Wrist Tendonitis?

[Zap]

Anybody ever get it in their wrist by their thumb? If I make a fist with my thumb on top, nail facing toward the ceiling, and bend my wrist upwards I get a weird pain going up through my wrist. Been icing it for the past few days and trying to stay away from my guitars. Definitely not easy. I'm thinking it's coming from wrapping my thumb around the neck.

 

[Shark Diver]

I never had issues until I dropped the gauge of my strings from 13s down to 10s. Now I experience all kinds of issues with my wrist and elbow Sometimes pain - but a lot of weakness mostly. But I'm not sure trying to go back up in gauge would help, probably make it worse at this point.

 

[Zap]

I've been consistently playing 10s on my Strats for almost a year and can bend the hell out of the strings. Can't imagine it's the gauge.

 

[MrDan666]

Do you type a lot on computers? If so, i would bet that is the problem. Years ago I screwed my wrists up from typing for long hours on computers..

Anyway regardless of the cause, i would recommend dropping to a slightly lower string gauge for the time being as it will put much less stress on your tendons and allow for a quicker recovery.

 

[Zap]

Do you type a lot on computers? If so, i would bet that is the problem. Years ago I screwed my wrists up from typing for long hours on computers..

Anyway regardless of the cause, i would recommend dropping to a slightly lower string gauge for the time being as it will put much less stress on your tendons and allow for a quicker recovery.

I actually do, but it has kind of always been that way. Maybe I'll just use my right hand for typing for awhile. In other news, I tried playing my Tele backwards for kicks. What a bitch! Felt like I've never touched a guitar before!

 

[Shark Diver]

I've been consistently playing 10s on my Strats for almost a year and can bend the hell out of the strings. Can't imagine it's the gauge.

No, I wasn't implying it was the gauge. Just that when I changed gauges it messed me up. I was merely sympathizing.

 

[gtrwun]

Anybody ever get it in their wrist by their thumb? If I make a fist with my thumb on top, nail facing toward the ceiling, and bend my wrist upwards I get a weird pain going up through my wrist. Been icing it for the past few days and trying to stay away from my guitars. Definitely not easy. I'm thinking it's coming from wrapping my thumb around the neck.

I have a similar issue, but its with my right (picking) hand. I got a cortisone injection and it helped for about 6-8 months, now its right back where it started. It's very annoying and constantly hurts. I did the x-rays and the whole deal, and the doctors acted like I was crazy and gave me the shot so i'd shut up im sure. Getting ready to go back in and start the whole thing over again. I also had to lighten up the guage on most my guitars because of a pain I am having in my index finger on my left hand. Basically I cant use my index finger now to do any kind of vibrato. Sends excruciating pain thru my finger. Getting old is a bitch.

 

[Zap]

I've been consistently playing 10s on my Strats for almost a year and can bend the hell out of the strings. Can't imagine it's the gauge.

No, I wasn't implying it was the gauge. Just that when I changed gauges it messed me up. I was merely sympathizing.

Ah! Gotcha!

 

[cardinal]

I ran into problems twice. Once seemed purely guitar related, the other was more related to bad posture while typing. What helped me each time was not playing guitar, wearing a brace anytime I was using my wirst, and stretching the wrist literally anytime I wasn't using it. An lots of NSAIDs.

Took a while, but it's fine again. Now I'm careful with posture when typing, warming up before playing, and backing off when I feel the wrist getting worn again.

Good luck!

 

[frankencat]

Going through it right now.

 

[Purpleibby]

Ouch, sorry to hear about this. I had some trouble once, laying off guitar, nsaids, rest and a lot of patience and it eventually got better.....but with all i've learned about nsaids and tinnitus recently...I'm careful with that stuff now.....just something to be aware of.

 

[just42dave]

I ran into problems twice. Once seemed purely guitar related, the other was more related to bad posture while typing. What helped me each time was not playing guitar, wearing a brace anytime I was using my wirst, and stretching the wrist literally anytime I wasn't using it. An lots of NSAIDs.

Took a while, but it's fine again. Now I'm careful with posture when typing, warming up before playing, and backing off when I feel the wrist getting worn again.

Good luck!

this

 

[Enjolras56]

Could be a number of things.
Can you clarify for me a bit more about the direction you bend your wrist to make it hurt? (Like you're doing a wrist curl, or like you're like you're moving your fist to the side if that makes sense)
Where exactly does it hurt in your wrist?
Does it hurt while you're playing?
How old are you? (You don't have to answer this if you don't want, but arthritis symptoms start showing up mid-40s to 50's.)

 

[Shark Diver]

.but with all i've learned about nsaids and tinnitus recently...I'm careful with that stuff now.....just something to be aware of.

What is that?

 

[Zap]

Could be a number of things.
Can you clarify for me a bit more about the direction you bend your wrist to make it hurt? (Like you're doing a wrist curl, or like you're like you're moving your fist to the side if that makes sense)
Where exactly does it hurt in your wrist?
Does it hurt while you're playing?
How old are you? (You don't have to answer this if you don't want, but arthritis symptoms start showing up mid-40s to 50's.)

Picture how your hand would look if you were to hand a girl flowers (let the jokes roll). If I make a fist and bend my hand upwards, I feel it where my thumb meets my wrist. It's the only direction the hand isn't supposed to move, and it has only been painful in the past from pole planting when I used to ski. I think it was the repeated pounding of my wrist while grasping the pole, but I haven't done anything similar that would cause it to hurt like this. I'm nearly 28, but I'm hypermobile (double-jointed in lay terms), so I'm at a greater risk of injuring joints.

 

[Heritage Softail]

Two words

Dutch Rudder...

 

[Anonymous]

i had it so bad at one point, i had to quit playing for a few months.

my chiropractor showed me a small massaging technique to use for it (your exact symptoms).

take your right thumb and dig it into the area between the two muscles right below your elbow on top or your left arm (or left thumb, right arm). theres a few tendons in there that run down to your fingers.

it hurts like a bitch at first....but, after you loosen them up real good, and massage the rest of that area of your arm, it should feel tons better. good luck with it...i know how bad it sucks.

 

[Zap]

i had it so bad at one point, i had to quit playing for a few months.

my chiropractor showed me a small massaging technique to use for it (your exact symptoms).

take your right thumb and dig it into the area between the two muscles right below your elbow on top or your left arm (or left thumb, right arm). theres a few tendons in there that run down to your fingers.

it hurts like a bitch at first....but, after you loosen them up real good, and massage the rest of that area of your arm, it should feel tons better. good luck with it...i know how bad it sucks.

It's already starting to feel much better! THANK YOU!!!

 

[Anonymous]

i had it so bad at one point, i had to quit playing for a few months.

my chiropractor showed me a small massaging technique to use for it (your exact symptoms).

take your right thumb and dig it into the area between the two muscles right below your elbow on top or your left arm (or left thumb, right arm). theres a few tendons in there that run down to your fingers.

it hurts like a bitch at first....but, after you loosen them up real good, and massage the rest of that area of your arm, it should feel tons better. good luck with it...i know how bad it sucks.

It's already starting to feel much better! THANK YOU!!!

awesome man...dig in there in and around that whole area....the less it hurts over time when you're digging, the more you're doing to loosen that area and relieve the stress on your tendons.

glad to help bro!