hand and finger stretches
I have been reading through some of the posts that have been made about getting faster and I have noticed that people have mentioned carpal tunnel syndrome. I was wodering if there were any hand and finger stretches that I can do to properly warm up my hands before playing that will lessen my chances of getting CTS. I mean either streches on the guitar or stretches that I can do like if I were about to run, I hope that made sense. Thank you.
# 1
Well there are some. Check out Petrucci´s Rock Discipline video where he goes through lot´s of strech stuff types. But when I asked a doc for advice he told me that I should avoid to do those streches ´cause thety aren´t good for the hand. So now basiccly I make sure to be warm in my hands, to get a good blood flow (just rub them against eachother) and start with some easy riffs/solos and you should be ok.
Dejan S. No speed limit
# 2
Yeah I have to agree as my doctor told me the same thing when I needed up with tendonitis. It really blew and I still have some soreness here and there. But anyways I asked him about doing stretches and stuff like that, and he said it wasn't good for the hand. The fingers are made mostly of tendons and the only thing your doing by stretching them in weakening those tendons by making them thinner. So stay away from the stretches, just go with what dejan said, "start easy". If your looking to increase your speed, you just got to keep working with a metronome.
"My whole life is a dark room...ONE BIG DARK ROOM" - a.f.i.
# 3
I don't understand how can somebody end up injured by just playing the guitar a little fatser or something ?
I tried Petrucci's streching too , and they were useless , it didn't feel any better , and I still had to warm up as I normaly do ... Not to mention that I've been hearing that it can do more harm than good , which actualy make sense cuz streching is usualy good for big muscles , I don't think we can call those fingers as big muscles , therefore no need to strech 'em.
I normally start up easy too , but the reason is that there's more chance to mess up than if you're warmed up before , that's all... I also rub my hands against each other and blow some hot air from my mouth into them if it's a little cold cuz it's hard to play fast with cold hands.
I tried Petrucci's streching too , and they were useless , it didn't feel any better , and I still had to warm up as I normaly do ... Not to mention that I've been hearing that it can do more harm than good , which actualy make sense cuz streching is usualy good for big muscles , I don't think we can call those fingers as big muscles , therefore no need to strech 'em.
I normally start up easy too , but the reason is that there's more chance to mess up than if you're warmed up before , that's all... I also rub my hands against each other and blow some hot air from my mouth into them if it's a little cold cuz it's hard to play fast with cold hands.
# 4
i had these problems recently, i think i need to go see a physio actually...i thought that my pain was coming from my wrists, but for some reason it seems to be generating around my elbow, a tendon there feels like it gets horrific pain when i start playing too fast for too long.
anyone got any advice on this?
when i warm up to avoid CTS though (which i just started recently, and to me it helps) i try avoid MOST stretching, but mostly i concentrate on moving my wrists...CTS is mostly to do with the wrists anyway.
before I play i do a few things, one is making a fist with my hand and rotating it clockwise 15 times, then anti-clockwise 15 times. I then make a fist again and spread out my fingers for 10 seconds (i dont force them too far though), i do that about 6 times.
then I got to a table, hold my arm straight across it and off the edge, i move it side to side 20 times, and up and down 20 times (dont over stretch it, just to move it around) then there is another one i do with a soup can, i hold it with the back of my hand facing my face and lift it up and down 20 times, then i reverse it and repeat the same exercise.
to strengten my fingers, i place two rubberbands round all four and stretch them out (this is something i dont do as often, its just to add strength to them) and i have a hand exerciser thing that i squeeze a few times.
after all this i grab my guitar and play E-1-2-3-4- A-1-2-3-4 etc etc so im using all my fingers, i go up, then go back down, and i repeat it all the way up until my index finger is on the 12th fret.
Then i go up and down the Aeolian scale a few times. followed by rolling some arpeggios up and down the fret board. and finally I practice some more exotic scales (this is also good for remembering them)
Some other things to note are that a rest when u play will help out a lot. rest every 10 minutes, give your hands a little shake and rub them together to get the blood flowing (as someone said above). Also if your wrists are in pain, only play for 20 minutes max a day and let them recover.
Icing things can help too. When possible, try keeping your arm and wrist and fingers as straight as possible.
its a pain in the ass all the warm up, but if your serious about playing guitar its worth it. I stillneed to figure out something with my elbow, coz for some reason its very very sore sometimes :( but my wrists are a lot better now after doing these warm ups.
