Pain... (of salvation??)

[DracWell]

Hey there.

I've been doing some finger indepedence exercises and a bunch of strenght exercises for my pinky. Now, obiosly I over did it since I now have a "constant" pain (it comes with wide streches and with legato). What I've done about it is cutting down all those exercises that makes my pinky sore and just do them shortly. Should I drop them completley until it healed?

I think I've overstretched the tendons or something like that. The pain is mostly concentrated to the joint (not the top one).

I've been resting it for a week now (hardly playing at all in fact). you got any ideas on what to do? Go see a doctor? *shrugs*

See ya!
-Mattias

[shinkyo00]

how far are you stretching with the exercises? say how many frets, from which one to which one, and which string?

[DracWell]

how far are you stretching with the exercises? say how many frets, from which one to which one, and which string?

hm. well. one that I mainly do is this

-8-5-0-8-5-0-7-4-0-7-4-0-12-8-0-12-8-0-10-7-0-10-7-0

[shinkyo00]

i think your posture's causing the trouble

try bringing the guitar closer to your body, at about a 35 - 45 degree angle vertically

[JeffN]

Are you practicing with sitting, or standing with a strap? If so, how high is your guitar when you're standing?

[DracWell]

Both. About 4cm lower when standing.
I don't change to posture of the hand that much when alternating 'tween standing and sitting. I try to keep it as high as possible when standing, but exactly the same height as when sitting make me puke. Feels awkard (and I'm _not_ talking about how it looks)

It's kinda strange, I've never had this problem before, but it occured when I brought in the finger independency exercise.
(2-1-2-1-3-1-3-1-4-1-4-1-3-2-3-2-4-2-4-2-4-3-4-3-4-2-4-2)

Anyway, I've discovored that I can't to legato's with my pinkie at the moment. I also think the 4-3-4-3 thing is kinda the cause, that's when it hurts most. (checking on the guitar right now)

[shinkyo00]

lets see

did you use your pinky frequently? also, did you use to use the 'baseball' position for your hand?

if so then the pain is caused by a problem in the posture of your hand

what you wanna do is try the classical position for your hand, which is thumb behind neck, palm parallel to neck, instead of at an angle like the baseball bat/ blues position

[Los Boleros]

Hey there.

I've been doing some finger indepedence exercises and a bunch of strenght exercises for my pinky. Now, obiosly I over did it since I now have a "constant" pain (it comes with wide streches and with legato). What I've done about it is cutting down all those exercises that makes my pinky sore and just do them shortly. Should I drop them completley until it healed?

I think I've overstretched the tendons or something like that. The pain is mostly concentrated to the joint (not the top one).

I've been resting it for a week now (hardly playing at all in fact). you got any ideas on what to do? Go see a doctor? *shrugs*

See ya!
-Mattias

The excersises you are doing are not a far stretch by any means. I think you have over done it though. listen to your body, it tell you whats right. If it hurts, you are gonna have to give it a rest. There are alot of good finger and wrist stretches that you could be doing to help. (These stretches are good for anybody, even if you are not hurt) Also alittle Ibuprofen helps the swollen muscles.

[DracWell]

Boleros, yeah, I stopped when I noticed the pain, but then it got a littel bit worse. But it's not like I'm lying awake at night cause of the pain. But I feel it when I think about it. Okay, I'll try thatone, I have used Tiger balm so far, but mostly 'cause I like the feel of it *lol*

shinkyoOO,I used it alot more during that session that Iusually do, since I was focusing on training my pinky. I didn't hang the thumb over, hard to do on a 7-string sometimes, but I usually have it pretty high. Trying to change that though

[shinkyo00]

ohh

well then i guess ud just have to give it a good rest, n then next when u start practicing, RELAX ...... when i first started i worked on a slow piece by disturbed and i got tendonitis from that......because i was all tense n literally forcing pinky to move

so yea, best luck!

\m/

[DracWell]

Yeah. That was really wierd at the last rehearsal, I tensed my entire underarm of the picking arm that time. Never knew why, I never do that. It was a real bitch to relax that time. hah. Anyway thanx!

One last question, in case it doesn't go away,when should I look it up, like after a month och so?

[shinkyo00]

i dont think it'll take a full month

when i had it i just didnt play for about a week and it was fine but i guess my situation was nowhere as bad as yours

id say wait another 3 days but in any case that it doesnt get any better, definitely see a doctor

i'm assuming its not tendonitis, because if its tendonitis and its been a week already you should go to the doctor's right away!