Possible CTS or RSI: I can't play guitar for awhile...

i can see why this is a big problem. i've been worried about my left hand lately since i've been getting some tingling.

yo should see a doctor even if you have to pay yourself. rest alone will help but you should see someone and get some physical therapy. (disclaimer: im a physical therapist.) You need exercise, stretching, etc.

Yea, I'm calling a physical therapist Monday for an appointment.

listen the pearlthekat!

a long time ago I thought I had CTS. I could not do anything. sleep was even painful. I had the electrical test. and we discovered my wrist was fine. the trouble was in my neck C7 vertebrae was pinched and it effected my hand. I went through the P.T. learned that my posture was wrong and worked through the years to learn and achieve better posture. my 'CTS' went away. get the tests and find out. it will be worth it. five years after that incident I had a gig were I played for five hours. not one problem.
you should be able to play guitar again.

I have a sprianed wrist that is slow healing. I am going to take pearlthekats advice and get checked.

Interesting you neck is related to your wrist!

What you could try is playing with the lightest strings possible - I use 9's on all my guitars now, and have the action as low as possible. I played a friend's Strat - with 10's for about an hour or so a few weeks back, and my hand was really aching the next day, so I'm convinced that the lighter gauge works for me. I'd use 8's if I could get away with them, but in my experience, the top E snaps far too easily.

I play an SG (24.75" scale compared to a Strat 25.5" scale). I'm planning on giving my guitar to a tech to install 10-46 and intonate to see if it will help. I wonder if I use 9-42 would be too light, but at this point, I want to be pain-free. Whatever it takes. And I missed band practice tonight because of my pain. First time ever missing practice. I'm guessing it will be 6-8 weeks of taking time off. I hope they don't fire me. We have 3 guitar players so it is a possibility.

Playing position can be a major issue with wrist problems. Playing with a low-slung, horizontal guitar makes you bend your fretting wrist around at a very cramped angle to play. Puts a lot of strain on tendons. The more closely you approach the guitar, arm and hand arrangement of the classical guitarists' playing position, the better off you'll be. May not look "cool," but it works.

I play with my guitar in the position in my avatar. Actually a bit higher neck angle. That song needed a lower neck angle. But I do have the neck of the guitar quite a ways away from my body (neck/wrist forward from my body as opposed to pulled in. I know that creates stress. If I were skinnier, I'd pull it more toward the body.

Also, I angle the top of the guitar neck toward my eyes (a little bit) so that may be another problem. I know you are NOT supposed to look at the fretboard, but I do on most songs to play "right."

Just a possibility to consider: You use a Blackberry or similar? I use a Pearl (that's a Blackberry, not 'thecat :wink: ) extensively and found that I had developed Blackberry thumb on my left (fretting) hand only. Took a while to figure out it was unrelated to guitar. One day the light just dawned... Had to modify very consistently my use of the BB. Months later the thumb finally is getting better.

Hey Greg, I'm not that high-tech. I don't even own a cell phone! Glad you modified your use of the BB! :)

And you are one of the guys who have been playing forever and have no pain playing guitar. Crazy.

Might not be the guitar at all.
If you are keyboarding with bad ergonomics for long periods that'll hurt you too.

I had a bout with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and still have sensitivity to long keyboard sessions.

Use Search and look up the proper way to position and use computer keyboards. Makes a big difference.

Early treatment is Ibuprofen, ice, and rest.

My case was so bad that the only thing that has really helped beyond striving for perfect hand positioning on the keybard was learning to type in Dvorak layout for best finger efficiency. Makes me incompatible with "standard" key layout but has been well worth it.

Good luck! DO NOT JUST PUSH THRU THIS or damage will become permanent!

I have only used split ergo keyboards for the past 6 years. Still, I type 40wpm normally and type lots! Now, I'm typing only righty at 15% the rate and more mistakes! Can you elaborate on Dvorak layout?

I have only used split ergo keyboards for the past 6 years. Still, I type 40wpm normally and type lots! Now, I'm typing only righty at 15% the rate and more mistakes! Can you elaborate on Dvorak layout?

Dvorak is a guy who studied the layout of keyboards and remapped the most-used keys to be under the home row- the place where you start from. This enables the most-used keys to be pressed with minimal finger movement. Minimal movement means minimal repetetive stress or it means typing a LOT faster.

My home row's keys are from left to right: aoeui dhtns- (most used vowels left, consonents right)
You can probably web search and find a complete layout of where the keys are.

There also is a left-hand only and a right-hand only Dvorak layout for amputees. (Hope you don't need to go THERE!)

