Wrist pain

[Bluegrass Boy]

I've seen this discussed before but I couldn't find it in a search so here it goes again. I've developed a fairly sharp and localized pain in the wrist of my fretting hand, on the bottom side (pinky side). I've been hoping it is not due to playing but I'm beginning to suspect otherwise. I was away from home for four days last week and only brought a guitar. I played for hours and my wrist was fine. Got back home, picked up the mando for a bit and wrist pain came back. I play a Collings MT2 with the sharp V neck. I've read here before that others had similar pain and switched to a rounded neck and the problem went away. Problem is that I play left handed and it's not very easy to play other instruments.

[John Flynn]

Three things that have worked for me for pain the fretting hand:

1) Lightening up my hand tension. Anytime I get pain, gripping harder than necessary is usually involved.

2) Keeping a straight wrist. Another culprit for me usually involves letting my wrist bend while playing, either forward or back.

3) Doing the warmups and hand and arm stretches on musicianshealth.com. I have found them to really be effective. I combine them with some warmups that Mike Compton teaches in his workshops, but the ones online are great all by themselves. #

Also, it is just good to take it easy when you are having a hand problem. I keep a uke with the 4 nylon strings tuned like a mando and I can practice with that until the hand pain subsides. If it does not get better quickly, I go to see an orthopedic hand specialist. Fortunately he has never found a serious problem, but I like to be sure. Subject to my doctor's advice, I also take a prescription strength Advil until the pain subsides.