# HELP!!!!, I'M DEVELOPING RSI



## 1metalman1 (Jun 7, 2007)

I joined a band several months ago and have begun to get a sharp pain in my strumming wrist (right wrist). I think its due to the fact that there is no time to warm up before the gigs. We play quite fast stuff so my wrist takes a pounding. I rested my wrist for 6 weeks and began to start playing the fast stuff my band plays. Unfortunately the pain returned. The pain is only in my wrist at the moment. Can someone help me please?


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## HighGain510 (Jun 7, 2007)

Couldn't you just show up a bit earlier to the show so you WOULD get time to warm up? All it means is setting aside an extra 15 mins or so, doesn't seem like too much time to me?


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## 7 Dying Trees (Jun 7, 2007)

Warm up, stretch, and see if that helps. If you do a lot of typing/mouse work then try minimising that and correcting your posture.

But ALWAYS
warm up, it does help.


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## 1metalman1 (Jun 7, 2007)

The places where i play gigs have no backstage. This means i would have to take my guitar around with me through the crowds if i were to warm up. Thats not a good thing


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## Drew (Jun 7, 2007)

Is it better than fucking up your wrist? My money says, yes. 

I'll write more later, I've studied this shit a lot. For the time being, though, take a week off guitar, start popping ibuprofin like your wrist depends on it, and re-evaluate your playing posture. Also,d rink a lot of water, and stay off anything that'll dehydrate you - coffee, alcohol, soda - for a bit.


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## Pauly (Jun 7, 2007)

Aye, if you're slinging your guitar low you might have to consider raising it up a fair bit so you're wrist is more naturally angled for playing. Also like everyone else says rest + warming up is a MUST. You don't want to be off playing for 6 months because you ruined your wrist.


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## Vince (Jun 7, 2007)

If you're hurting your wrist playing guitar, chances are you are using incorrect posture. Your wrist should be straight 95% of the time you play guitar. There should be no tension or trouble coming from your left wrist. If there is, you may need to work with a teacher to correct your technique.

Also, doing stretching exercises like in the Petrucci DVD, that stretch your wrist and fingers out do wonders. Stretch your wrist back and hold it for 2 minutes, then stretch it forward and hold it for 2 minutes. Roll it around and loosen up the tendons.


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## El_Camello (Jun 8, 2007)

hey, i had that on and off. i found this RSI fix that worked for me and others.

it was Matt Furey: carpal tunnel fix or something.

i bet you can find it on googlevideo or youtube.

its a series of really simple exercises that actually work.

the ones i remember are 

1. take a beaach towel. squeeze it like if it was full of water and you were trying to get the water out.

2. put your hands parrallel to the gorund, pointing away from you, with thumbs on the top (kinda like if you were clapping or something). then move your wrist (while keeping the hand parrallel) so that the thumbs comes towards you. (hard to explain).

3. this was the most helpful for me: take a large sheet of newpaper. put the corner in your hand, then using ONLY your hand/arm/wrist bring all the sheet into your hand, crumbling it and make it into a ball. unwrap it (or get a new sheet). do it again. and again. and again. do it while watching a movie or while doing something that you don't need your hands. actually do all the exercises like this.

hope that makes sense. goodluck!


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## Blackrg (Jun 8, 2007)

As a journalist I have suffered from really bad RSI in the past and had physio. 

I learnt that everything really is connected - it all hangs off your spine.

For me, this meant that how I held my head - staring forward at the computer screen - was causing pain in my forearm and wrist. 

In addition to the Petrucci exercises, which are great for guitar warm up, and those recommended above (including changing guitar position) I would recommend you try the Chin Tuck exercise. 

Don't over strain, just do it gently, you just need to it 5 or 6 times a day. Also do it and try turning your head side to side. You'll hear some cracking sounds. If it hurts stop and try it more gently

Check out how to do these exercises here

Exercises

Knots and nodules

Also if you have a friendly masseur, or someone friendly who will do this, get them to slowly poke a finger firmly into your back, all over and up and down the line of shoulder blades and all over the top of your shoulders.

Youll find some places where there is extreme pain - your posture is causing knots to build up. Your assistant will notice a little knot that wiggles around under their fingers.

To disperse these knots get them to apply one or two finger pressure on to them until you stop screaming/or notice the pain diminish. You can also rub something like deep heat onto them.

Good luck!


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## 1metalman1 (Jun 8, 2007)

Thanks for all of the advice. My guitar is around stomach height when i play live. I think the problem has come from playing tremolo picking riffs. I tend to tense up to try and get as fast as possible. When i wasn't gigging i could get up to 230bpm, 4 notes per beat, without any pain at all. This is because i warmed up and was relaxed throughout playing. But when i started to play a certain tremolo picked section in a song, without warming up, the pain came back. So i guess the answer is always warm up properly before i play. Even if i have to walk through the crowds with my BC Rich Warlock stabbing people in the eye. LOL


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## noodles (Jun 8, 2007)

1metalman1 said:


> The places where i play gigs have no backstage. This means i would have to take my guitar around with me through the crowds if i were to warm up. Thats not a good thing



Same with us, which is why we stand side stage and warm up. There has to be somewhere in the club where you are pre-staging all your equipment.


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## 1metalman1 (Jun 15, 2007)

I had a gig last night. Before the gig i did a few wrist stretches and mobility exercises. Then i got my guitar out and started playing through chromatic exercises, gradually increasing the speed. After i had played the gig my wrist was fine, there was no pain what so ever. Seems like all i had to do was warm up. How stupid am i?. Thanks again for all the advice.


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## noodles (Jun 15, 2007)

Don't stress it, man. Just be thankful that you recognized the warnings your body was giving you, correcting the problem before it became chronic.


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## HamBungler (Jun 17, 2007)

1metalman1 said:


> Thanks for all of the advice. My guitar is around stomach height when i play live. I think the problem has come from playing tremolo picking riffs. I tend to tense up to try and get as fast as possible. When i wasn't gigging i could get up to 230bpm, 4 notes per beat, without any pain at all. This is because i warmed up and was relaxed throughout playing. But when i started to play a certain tremolo picked section in a song, without warming up, the pain came back. So i guess the answer is always warm up properly before i play. Even if i have to walk through the crowds with my BC Rich Warlock stabbing people in the eye. LOL



Stabbing people in the eye is bad...

but RSI is worse, so I think they'll understand!


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