Protecting Your Hands/wrist/fingers From Injury Options

[SlyRy]

I do not have a physical job, but I do perform physical things in my spare time (weight lifting, trying to control a 100lb German Shepherd, carrying my toddler around everywhere). What are some things to look out for or good practices to have, in order to prevent injury? Do you guys take any supplements like MSM/Glucosamine? I take fish oil on a regular basis...not sure if it helps with joints, feels like it does

thanks

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[Ulrik]

I take some fish oil capsules too, but not to prevent injury, just because it's supposed to be healthy, and I almost never eat fish.

Weightlifting: Make sure not to lift with your wrist, unless you are doing strengthening exercises to strengthen your wrist.
For example, if you work your biceps brachii, make sure to keep you wrist pretty much locked.

Carrying around a toddler can off course give you a sore neck and shoulder, but I'm more worried about a dog making a sudden pull.

Some people swear to stretching exercises. I guess it does not hurt if you do not over do it.
Personally I do not experience a benefit from stretching, but see if that helps you.


My answer is, when it comes to using your body, if it's heavy work or continous movements, be sure to have som strong muscels to begin with.

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[Todd Simpson]

I do not have a physical job, but I do perform physical things in my spare time (weight lifting, trying to control a 100lb German Shepherd, carrying my toddler around everywhere). What are some things to look out for or good practices to have, in order to prevent injury? Do you guys take any supplements like MSM/Glucosamine? I take fish oil on a regular basis...not sure if it helps with joints, feels like it does

thanks

This is a great question on a SERIOUS issue for guitar players. You get one pair of hands/arms so you have to take care of them. Imagine if you only got one pair of strings for the rest of you life, how would you treat those? Well, you do only get one pair of hands so treat them likewise. Here are some tips/tricks I use to keep from getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome/Repetitive Stress Injury etc.

1.)Always warm up before practice/Cool down afterward. Here are some gentle stretches to do every day.


2.)Drink plenty of water, especially on days when you practice.
-Lactic acid builds up in your arms/hands when you play.

3.)DO NOT play through pain. If playing ever hurts, STOP PLAYING.

Just some basic steps to help keep you shredding

Todd

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[Cosmin Lupu]

Hey mate! I've done a series of movies on the GMC youtube channel, regarding the way us guitarists, may protect our hands/ body during everyday activities. Give them a shot and take what info you need:









hope they help!

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[zen]

I'll add that you can probably wear a wrist strap while weightlifting to give em extra support.
As for the dogs, you might look into leash training for your dog or getting those harnesses where if the dog pulls hard, his head is pulled a bit back, so he stops pulling hard. I'm sure this is a common problem with dog owners and training your dog is one way of reducing the risks of injury.

Risk Management is good but so is conditioning oneself for the worst, coz injuries do happen. How one comes back from them is more important and relevant as compared to how one gets injured. And don't let the fear of getting injured affect anything.

I recommend fish oil in general, not specifically for this issue. I'm still trying out Glucosamine. Some say there are no scientific studies to suggest that it helps. So I'm trying to see if it works for me. Overall health checkup would'nt hurt to know oneself, i.e in which vitamins/minerals is one deficient in and take appropriate measures in filling up the gaps.

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[SlyRy]

thanks guys. Great videos. Yea I actually do where wrist straps when lifting and I think they have helped. I have discovered that carrying around my 2 year old causes the wrist pain (left wrist) but it doesn't seem to bother me when I play. It also subsides fairly quickly, on the days she is with her mom.

I am most concerned with some of the finger pain I am getting in my left hand. I'm not sure if it's from playing too much, or what I'm playing. I play an Ibanez and the high E tends to roll off the fretboard quiet easily. When I am playing fast, I sometimes put extra pressure on the fretboard to try and prevent the string from rolling off. I think this is causing my pain. Strangely enough, it is only in my pointer finger on the left hand.

I felt it today during the Cemetery Gates solo. There is a quick legato in this solo and when I practice just the legato, I feel the most pain. All other times I play, I feel nothing.

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[Ivan Milenkovic]

Well, try to save your fingers as much as possible. You seem to know well what you need to do, just try to do it. Don't ever start a session without warming up, and always increase tension gradually, that is a generalized example of how to save the fingers. If you do this, you can be sure nothing serious can happen. If you experience pain, stop and rest, if there is pain everyday, make a longer break, and massage the fingers. It will be OK. If the problem persist go see a specialist.

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[SlyRy]

Well, try to save your fingers as much as possible. You seem to know well what you need to do, just try to do it. Don't ever start a session without warming up, and always increase tension gradually, that is a generalized example of how to save the fingers. If you do this, you can be sure nothing serious can happen. If you experience pain, stop and rest, if there is pain everyday, make a longer break, and massage the fingers. It will be OK. If the problem persist go see a specialist.

Thanks Ivan!

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[Gary]

A recently released report studying the long term effects of Glucosamine showed very little to no added benefits. I suggest saving your money and doing the exercises.

Gary

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[Cosmin Lupu]

I've also heard a lot of experienced people (in the filed of anatomy) recommending shark cartilage based products for a good wrist maintenance I shall investigate more and come back with thorough info (and maybe test it on myself )

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[Daniel Realpe]

A very simple one is to start playing easy stuff whenever you practice for at least 15mins

then you can move on to more physically demanding licks

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[fkalich]

A recently released report studying the long term effects of Glucosamine showed very little to no added benefits. I suggest saving your money and doing the exercises.

Gary

I would be careful about buying into "studies" such as that. Nearly all of them are flawed, if you dig into them, and are misleading. This compounded by the fact that they are typically presented by someone such as a journalist who does not understand the subject. For example, I think that you will find that the test cases in the study were people with serious problems. I am pretty convinced that it is a good supplement to take for those who do not already have serous problems, as a preventative. I know it has helped me, I used to have some morning back ache, like a lot of people. But not for 10 years, since I started taking it. I don't know what other long term benefits I might get. But I know damn straight that these studies are not looking at things from this angle, they look at those who already have chronic problems, not those who are healthy. For one thing that is where the money is. And also it is just too hard to do a study of long term effect for healthy people, you just about never find a study with this kind of focus.

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