisone shot later this year.

  8. The following members say thank you to Rdeane for this post:


  9. #6

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    I had the same problem after some overly aggressive practice sessions. I bought a wrist support that I wear at night that keeps my wrist in a neutral position. It has helped greatly. I also cut my practices into several shorter sessions instead of one long marathon practice. Holding my mandolin with the neck at an upward angle ( keeping the wrist straight) helped a lot too. It took a few weeks but I am now pain free. Hope this helps!Click image for larger version. 

Name:	27FBEE8B-4412-4033-8195-52E6F6E92B5F.jpeg 
Views:	165 
Size:	15.7 KB 
ID:	186019
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	1913975D-C207-4B9A-963B-4EF57104AD10.jpeg 
Views:	90 
Size:	18.8 KB 
ID:	186018  

  10. The following members say thank you to Mudcreek for this post:


  11. #7
    === High Strung === gfury's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Maryland, USA
    Posts
    95

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    Quote Originally Posted by Mudcreek View Post
    I had the same problem after some overly aggressive practice sessions. I bought a wrist support that I wear at night that keeps my wrist in a neutral position. It has helped greatly. I also cut my practices into several shorter sessions instead of one long marathon practice. Holding my mandolin with the neck at an upward angle ( keeping the wrist straight) helped a lot too. It took a few weeks but I am now pain free. Hope this helps!
    I developed pain in the fretting hand. I wrapped my wrist and hand in an ace bandage at night for a few weeks. It made a big difference.

  12. #8

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    Quote Originally Posted by Mudcreek View Post
    I had the same problem after some overly aggressive practice sessions. I bought a wrist support that I wear at night that keeps my wrist in a neutral position. It has helped greatly. I also cut my practices into several shorter sessions instead of one long marathon practice. Holding my mandolin with the neck at an upward angle ( keeping the wrist straight) helped a lot too. It took a few weeks but I am now pain free. Hope this helps!Click image for larger version. 

Name:	27FBEE8B-4412-4033-8195-52E6F6E92B5F.jpeg 
Views:	165 
Size:	15.7 KB 
ID:	186019
    Me too. This really helps. I still use this as a preventative.
    Girouard Concert A5
    Girouard Custom A4
    Nordwall Cittern
    Barbi Mandola
    Crump OM-1s Octave
    www.singletonstreet.com

  13. #9
    Registered User belbein's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    2,283
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    I had this problem for a while. It was so bad that I found a physical therapist in Atlanta who had experience in dealing with--get this--stringed instrument musicians. It seems that he'd done PT work near one of the major conservatories. Violinists were always having disabling pain, because like mando/guitar/banjo players, their wrists are constantly twisted in all kinds of different angles. I had to stop playing for a while. I also had to adopt some exercises called "finger yoga" as a warm up before I played anything (which, like yoga, I just don't do as much as I should!). But the primary thing I learned is to prioritize my body's natural positioning over the instrument's apparent demands and fit my instrument to my body, not visa versa. For example, by letting my elbow drape naturally. By moving my fretboard waay, waay up at a much higher angle so that the natural descending line of my fingertips parallels the descending line of the fretboard. If you're not a professional musician, then you don't have to suck it up: you want to play less, play more carefully--because you want to play for many more years. The bottom line is: DON'T IGNORE IT. It isn't going to get better on its on. It will only get worse as you play more and (dare I say it?) as you get older.
    belbein

    The bad news is that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. The good news is that what kills us makes it no longer our problem

  14. The following members say thank you to belbein for this post:


  15. #10
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Sugar Grove,PA
    Posts
    3,369
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    I've also had this issue with the left thumb palm area "the trapezius bone" I think anyway, I seen a Dr. and he gave me a cortisone shot but didn't help so I wore a hand brace every night at bed time and that helped, I'm full of arthritis in all my joints due to being sick with major health problems for over 10 years but I really don't have that pain much anymore in the left hand. It seems its better the more I got back into playing and rest at night.

