How should I hold my guitar to prevent wrist pain?
Tyler S asked:
I’ve been playing an electric guitar for almost a year now, and recently after practicing for an hour or two, my wrist has been sore, and stays sore all day. Am I stupid or am I just holding the guitar wrong? Hasn’t hurt until now. Help please.
I’ve been playing an electric guitar for almost a year now, and recently after practicing for an hour or two, my wrist has been sore, and stays sore all day. Am I stupid or am I just holding the guitar wrong? Hasn’t hurt until now. Help please.
If you are holding your guitar neck up while you play that will cause strain because there is no release of stress off your tendons. usually the best method is to squeeze a stress ball to make your wrist stronger or tighten up your guitar strap. shortening the distance between the end of the neck and your wrist will help. I developed a similar problem while playing a V design guitar that does not allow me to sit.
Great advice from Travis. I’d also like to add that if your guitar strap has your guitar down around your knees, this won’t help either.
I know some think it looks cool, but for best playing position your guitar, with the strap on and standing up, should be in roughly the same position as when you’re sitting.
Also…do some warm up exercises before trying those intense shredding exercises or extreme string bends.
You probably simply strained your wrist some other way without knowing it…keep it wrapped up with an ace bandage for a while.
Best of luck.
Wherever you have a bunch of guitarists gathered together you are going to find some guys who have experienced a lot of pain in their hands, wrists and arms. There’s no way of telling for sure that the source of the pain is your guitar practice but it’s reasonable to think that it’s not helping it get better. If you can give yourself a rest from guitar playing for a week or so, give it a try. Also look into the various excercises that you can try to strengthen your fingers. Finally don’t assume you can fix this by asking questions on the net. If you try taking a break, try doing things a little differently, and your not getting to a solution, go see a doctor. I’ve heard about guys who have had to give up the guitar for months because they’ve played through the pain. Good luck.
Most likely the pain in your wrist is a result of further progression into the guitar, your playing faster and more complex things now so your hands are getting more of a workout. The pain could also be a result of developing bad playing habits/position, but this is unlikely because the best way to hold a guitar is the way that feels most natural.
When sitting and playing your guitar shouldn’t be angled up too high, maybe a few degrees past pointing straight. Your fingering hand should have your thumb coming up around the neck for chording, but when playing single notes or power chording your thumb should be on the line of the back of the neck. You picking hand usually rests on the guitars bridge.
When standing you don’t want to have it over angled because it will cause more stress on your fingering hand because your now partially holding your guitar up. The height of your guitar strap should be set at the same height you would have it at if your sitting. When adjusting your guitar strap, set it while sitting down then so its set to the same position as if your sitting.
Just try and find a comfortable position, if your still confused and arent sure you are at the right position, watch someone else play the guitar and do what they do.
Remember eventually your wrists will get stronger and you’ll no longer feel the pain unless you begin to push yourself again by playing faster and even more complex things.
i don’t think that there is any way ive been playing for almost 4 years and my wrist started to hurt too but it comes with practice. the more you play the more you can get used to it.