# Too much practice?



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Not sure where to put this post so here goes. I do alot of practicing and noodling on guitar. Whenever I'm sitting watching tv I like to have it in my hands and just noodle and sometimes practice scales and create licks.
Lately my right hand, wrist and forearm has been getting stiff. I wonder if its the start of carpel tunnel syndrome. I also golf and type alot at work so it may not be just from guitar. As well I thought this was more common in the fret hand. My fret hand seems to be fine. Its more in the picking hand. Could it still be from guitar playing?


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

You're problem is on your fretting hand though where as mine seem to be with the pick hand and more so in the wrist and forearm. Which leads me to believe its more to do with either typing or golf.
I could slow down on my typing and if absolutely necessary could give golf a rest but I can't bring myself to slow down on playing.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

The info from your link doesn't sound like what I have. probably just fatigue


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Depending (in part) on the number of candles on your birthday cake, you might (also) be having some degree of disc degeneration in your neck (cervical spine). The symptoms willl appear in the upper extremitie(s). 

An x-ray will reveal the nature and extent of the pathological changes but it can not determine/predict the degree of impairment or level of pain. I have looked at many films of patient's hands that were extremely arthritic, only to see the patients in the waiting room knitting faster that Vai can play, and without any pain at all. 

My left thumb and index finger were recently numb/tingiling for several weeks. Had some pain in my left arm prior to that. It all went away. The films showed disc degeneration...not uncommon in males of my age.


Talk to your doctor.

Cheers

Dave


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

A couple of tips- warm up! Stretch the muscles and get the blood flowing (more on this later) before you jump right into shred mode.

Look at your posture- many of us have terrible posture when playing, especially when seated.

Related to posture- check that you aren't reasting your arm against your guitar- it's very easy to interfere with blood circulation through the arm by resting your inner elbow or forearm against the edge of your guitar.

If it hurts- stop playing for a bit and pick it up again later.

Some things to consider.

gtrguy


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Some good advice--I'd check it with a doctor, just to make sure.

I've only ever had 2 times where I've had pain make it so I couldn't play--one was tendonitis--in my left elbow. It hurt to hold my arm in a playing position. You bet I went to the doctor. I probably got the tendonitis from moving musical equipment--including heavy keyboards around. It was when I was teaching, and there were several student performances at that time. My boss wasn't too happy when I told him I wasn't allowed to lift anything heavier than about 10 pounds. I took it easy for a week or so, and it went away. That included no guitar playing.

The other time was after my car accident. I still have pain & discomfort from that--but I can play. I'm not sure how long I could play if I was standing the whole time though.

So yeah--check it out before it gets worse. Most things like this--if caught early, are easy to treat. Let it go, and it may not be very treatable.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Thanks for the advice guys. My hand, arm and wrist feel better today so I think it must have been fatigue due to some stress. On the weekend it was quite hectic having a Matinee from 3 to 7 in Brampton then having to rush to London for a gig from 9:30 to 1:30 then rushing to a friends for 3 hours sleep and up at 6:30 am for golf. It was the day after I experienced the problems.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Paul said:


> Those details woulda been nice in the first post!!!! How you expect us to practice a form of unlicensed medicine if we can't count on you to provide the complete unvarnished truth?????!!!!!?????:smile:
> 
> I find that when we get tired, we get sloppy, and will do things mechanically with our body that may cause damage. You just made your upper body run the equivalent of a marathon, with only 5k training under your belt.


lol. Yeah I never really thought about the weekend till now. All I know is I'm sitting on my bed noodling with the guitar and my wrist and arm hurt. I figured maybe too much playing.


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## Hamm Guitars (Jan 12, 2007)

I see the problem:

"...then rushing to a friends for 3 hours sleep and up at 6:30 am for golf..."

God is punishing you - Golf is the disco of sports.

:wave::banana::food-smiley-004:


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Paul said:


> I disagree. Golf isn't a sport, it is barely an activity.
> 
> http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Guitarthritis


I challenge you to a round at Brant Valley. Walking and carrying. If you accept my challenge I want to see if you still think Golf is barely an activity.


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