    Also I've found that deep V necks compound the pain, I love a small rounded neck the best but have adapted pretty well to my 24 Loar F-5 as that has a slight V in the back of the neck. A really healthy diet will also help as I've found out. All best O' luck.

  16. The following members say thank you to William Smith for this post:


  17. #11

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    Thanks for all the info. I think I might just have to see a dr to find find out what is wrong.

    I do have a wrist support I wear. Doesn't seem to help much, but I am in the early days of wearing it.

  18. #12
    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Blue Zone, California
    Posts
    1,867
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    I wish you the best of luck with this, you have a lot of sympathetic ears here, including mine.

    It's worth mentioning, some things can't be reliably fixed, so sometimes the best option is simply to find other ways of doing things. Lots of very well known and successful musicians have had to take this route.
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


    2002 Gibson F-9
    2016 MK LFSTB
    1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
    [About how I tune my mandolins]
    [Our recent arrival]

  19. The following members say thank you to dhergert for this post:


  20. #13

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    Quote Originally Posted by dhergert View Post
    I wish you the best of luck with this, you have a lot of sympathetic ears here, including mine.

    It's worth mentioning, some things can't be reliably fixed, so sometimes the best option is simply to find other ways of doing things. Lots of very well known and successful musicians have had to take this route.
    That is exactly what I have in mind if nothing else works. Thanks.

    - - - Updated - - -

    I told my wife I could always play the dobro. She said "NO MORE INSTRUMENTS"

  21. The following members say thank you to BG_Dana for this post:


  22. #14
    Registered User Billy Packard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Grass Valley
    Posts
    885

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    ...Another thought about your problem-- I never play with my wrist bent. I have the mandolin (or guitar) positioned so my forearm and hand are straight. The tendons that control the fingers connect at the elbow so any twisting or bending of the wrist shortens and constricts their ability to move. For example, with your wrist straight wiggle your fingers energetically, then gradually bend your wrist while continuing to wiggle your fingers. You'll see what I mean.

    Billy
    Billy Packard
    Gilchrist A3, 1993
    Stiver Fern, 1990
    Weber Fern, 2007
    Gibson F4 Hybrid #1, D. Harvey 2009
    Gibson 1923 A2
    Numerous wonderful guitars

  23. The following members say thank you to Billy Packard for this post:


  24. #15
    Registered User T.D.Nydn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Upstate N.Y.
    Posts
    1,331

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    Eat more protein and mega vitamin s,more like a body builders diet..

  25. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to T.D.Nydn For This Useful Post:


  26. #16
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Outer Spiral Arm, of Galaxy, NW Oregon.
    Posts
    17,103

    Exclamation Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    curling up my index fingers tightly with my right hand holding the pick all these years,
    and with the left, getting those 1st fret notes , has taken its toll..

    writing about music
    is like dancing,
    about architecture

  27. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to mandroid For This Useful Post:


  28. #17
    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Blue Zone, California
    Posts
    1,867
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    Quote Originally Posted by mandroid View Post
    curling up my index fingers tightly with my right hand holding the pick all these years,
    and with the left, getting those 1st fret notes , has taken its toll..

    Those details sound very familiar. Best of luck to you!
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


    2002 Gibson F-9
    2016 MK LFSTB
    1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
    [About how I tune my mandolins]
    [Our recent arrival]

  29. The following members say thank you to dhergert for this post:


  30. #18

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    Quote Originally Posted by Billy Packard View Post
    ...Another thought about your problem-- I never play with my wrist bent. I have the mandolin (or guitar) positioned so my forearm and hand are straight. The tendons that control the fingers connect at the elbow so any twisting or bending of the wrist shortens and constricts their ability to move. For example, with your wrist straight wiggle your fingers energetically, then gradually bend your wrist while continuing to wiggle your fingers. You'll see what I mean.

    Billy
    I searched the web for left hand technique a couple of days ago and found I was bending my left wrist on some notes/chords.

    Thanks for the reminder.