MY home keyboard is brand name DvortyBoards and has a selector switch to enable/disable Dvorak mode and every key has the Dvorak key in large print and the non-Dvorak in small. Switching back and forth is necessary for non-Dvorak admin.

MS Windows has keyboard drivers under Regional Settings that allow Dvorak mapping. Problem is that the keycaps still have the old mapping so the rule is - don't look down! This is what I have to do at work. A previous employer bought me a Dvortyboard as an ergonomic aid. After layoff there (keyboard was company property) my new employer won't even buy me a cup of coffee so a new keyboard is out of the question. But I touch-type anyway so no big deal. Just don't look down. It also keeps people from using my PC because they can't figure out why the letters come out wrong :-)

I used a typing tutor program to learn the new layout. It took a couple of weeks to be able to go slowly. Monday mornings (weekend typing not done) were hard for about a year. I'd been touch-typing standard layout for well over 20 years when I needed to convert.

I hope that answers the question. :-)

I've wondered if touch-typists had an advantage at learning guitar... anybody?

I wish you a speedy recovery, Dennis.

Hope you are able to play guitar ASAP without that darn pain.

Good Luck !

Unimogbert, interesting read on Dvorak. I took 3 years of typing in h.s. and been doing it for 25 years (not as a job). I like the idea of that keyboard.

Rahul, yea, I miss rockin' out!

Well, I'm wearing 2 braces on my left hand now. The "broken arm" brace helps because I don't grab anything with my left hand! Gonna see doc this coming week.

Thanks for all of you who help me throuh this, seriously. It is TOUGH not to play. I've shed tears many times.

Hey Dennis, I'm glad your going to seek professional help. I've had CTS for the last 7-8 years. Physical therapy can help. I've managed to stay away from having the surgery.I can play for about 45 minutes at a time . I'm lucky :wink: My Wife had CTS and had surgery on both wrists at the same time about 2 years ago. She recovered fairly quick :D I hope this is just a temporary set back for you.

Please keep us posted on your progress

Wow, I'm glad (sick thinking) that I'm not the only one. It helps me know I'm not the only jackazz who has gone beyond and stressed out the joints/tendons.

I'll see the doctor at my appointment Wed 3-12-08. :shock:

I'm sad, like an addict. I put my guitar in the case in another room to get it away from being esaily palyed. Yet I find myself grabbing it on at times right before bed to grab it. It's a sick addiction. And, I guess that is a big point. I KNOW I should not play while my wrist is damaged, but I break down and do for very short periods.

I hope the Dr. figures out what I need to do to get healed. The band has a gig 3-15-18, but I won't be able to play. I CAN play, but with MASSIVE pain. It just kills me. Further, one of our 3 guitar players may not be able to make it (long story). So I may be asked to play regardless. It will take a ton of beer to quell the pain if I am to play.

Still, we'll see what the Dr. says on Wednedsay.

don't play. you're not doing yourself any good by playing and you're probably making it worse. i know you've not been playing (regularly anyway) for a while now, but it may be a while before you should start again. i know it's hard. :(

Yea, it's REALLY difficult. I can't even explain how hard it is. It's like having a bbq steak sitting in front of me! Some nights I hang the guitar on the wall and get angered I can't play it. Most nights (since this injury) it's sitting in the case so I can't readily play it.

Tomorrow at 2pm I'll spend quite a bit for a Dr. to tell me what I've done wrong and, hopefully, how to move on to (maybe/maybe not) get back to guitar.

Best of luck to you with your problem. I have some minor symptoms of CTS myself, but found it mostly bothered me when I would sleep with my hands in a curled up position usually due to stress. I'd wake up with my hands feeling like they were swollen and asleep. I try to keep my wrists in a relaxed non stressed position whenever posible, especially when I sleep, and so far I am lucky enough it hasn't affected my playing. My wife is having problems with it right now and her doctor has prescribed braces for her to wear when she sleeps to keep her wrists in a neutral position. The things that will make me notice it are too much time on the computer and I'm afraid my new Yamaha keyboard might agitate it. My guitar technique must be good or something because I can play for hours without any problems. Now who would have thought that? As far as the neck problem mimicking CTS, my friends daughter ran into that only the doctors were having trouble agreeing on it. One would advise the carpal tunnel surgery and the other surgery on her cervical spine. Cervical spine surgery is scarey. Her repetitive motion would be use of sissors as she is a cosmotoligist. I guess I'm saying lots of people have problems with this. Doesn't make it any better that you got it but you are not alone. :wink: I don't know what I would do if playing guitar started exacerbating mine. Well, I'd certainly talk to my doctor though, so I think you are on the right path.