Elbow pain

BillyBob

My elbow is killing me, and it seems to have coincided with the purchase of the Gypsy Picking book.

Is there something I'm doing wrong. I noticed that Wrembel mentions elbow tendonitis in his book.

Is there such a thing as "rest stroke elbow"?

MichaelHorowitz

Sounds like you may be playing with a tight wrist, causing you to generate too much motion from your elbow.

I've never had any problem with my elbow, nor have I ever heard of others having any problems. Most people have more trouble with the wrist.

My guess is that if you concentrate on staying relaxed you'll feel a lot better.

-Michael

Jack

In addition to the tight wrist, be aware of ring and pinky fingers-clenching them while you play can put a lot of stress on the ulnar nerve, which runs from the neck all the way down to the hand.



There's a condition called Cubital Tunnel Syndrome that results when the nerve is trapped or pinched in the elbow joint (see also Guyon's Canal Syndrome for a similar problem at the wrist joint). I've had passing elbow pain in the past; it mostly seemed to come from trying to play too fast and tensing up as a result.

At any rate, I think Michael has given the best advice already-stay relaxed!

WowBobWow

A few years ago I had a wrist and arm problem too (also my sholuder area would swell up if I stopped playing for a few days, so I felt I had to keep playing daily so the cycle was pretty vicious).

I agree completely that staying relaxed is important. What also help solve my issues and has kept them at bay is that I do the following every time I practice:

1) Stretch out your sholuders/arms/hands/. What helps me most is do a stretch where I put my palms together behind me and this position opens up my shoulders and fixes/readies my posture for playing. I'm sure I look ridiculous but oh well, it is better than having the old pains which were super annoying.

2) Sit well when you play. No couches, not in bed, not on a log where you feel uneasy. Get a good chair. I think slouching over is bad for your nerves and circulation. For some people it works for them but for me, I can't do it. When playing I try and keep my back straight against the chair as best as I can and I use a foot rest (and when I slouch or hunch over I try and bring myself back to a good position again), but you should still feel comfortable, not robotic.

3) Warm up. I don't start playing songs at 200 plus beats per minute. I feel it's a bad way for me to slip into back habits or rip something. I also start with very slow metronome exercises (see the first six tracks on the Wrembel CD and that is what I mean) and the same goes for rhythm playing: do a ballad or play a medium tune before getting faster. There is nothing wrong with playing slow (lots of Django tunes are at medium 120 to 180 tempos and he is swinging and on fire, and the rhythm bounces like, well, you know it when you hear it)

4) Take breaks. This is a physical type of playing and should be in the olypmics. It is not good to sit for 5 hours straight playing this type of music unless your stamina and power has been grown into playing that long like an athlete who trains themself. I think --like Michael mentions in the books -- 10 (or 15) minutes of playing and then a brief stretch break is good. A break also lets the muscle memory work kick in and do its work. A break also lets you see if you are playing tense or slipping.

5) Keep a practice journal. I've got a weekly journal of riffs/arpeggios/tunes to memorize or run through/solos to learn/etc that helps me focus when I play for an hour or two and I've got my breaks written into the daily practice journals. It may sound silly but it's works for me and has kept my pains away and helped me.

Bones

WBW,

Which Wrembel CD, out of his book?

Thanks for the suggestions!

WowBobWow

Yes, out of the Mel Bay book (I forgot which tracks exactly as I uploaded the CD warmup exercises into my iPod and I only do the first 6 picking exercises from the book --to the groups of double time triplets)

Basically the exercises are super slow (at about 40 beats ). You 1st do quarter beat downstrokes-D,
then alternate picking-DU,
then gypsy picking triplets DUD,
then sixteenth notes DUDU,
then quintuplets (5 over 1 beat--DUDUD),
then triplets (6 over 1 beat, DUD DUD)

Thanks,

mr moto

lately i have had this problem with my wrist, and the pain seems to run up my arm and into my shoulder,sometimes it feel,s like having toothache in my wrist, it,s that same sort of pain . sometimes i even have to stop playing mid tune as i experience a very sharp stabbing pain in my wrist . so do i have to stay away from my guitar for a few weeks, and hope it will go away ? . i will take on board the advice about being as relaxed as possible when i start playing again . but staying away from my guitar is difficult :? .

BluesBop Harry

Pain is a sure sign that youre either doing something for too long or that your doing it wrong.
So try to use it in your favor... stop and look closely at what your doing and try to spot problems and figure out a solution...
It's mostly about relaxing. Videotaping yourself could help.
Good luck!

Bones

I'd see a doctor if it is chronic. It may be due to something that you are doing or it may be some other injury.

bonza

mr moto wrote:

lately i have had this problem with my wrist, and the pain seems to run up my arm and into my shoulder,sometimes it feel,s like having toothache in my wrist, it,s that same sort of pain . sometimes i even have to stop playing mid tune as i experience a very sharp stabbing pain in my wrist . so do i have to stay away from my guitar for a few weeks, and hope it will go away ? . i will take on board the advice about being as relaxed as possible when i start playing again . but staying away from my guitar is difficult :? .

i have just started getting this exact same pain today? i got a copy of gypsy secrets and i think that i am trying to hard. so i think that's what's to blame. but i have only just ordered a copy of Gypsy picking' so if i don't write back it all got to much for me' and i have dropped dead trying to do a un'playable cord' or a scale that is so hard it would take a 12 inch span between each finger and a turbo stuck up my butt!!! not good! cheers folks

chappie

I just got through 8 months of chronic elbow pain and three months of physical therapy for epicondylitis--) which is basically tennis elbow. It didn't come specifically from gypsy jazz guitar picking but it was inflamed by it for sure. I also was painting a lot getting ready for a show and carrying my two year old... the physical therapist gave me some great stretching exercises which I now do religiously before and after practicing or playing. Ice, advil, massage and relaxing as much as you can while you play are all good. There are many causes for elbow tendonitis but the MOST IMPORTANT thing is don't ignore it. The longer you have the problem the worse it gets is the rule of thumb. Go see a good doctor and/or physical therapist if it doesn't go away in a few weeks or if it gets worse. Good luck.