Dispy
ps - someone once told me of a CTS stretch, it was like a thai statue thing, but i felt that would realy screw up your tendons in your wrists if you do that too often, although if your wrist is tight its a godsent.
anyone got any advice on this?
when i warm up to avoid CTS though (which i just started recently, and to me it helps) i try avoid MOST stretching, but mostly i concentrate on moving my wrists...CTS is mostly to do with the wrists anyway.
before I play i do a few things, one is making a fist with my hand and rotating it clockwise 15 times, then anti-clockwise 15 times. I then make a fist again and spread out my fingers for 10 seconds (i dont force them too far though), i do that about 6 times.
then I got to a table, hold my arm straight across it and off the edge, i move it side to side 20 times, and up and down 20 times (dont over stretch it, just to move it around) then there is another one i do with a soup can, i hold it with the back of my hand facing my face and lift it up and down 20 times, then i reverse it and repeat the same exercise.
to strengten my fingers, i place two rubberbands round all four and stretch them out (this is something i dont do as often, its just to add strength to them) and i have a hand exerciser thing that i squeeze a few times.
after all this i grab my guitar and play E-1-2-3-4- A-1-2-3-4 etc etc so im using all my fingers, i go up, then go back down, and i repeat it all the way up until my index finger is on the 12th fret.
Then i go up and down the Aeolian scale a few times. followed by rolling some arpeggios up and down the fret board. and finally I practice some more exotic scales (this is also good for remembering them)
Some other things to note are that a rest when u play will help out a lot. rest every 10 minutes, give your hands a little shake and rub them together to get the blood flowing (as someone said above). Also if your wrists are in pain, only play for 20 minutes max a day and let them recover.
Icing things can help too. When possible, try keeping your arm and wrist and fingers as straight as possible.
its a pain in the ass all the warm up, but if your serious about playing guitar its worth it. I stillneed to figure out something with my elbow, coz for some reason its very very sore sometimes :( but my wrists are a lot better now after doing these warm ups.
Dispy
ps - someone once told me of a CTS stretch, it was like a thai statue thing, but i felt that would realy screw up your tendons in your wrists if you do that too often, although if your wrist is tight its a godsent.
# 5
Displacer - If you got pain in the elbow from picking too fast , try wearing your guitar a little lower.
# 6
Dispy,
Where do you do your strumming motion from, the wrist or the elbow??
If its from your elbow, do you get stressed out when your trying playing something alittle more difficult or are you able to be relaxed and stay relaxed??
If you get alittle stressed out, you many have strained a tendon in the elbow. Just relax for a few days and see if the pain goes away. Always try to stay relaxed when you play.
Is the pain on the outside (boney side of the elbow) or on the inside?? If it's on the inside, one cause may have been from trying to lift (in a curling fashion) something that was alittle to heavy for your arms. If it's on the outside, if could possible be from playing guitar but only if you strum from the elbow.
Now if your strum from the wrist, you probably hurt it doing something outside of playing guitar. Maybe you sleep on it wrong or bumped it. Another way is you may have over-extended your elbow somehow. The pain would be on the outside on the elbow if this was the case.
Anyways, if you think it may have possibably been from any of these. Just let it relax for a few days and see if the pain goes away. If not, you should see a physician asap.
Hope that helps man.
Where do you do your strumming motion from, the wrist or the elbow??
If its from your elbow, do you get stressed out when your trying playing something alittle more difficult or are you able to be relaxed and stay relaxed??
If you get alittle stressed out, you many have strained a tendon in the elbow. Just relax for a few days and see if the pain goes away. Always try to stay relaxed when you play.
Is the pain on the outside (boney side of the elbow) or on the inside?? If it's on the inside, one cause may have been from trying to lift (in a curling fashion) something that was alittle to heavy for your arms. If it's on the outside, if could possible be from playing guitar but only if you strum from the elbow.
Now if your strum from the wrist, you probably hurt it doing something outside of playing guitar. Maybe you sleep on it wrong or bumped it. Another way is you may have over-extended your elbow somehow. The pain would be on the outside on the elbow if this was the case.
Anyways, if you think it may have possibably been from any of these. Just let it relax for a few days and see if the pain goes away. If not, you should see a physician asap.
Hope that helps man.
"My whole life is a dark room...ONE BIG DARK ROOM" - a.f.i.
# 7
CTS does generate in the wrists, but the same tendons that run through the passage in the wrist, also run along the elbow. (one on the outside of the elbow, the other on the inside)
A good test to see if you are having any problems is to stand in front of another person with your palms up. Have them grab your hands and then slowly push your wrists back towards your chest with some pressure. If you experience any numbness or pain at all in your fingers after a few seconds, you should see a doctor soon.
My brother is going in for surgery for CTS in a few days. Although his is work related, that's how the doctor first noticed his problems. (besides him complaining like a baby :)) Heeehehehee. j/k
A good test to see if you are having any problems is to stand in front of another person with your palms up. Have them grab your hands and then slowly push your wrists back towards your chest with some pressure. If you experience any numbness or pain at all in your fingers after a few seconds, you should see a doctor soon.
