should my arm hurt after playing?

Yours is a good account, clearly expressed, and I like the way you ask your question separately on the last line.

It makes me think of the daily plethora of questions and answers that I see on Yahoo answers under "Health" or "Diseases and Conditions".

And WOW, this is the guitar forum, but it is a medical issue. :wink: I'm not a doctor, and there is at least one here, and a professor, and other pros.

I studied Anatomy/Physiology/Biology and Psychology, but got my Degrees in Psychology/English (though I can't communicate) and later in Business/Management. I did some Teaching without the customary credentials, and had to do counseling and physiotherapy/rehabilitation in "Special Schools".

Ummm...... I think you have strained your arm. I believe it is a normal muscle issue. That doesn't usually happen, but I have held my arm the way you would, and as you've described, and see the potential for strain of muscles. It is not pulled tendons, tendonitis, or ligament type damage, so it is nothing serious. Perhaps it is in the way you hold the neck of the guitar - you might have a unique and stressful style? So, look at others. :D

You could either leave it, which might produce some atrophy and laziness in the muscle, then more weakness, or exercise moderately, and play the guitar, just slightly less until it is conditioned and no longer bothers you. If you have real concerns after another 2 weeks, or in a month; before that busy season is upon us, maybe see your family Doctor for an expert opinion, and a further, slightly more aggressive course of treatment.

A squeezee ball, or hand exerciser is a good thing, and not uncommon for guitar players to use. It primarily is for the fingers, but many other muscles are worked at the same time, just to abduct or move the fingers. You can squeeze the ball as hard as you want, but when holding the guitar, just try to hang on nominally, relax, don't fear dropping it, and try the light touch on the fretboard. If light touch doesn't get you the notes or chords you are attempting, consider that the action may be too high, with strings too far from the board. That might even be the cause, I don't know.

If you wish, see this http://www.interstatemusic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10051&langId=-1&productId=900253500 or this http://www.cleverjoe.com/articles/gripmaster_hand_finger_exerciser.html All the best!

That you for the reply. I understand what you mean about asking medical questions in a guitar forum. My thought was that I teach motorcycle riding classes, and it is very common for students to come back the second day with sore muscles in their clutch hand from never using those muscles in that way. It feels like it it is the muscles that control the tendons in the fingers are the ones that are sore, and since it did not start until a I started a new activity, I figured I would ask here first.

I have tried to look at different videos online to see about holding the guitar. I don't know anyone that actually plays guitar, although an old boss of mine plays bass, I might ask him if I am holding it right. My schedule does not permit me taking lessons in a more formal setting. :( Do you think there would be any advantage to going into a music store, grabbing a guitar off the rack, and asking them how to hold it (assuming the person in the store plays)?

I love this site! you guys (and girls) have so much information to share. Thanks in advance!

I'm thinking, from your description, that it's carpal tunnel syndrome. I only say that because I have CTS. Go see a Dr.!

i'm certainly no doctor but i'd be 97% certain that its just muscle strain as you force them to do new things...that said if the pain does not ease after a days rest then consider other possibilities.

I remember various aches and pains caused by tension and bad posture...back,neck,hands,shoulder,forearm and even some leg pain?????? but you soon get into a groove and begin to worry about other things instead.

easy to say (hard to do) but try to stay relaxed when playing and let your body grow accustomed to the world of guitar.

welcome to the noise BTW

i'm certainly no doctor but i'd be 97% certain that its just muscle strain as you force them to do new things...that said if the pain does not ease after a days rest then consider other possibilities.

Pain went away after about 20 minutes..

I have worried about CTS before, I use a computer about 15 hours a day, and the workspace at work is not the best ergonomically speaking....

I think some of it might also be a flexibility thing. rotating my hand to the point of palm to the frets is about the limit of my rotation, especially when moved out from the torso...

It sounds to me like you're over-cooking it in the early days. Keep practise sessions short - the lessons I give in schools are no longer than 15 minutes for most kids, with only a few having the luxury of 20 minutes - and make sure you warm up before you play.

A :-)

And if you have any friends who play, get them to have a look at your playing position.

It's normal enough to be a little sore when you do something a little new. BUt only a little!

Very possible that it's just new movement equals new soreness. But also possible that there's something about your positioning that isn't right, and you might as well fix it now as later.

Best,
Ande

PS- if you don't have a guitarist friend to call on, take a pic of yourself playing and post here!

I know with me, if I've got a different strumming pattern, or it's very choppy, my arm aches afterwards because I'm not used to using the arm in that way, so I tend to lean on the side of it will go away after a while. It's not something the body is used to.

Yes, feel free to go into a guitar store and ask for help with holding the guitar and posture, I always find music store staff more than willing to help with tips.
I had a similar problem this week, I hadn't played the guitar in some time and the hand was aching after not practising long, so I just took a rest and its ok now. Acoustic guitars require a lot more strength than an electric, so if your on an acoustic then just be patient :)

Yeah, it is acoustic. I have a guy at work who plays bass who said he will help with hand position sometime in the next couple of weeks (different building, and our schedules don't match very well).

I have been looking at pictures online, and decided the neck was sitting way too far into the webbing between finger and thumb. I moved the neck more to my thumbprint and it seems to be better. Also I think it is some flexibility. turning my hand palm towards me, and I am at the limit of rotation. I am starting to think it is more of a conditioning/positioning thing.

Your wrist is "at the limit of rotation"? It sounds like you are holding the guitar body too close to horizontal. I think a lot of beginners try to turn the face of the guitar so they can see the neck better. I know I did. :oops: Try rotating the guitar to a more vertical plane and your wrist won't be so tightly curled. Not the length of the guitar, but the width, perpindicular to the neck. Does that make sense?

Of course, then you can't see where your fingers are on the frets, but you have to learn to see your fingering from a different perspective. Finding your way around the frets without being able to see your fingers seems impossible at first, especially with the depth of an acoustic body. I used to get a sore neck from leaning forward to "see around" to the front of the fretboard.

Don't know if that's what's causing your discomfort, but if not, try different ways of holding the guitar, sitting and standing and see if you find a more relaxed posture. Good luck.

Dave "Who" Else

I think it's just because of these unused muscles. When your arm starts hurting, take a brake for a few minutes and than start playing again. If you'll keep playing everyday at least for 30 minutes, after some time the pain should disappear.