  31. The following members say thank you to BG_Dana for this post:


  32. #19
    Registered User Billy Packard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Grass Valley
    Posts
    885

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    BG - I did a workshop on RT. hand technique and I'd be happy to send you the text from it if you like. PM me.

    Billy
    Billy Packard
    Gilchrist A3, 1993
    Stiver Fern, 1990
    Weber Fern, 2007
    Gibson F4 Hybrid #1, D. Harvey 2009
    Gibson 1923 A2
    Numerous wonderful guitars

  33. #20
    We're all mad here elbent's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Cleveland
    Posts
    23

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    Don’t mean to hijack the thread, but I just started playing a week ago and I’m already experiencing left wrist pain. Is this normal for just starting out or am I possibly using improper technique? Should I start wrapping my wrist at night now? I desperately don’t want to have to stop playing! Thanks all. -El

  34. #21
    Registered User Billy Packard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Grass Valley
    Posts
    885

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    elbent, see my posts above about keeping a STRAIGHT WRIST. Don't bend your wrist when you play. Get a strap and adjust it so you don't have to support the mandolin when you play it. Have it hang so you can access the neck and fingerboard WITHOUT BENDING YOUR WRIST! Bending your wrist will cause all kinds of problems. Pm me if you want to talk more...

    Billy
    Billy Packard
    Gilchrist A3, 1993
    Stiver Fern, 1990
    Weber Fern, 2007
    Gibson F4 Hybrid #1, D. Harvey 2009
    Gibson 1923 A2
    Numerous wonderful guitars

  35. #22
    I really look like that soliver's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Marietta, GA
    Posts
    1,745

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    I've been experiencing something called cubital tunnel syndrome... of course that's completely a self diagnosis based on a google search... but it fits. ... It's like carpal tunnel, causing numbness, pain and weakness in the hand and pain in the elbow. Like carpal tunnel it is caused by "over use" of a joint where the nerve passes through (here it's the elbow) which creates inflammation causing the nerve get pinched. For me it has mostly to do with sleeping with my elbows bent. Ive been wearing a brace while I sleep and favoring it. Certain positions make my hand go numb or hurt and it definitely makes it hard to play without experiencing discomfort in my right hand. It doesn't have to do with my playing position, but it definitely effects it. I haven't been playing much due to a busy schedule anyway.... I've experienced it before and it will pass.
    aka: Spencer
    Silverangel Econo A #429
    Soliver #001 & #002: A double stack of Pancakes.

    Soliver Hand Crafted Mandolins and Mandolin Armrests
    Armrests Here -- Mandolins Here

    "You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage
    to lose sight of the shore, ...and also a boat with no holes in it.” -anonymous

  36. #23
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    9

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    100 % see a physician who deals with athletes and musicians. Repetitive stress injuries have a habit of becoming worse if you play though them. Dull aches can be nothing, but sharp pains and numbness are an indicator that your body is displeased. Sometimes all that is required is rest and immobilization, and perhaps minor tweaks in ergonomics. Stretching and strengthening never hurts either.

    After having inoperable ulnar compression end 35 years of guitar, I literally feel your pain and frustration.

    Best of luck!

  37. The following members say thank you to Roger Wayne for this post:


  38. #24

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    Quote Originally Posted by elbent View Post
    Don’t mean to hijack the thread, but I just started playing a week ago and I’m already experiencing left wrist pain. Is this normal for just starting out or am I possibly using improper technique? Should I start wrapping my wrist at night now? I desperately don’t want to have to stop playing! Thanks all. -El
    There should absolutely be no pain when playing. You need to develop good technique.

  39. #25
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Portland, Ore.
    Posts
    355

    Default Re: Playing with wrist/thumb pain

    Some thumb pain is the result of pinched nerves in the C-6 area of your neck. I do daily neck-stretching exercises to control it, usually reasonably well. If your pain doesn't clear up, you might want to consider consulting a physical therapist.

    Sorry to hear about your problem. Good luck with it.

  40. The following members say thank you to rickbella for this post:


Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •