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Guitar Elbow?

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(@parrow)
Active Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 5
Topic starter  

At the outset, I'll admit I'm and old guy - 51. Aside from occasional twinges of tendinitis, guitar playing has been relatively painless. Over the last week or so I've been playing a lot and doing a lot of bends. All of a sudden, I noticed that my left elbow is a bit sore, and is bruised (particularly on the inside). It almost looks like when a baseball pitcher tweakes his elbow. Anyone else ever have this? Any thoughts? Thanks.


   
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(@katmetal)
Prominent Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 726
 

I only get that when I play my son's "Guitar Hero"! :mrgreen: Seriously though; In my opinion (for what it's worth) string bending should come from your fingers, not moving your whole arm. Although, I suppose different players do it differently, but that is how I have always done it.

It would seem that you are overworking your forearm, especially if it is bruised. I do know the feeling however. When learning a new lick/technique, etc. we do tend to overdo it & that is not always a good thing. Take a look at your form, you may be holding or moving your arm in an unnatural way that is overly stressing it.

Just my .02. :wink:


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 10264
 

I'm in pretty much the same age bracket; the places I tend to feel it most after a long session are my left wrist, and in the webbing between my thumb and hand. It always seems to have disappeared by the following day, though.

I do remember one time I had a sore right knee though - someone had adjusted the strap on my guitar, and I must have compensated, unconsciously, by bending my knee to get the guitar at the right height!

Aches and pains, I find these days, are just something you've got to put up with - if the price of playing guitar is an aching wrist for a couple of hours, hell I can live with that. Seems I've got to!

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
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 Celt
(@celt)
Famed Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 2649
 

You may actually be suffering from Tennis Elbow (lateral epicondylitis)

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/elbow/tenniselbow.htm

I am also in the same age group as you and it happened to me only in my right elbow.
Seems it was a combination of my guitar playing and some poor work habits.

When it flairs up I use one of the supports mentioned in the article above and it really helps.

Of course for a diagnosis see your doctor I'm not qualified to give medical advice.

John

My SoundClick Page

Collaborations

" It's easier than waiting around to die" Townes Van Zandt


   
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(@tmarius)
Trusted Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 49
 

I only get that when I play my son's "Guitar Hero"! :mrgreen: Seriously though; In my opinion (for what it's worth) string bending should come from your fingers, not moving your whole arm. Although, I suppose different players do it differently, but that is how I have always done it.

I once read Angus Young saying that cause he was such a little guy he had to get his whole body into the bend :lol:


   
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(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

I am also an old guy. at the moment I have severe tendonitis in both arms from an injury thta occured in December.
with physical therapy things have improved immensely.
there is a stretch you can do to loosen up your sore elbow. hold the arm out straight, but not hyper extended (a slight bend is best). then with your opposite hand bend the fingers of the extended arm back slowly and hold. ahh, feel the burn?
next, bend the fingers the other way; towards the palm. do both arms.
another good stretch: place your arm out in front of you. palm up. (Give Me the Money).
next, make a fist and bring the fist to your shoulder (Taking the Money).
next move the arm out to your side should height opening the palm as you do this (Giving the Money Away).
reverse all positions and repeat several times.
this has loosened up the muscles in the forearm. they then release the tight grip on the tendons.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
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(@gotdablues)
Estimable Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 129
 

I only get that when I play my son's "Guitar Hero"! :mrgreen: Seriously though; In my opinion (for what it's worth) string bending should come from your fingers, not moving your whole arm. Although, I suppose different players do it differently, but that is how I have always done it.

I'm sorry but I'll have to dissagree with that statement. Personally I can't bend a string that way. The way I was taught was, you use the same motion as turning a door knob (with your left hand), so all bending and vibrato power should be delivered by the forearm muscle. The fingers should remain mostly stiff, but can adjust some (straighten or colapse) as needed to aid in the bend /vibrato.

I tried for a year doing it fingers only and never had a strong convincing bend, until someone explained the above process to me :D

Pat


   
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(@katmetal)
Prominent Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 726
 

'm sorry but I'll have to dissagree with that statement. Personally I can't bend a string that way. The way I was taught was, you use the same motion as turning a door knob (with your left hand), so all bending and vibrato power should be delivered by the forearm muscle. The fingers should remain mostly stiff, but can adjust some (straighten or colapse) as needed to aid in the bend /vibrato.

I tried for a year doing it fingers only and never had a strong convincing bend, until someone explained the above process to meI've tried a few different ways, & the finger method seems to work best for me, although now that I think about it, I may "slip" back & forth into different methods. I guess it may depend if it is a light vibrate touch or heavy that I am going for. It may seem easier for me because I use light strings too. (9's) Also, some guys have really strong forearms; Have you seen Zakk Wylde lately? He must have been bulking up! :shock: He does a lot of excessive bending, especially with his signature pinch harmonics!

I guess it just boils down to what works best for each individual, taking into account your personal body mechanics.


   
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(@gnease)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

I'm sorry but I'll have to dissagree with that statement. Personally I can't bend a string that way. The way I was taught was, you use the same motion as turning a door knob (with your left hand), so all bending and vibrato power should be delivered by the forearm muscle. The fingers should remain mostly stiff, but can adjust some (straighten or colapse) as needed to aid in the bend /vibrato.

I tried for a year doing it fingers only and never had a strong convincing bend, until someone explained the above process to me :D

Pat

There are many variations, and we each do what works for us: I bend completely with fingers and vibrato by rotation (as you describe). On the other hand :roll: is tremolo picking, for which people also use various combinations of fingers, wrist and forearm to achieve the effect. So there are various examples -- successful examples -- of different ways to do these things. Given a specific weakness or disability, it's often possible to change or relearn technique to compensate and improve.

If this is a new problem, PArrow, see a good doctor to determine the reasons and adjust. At the grand ole age of 51, healing of these tendon and muscle injuries takes a lot longer than "once upon a time." And we all know that won't improve. I've have had minor elbow, hand and neck twinges due to other reasons linger for many months -- probably because I didn't stop or adjust my guitar playing.

-=tension & release=-


   
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(@parrow)
Active Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 5
Topic starter  

Thank you all for your comments. I think its a combination of overuse and lack of stretching. I'm sure working on a computer keybord a lot does not help. I'll give it a bit of a rest (if I can), do some stretching, pay attention to ergonomics, and see what happens. Thanks again, Paul.


   
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(@gotdablues)
Estimable Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 129
 

Well there is surely more than one way to play the guitar...

However, most of your strength for an action like this is going to come from the large muscle of the forearm.
Again, go to any door in your house, reach out and turn the knob, normally...NOW do it with your fingers only!
Sure you can do it with the fingers, but which way was easier?

This is absolutly the best explaination I've heard about doing a bend, and I've been through numorus guitar teachers
and still not a real good Rock sound. Until someone online mentioned this method...

Who? Guitar Principles.....No Joke :D

Took my first Guitar lesson when I was 8,
Am in my 40s-now and I'm finally starting to really get it.

Pat


   
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(@dagwood)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 1024
 

DOH!!!

I just glanced at the headline when I clicked it... I was thinking "E-BOW" for guitar.

Cuz some guy at my church uses on and I'm really curious. :)

I feel dumb....... I'll leave now.

Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing. - Wernher Von Braun (1912-1977)


   
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