My brother is going in for surgery for CTS in a few days. Although his is work related, that's how the doctor first noticed his problems. (besides him complaining like a baby :)) Heeehehehee. j/k
Sometimes I hit notes only dogs can hear.
# 8
thanks for those tips guys!!
noticingthemistake, i especially thank you for your time you took to write me that message. The pain however is in my left arm, not my right strumming arm. That arm is fine, unfortunately the left one isn't :( (the more important one in the end)
i been icing my elbow everyday and thats helping out, i actually think it might be something i've been doing at work, I tend to lean over my chair and relax for a while sometimes, but i put A LOT of pressure on the back of my elbow onto the head of the chair...i've tried stopping doing this, but its such a comfortable position that its annoying not to do it :P lol
but that might be the big problem. I think my wrist pain started when i was playing a song over and over again with barre chords in it. The guitar i was using had an extremely high action setting, i think that really took effect.
thanks again fortaking the time to reply!
Dispy
noticingthemistake, i especially thank you for your time you took to write me that message. The pain however is in my left arm, not my right strumming arm. That arm is fine, unfortunately the left one isn't :( (the more important one in the end)
i been icing my elbow everyday and thats helping out, i actually think it might be something i've been doing at work, I tend to lean over my chair and relax for a while sometimes, but i put A LOT of pressure on the back of my elbow onto the head of the chair...i've tried stopping doing this, but its such a comfortable position that its annoying not to do it :P lol
but that might be the big problem. I think my wrist pain started when i was playing a song over and over again with barre chords in it. The guitar i was using had an extremely high action setting, i think that really took effect.
thanks again fortaking the time to reply!
Dispy
# 9
Originally posted by Displacer
I tend to lean over my chair and relax for a while sometimes, but i put A LOT of pressure on the back of my elbow onto the head of the chair...
I guess that's your problem , cuz it's very unlikely to get strain in your fretting hand elbow from playing guitar ... You know , some people get pain in their back due to wrong sitting position .
You should push yourself to stop bad sitting/standing/etc habbits , cuz they can lead to serious injuries and problems as you get older.
# 10
Thank you for all of your replies. If there aren't too many stretches that I can do what are some warm up exercises I can do to ensure that I am properly warmed up so I don't run the risk of hurting my hands while playing?
# 11
Dispy, your welcome man. But yeah it's probably from the way you put pressure on your elbows. I know I'm starting to get back pains from the way I sit and I'm only 22. Sucks! Get yourself one of those nice office chairs, with padded arm rests. That might help.
Zach -
yeah man Id stay away from stretching your fingers and plus cranking them. I know that can be a hard habit to break but it's probably the worst thing you can do to your hand. For warming up I generally just go through chromatics, and few easy licks to get myself warmed up. Other things you can do are th1 "1234" thing. I'm sure you've seen that somewhere. Rubbing your hands together and blowing warm air on them is good too, especially when it's cold. For your picking hand you can try different picking patterns to warm up. Not just alternating picking, but stuff like "d d u d d u d". Or whatever sequence you can think. Don't do it nochalantly, think about the pattern first then do it. Helps alot with coordinating the picking hand better.
Zach -
yeah man Id stay away from stretching your fingers and plus cranking them. I know that can be a hard habit to break but it's probably the worst thing you can do to your hand. For warming up I generally just go through chromatics, and few easy licks to get myself warmed up. Other things you can do are th1 "1234" thing. I'm sure you've seen that somewhere. Rubbing your hands together and blowing warm air on them is good too, especially when it's cold. For your picking hand you can try different picking patterns to warm up. Not just alternating picking, but stuff like "d d u d d u d". Or whatever sequence you can think. Don't do it nochalantly, think about the pattern first then do it. Helps alot with coordinating the picking hand better.
"My whole life is a dark room...ONE BIG DARK ROOM" - a.f.i.
# 12
hahaha i know what ya mean man, I'm turning 21 but my left arm feels like its turning 60 sometimes :P haha
I'll try roll up a nice office chair, chances are my co-workers will steal it though, i work moving boxes of stuff around in a warehouse (small money, but good enough heh) and usually we have a cig break every now and then at the back, theres a few rickety chairs there, only comfortable if you lay your elbow over them...guess i'll stand up for the time being heheh
thanks for the advice again though!
Dispy
I'll try roll up a nice office chair, chances are my co-workers will steal it though, i work moving boxes of stuff around in a warehouse (small money, but good enough heh) and usually we have a cig break every now and then at the back, theres a few rickety chairs there, only comfortable if you lay your elbow over them...guess i'll stand up for the time being heheh
thanks for the advice again though!
Dispy
# 13
