Tendenitus

I've heard that you really should only be playing for 45 minutes at a time and a maximum of 3 hours a day to avoid tendenitus, a severely crippling wrist/arm condition that can be developed. Obviously these numbers will change depending on the individual, or they might be conservative... or they might not be right at all. I know I've gone far past 45 minutes of straight playing and haven't had that condition yet. But after playing for a while (especially classical guitar) I do notice a funny tension in my wrist (typically my right one), and this isn't good at all. What do you guys think about tendenitus, do you think it's a real concern and that you should watch how much play or not?

I don't really worry about tendonitus. Sometime i'll go up to the second floor of my house and play for like 2 or 3 hours straight on, and when i finish and my hand and forearm have a tired or tense feeling, i see it as a good thing, as it's working those muscles and i'm getting faster at stuff. I thought that tendenitus came from bad habits in picking, like using the elbow while playing instead of just the wrist.

Tendonitis isn't the only thing guitarists should watch out for. But also RSI (repetitive strain injury) and Carpel tunnel syndrome.

These conditions get caused by a wrong playing technique, not stretching, not warming up,..., maybe even by playing too long, not sure about that.

This stuff is certainly not something to neglect, cause it can mess up your playing completely, and may even force you to stop playing.



Greetz, TK

I say that ain't rock and roll.

Originally posted by James
What do you guys think about tendenitus, do you think it's a real concern and that you should watch how much play or not? [/B]

I definitely feel that its something to be concerned with, and its more serious than most people think, when you feel pain its not necessarily a good thing. Everything with the guitar should be done at a gradual pace, even though we sometimes feel that we are too good to follow rules, sometimes they can save our career. Its kind of like over working yourself on the track team, and when you don't know enough to step out of the race in order to save your career. When playing any instrument (or sport for that matter), its important to know when to stop. I injured my my left wrist very badly when I was younger, its never been quite the same. I just have to know enough to be careful, but still this injury hasnt stopped me from playing Satriani's solos by heart, its all a matter of knowing your limit. [i]Its important to warm up properly before hand, especially if you intend on playing for hours at a time, (that is unless you feel the need to stick to one pattern.) Personally, when I play the guitar, I like to rely on my instincts, and whatever my impulsive solos call for, thats why its important to be prepared..

-Joseph, :).

Proper technique definitely helps reduce tendinitis.
Another thing to remember is that having your guitar strap set low enough to kill ants with your guitar is a first class ticket to a doctor's office and an ace bandage. Not only does it force you to strum and finger chords at unnatural and uncomfortable angles, it also looks.
There is a major difference between cramping and tendinitis and you will know the difference when you feel it. A good way to avoid both is drinking plently of fluids (Sounds stupid, but it's true), warming up, and proper technique.

I have to keep my instrument hiked right up, otherwise my wrist ends up in some serious pain. I think I have bad joints in general, but if I don't keep my wrist and arm lined up correctly, I know it later.

I am a huge fan of 70s and 80s lead guitarists, and I play tapping leads often, sometimes for hours. I don't know if this happens to others but I find that the next day after a long tapping session the first knuckle on my pinky finger tends to be red and sore. I don't know if its from the stretching across many frets or the repetative beating on the fretboard, but thats my biggest problem.

-Mai Zure

You know, we just have to know our limit, althoiugh with proper warm up techniques we can really damage our fingers very easily if we don't know when to quit. A friend of mine was playing very hard on stage and he damaged his left pinky really bad, it wasn't broken but as a result its never been the same again. He used to clench his hands against the fret board very tight, you have to know how to take on your favorite licks with just enough ease, even if you are in the moment on stage feeling the power from the audience and your instrument. Ide personally recomemd that practice sessions should only last two hrs at a time, giving your joints enough time to rest. Believe me, I know how easy it is to get carried away.

-Joseph, :).