LeftyBassist.com

Can anyone point me to articles on fretting hand pain? It’s in the pinky area.
I’ve stopped playing to see if it goes away before I call my doctor.

Thanks

I saw you post this a while ago and I do not know of any articles about that specific pain but I have read some over the years of some physical ailments from long hours of having a relative heavy instrument hanging around your neck.

I have time to time have had a pain right along the side of my right hand and then a cramp in my hand when playing live mostly but sometimes at practice. It was almost always with a MusicMan SR5. I think the neck was sort of wide but just not shaped the way that works for me best. Even though much of that could be from a connective tissue issue that runs in my family Ehlers–Danlos I did come to the conclusion that this was from poor technique and improper placement of my thumb not being on the back of the neck sort of behind my middle finger on the other side and grabbing the neck like I’m Peter North in a porn movie grabbing my own tool. My old teacher called my monkey boy. Yeh I still dig in when I want it too but I have to consciously remind myself to breath regularly, and use a lighter touch. Efficiency of movement and pressing strings down enough. I watch this jazz guy Gerald Veasley play and it looks like he isn’t even moving his hands.

There are studies that show that even the strap presses down on our neck and pinches nerves which have like a domino effect causing all sorts of spine alignment issues and even accelerated tooth decay from the pinching of nerves.

So I don’t know but really check your technique it might help and I also I play with my amp LOUD so a light touch is all I need. I practiced most of my life on the side of my bed with no amp and developed bad habits trying to hear myself.

I tihnk it's worth it for every gigging musician to buy this book:



Here's the link: http://www.drkertz.com/buy_book.html

I found quite a bit of it to be a little on the obvious side, but... maintaining my muscles and tendons through proper technique has always been an interest of mine, so that might be why.

But... mostly, the book contains some pretty cool information and is worth the purchase.

i know this is weird but on the subject of bassist hand health, lately when im playing my plucking hand goes numb, sometimes just while im plucking other times it lasts up to half an hour after ive finished playing, anybody ever had this happen?

I'm not a doctor... nor do I play one on TV...

But, to me, that sounds like one of the main indicators of carpal tunnel syndrome.

When carpal tunnel swelling occurs, it can ping nerves, causing numbness.

But... I don't wanna freak you out... I'd just definitely get it checked out if I was you.

well that sucks, guess i gotta go get that checked out.

thanks for the heads up addison, much appreciated

Lately, i have found that I've had to tweak my forearm position. it was laying (resting?) too heavily on the side of my bass. This would cause part of my forearm and hand to go numb, as well as cause my hand and fingers to cramp up like crazy.

the point being, maybe you need to look at your whole ergonomic situation, from the shoulder on down. In my case a minor positioning tweak resolved the issue.

Thanks guys. I think it is technique related too. Thumbslam thanks for the Gerald Veasley tip.
Addison I ordered the book.

Update:

In case anyone’s interested. I called my doctor about the hand pain. She ordered Meloxicam, an anti inflammatory, didn’t help. Then Tramadol, for pain, made me sick. Finally went to an orthopedist that specializes in hands. I have trigger finger. He gave me a steroid shot & said see me in two weeks if it’s still bothering you. That was yesterday, the pain is already easing up. Also said it’s ok to keep practicing the bass.

After reading Dr. Kertz’s book I realized I wasn’t stretching as often as I used too. Might be the problem. Hopefully a lesson learned.