seancheol-ceol-nua - Posted - 08/04/2024:  08:35:26

I started playing tenor banjo about a month ago. I'm hypermobile and was used to an expected amount of hand pain from playing clawhammer on 5-string but the pain in my wrist with tenor has been a lot worse and accompanied by tingling sometimes.

I do have a physiotherapist I can go to but I was wondering for any advice about better ways of playing to reduce pain. I am also thinking of trying a soft brace to see if that helps.

Thanks in advance

Eulalie - Posted - 08/04/2024:  08:54:21

It's very easy to over-use the tendons in your forearm, wrist and hands. I always work with my students to develop freedom of movement in the wrist in order to stave off tendonitis. Using a pick with too much tension in your grip, and too much tension in your wrist will invariably lead to problems.

Try using a loose wrist and sense how the wrist connects with the fingers that hold your pick, without tension. The pick should not be grasped, but rather held with just enough pressure to prevent it falling from your finger and thumb. Let the forward edge of the pick make contact with a string, and then let gravity help move the pick through the string. Then make sure you are using a relaxed wrist and forearm to move the pick with an up-stroke.

Enda Scahill - Posted - 08/04/2024:  11:47:07

I don’t know anything about hyper mobility and I’m not a physio or any other kind of doctor, but during World War II many hundreds of women in England sat day after day after day typing war reports on heavy duty typewriters and there is zero reports of any wrist or finger pain from that time. My journey in this area is that when I understood why that was, then I no longer had any pain.

HighLonesomeF5 - Posted - 08/04/2024:  13:55:17

quote:

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Originally posted by seancheol-ceol-nua

I started playing tenor banjo about a month ago. I'm hypermobile and was used to an expected amount of hand pain from playing clawhammer on 5-string but the pain in my wrist with tenor has been a lot worse and accompanied by tingling sometimes.



I do have a physiotherapist I can go to but I was wondering for any advice about better ways of playing to reduce pain. I am also thinking of trying a soft brace to see if that helps.



Thanks in advance

---

I am a huge believer in supplents to cure issues like this.  Have you tried high quality MSM, glucosomine & chondrotin?

Also eliminate gluten from your diet: no wheat, rye, barley, oats, oat meal, buckwheat and fried food. 

Edited by - HighLonesomeF5 on 08/04/2024 13:56:47

Parker135 - Posted - 08/04/2024:  14:17:39

quote:

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Originally posted by Enda Scahill

I don’t know anything about hyper mobility and I’m not a physio or any other kind of doctor, but during World War II many hundreds of women in England sat day after day after day typing war reports on heavy duty typewriters and there is zero reports of any wrist or finger pain from that time. My journey in this area is that when I understood why that was, then I no longer had any pain.

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I'd love to hear more about this, Enda.

seancheol-ceol-nua - Posted - 08/04/2024:  14:22:57

quote:

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Originally posted by HighLonesomeF5

quote:

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Originally posted by seancheol-ceol-nua

I started playing tenor banjo about a month ago. I'm hypermobile and was used to an expected amount of hand pain from playing clawhammer on 5-string but the pain in my wrist with tenor has been a lot worse and accompanied by tingling sometimes.



I do have a physiotherapist I can go to but I was wondering for any advice about better ways of playing to reduce pain. I am also thinking of trying a soft brace to see if that helps.



Thanks in advance

---

I am a huge believer in supplents to cure issues like this.  Have you tried high quality MSM, glucosomine & chondrotin?

Also eliminate gluten from your diet: no wheat, rye, barley, oats, oat meal, buckwheat and fried food. 

---

Unfortunately it's part of a genetic disorder so supplements can't do much. Physio therapy can do a lot of good though

seancheol-ceol-nua - Posted - 08/04/2024:  14:25:40

quote:

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Originally posted by Eulalie

It's very easy to over-use the tendons in your forearm, wrist and hands. I always work with my students to develop freedom of movement in the wrist in order to stave off tendonitis. Using a pick with too much tension in your grip, and too much tension in your wrist will invariably lead to problems.



Try using a loose wrist and sense how the wrist connects with the fingers that hold your pick, without tension. The pick should not be grasped, but rather held with just enough pressure to prevent it falling from your finger and thumb. Let the forward edge of the pick make contact with a string, and then let gravity help move the pick through the string. Then make sure you are using a relaxed wrist and forearm to move the pick with an up-stroke.

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Thank you so much for the advice! Most of the picking advice I've seen has said to only play with your wrist, but I noticed a lot of professional players don't! I'll give it a go with better form now

HighLonesomeF5 - Posted - 08/04/2024:  14:27:43

quote:

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Originally posted by seancheol-ceol-nua

quote:

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Originally posted by HighLonesomeF5

quote:

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Originally posted by seancheol-ceol-nua

I started playing tenor banjo about a month ago. I'm hypermobile and was used to an expected amount of hand pain from playing clawhammer on 5-string but the pain in my wrist with tenor has been a lot worse and accompanied by tingling sometimes.



I do have a physiotherapist I can go to but I was wondering for any advice about better ways of playing to reduce pain. I am also thinking of trying a soft brace to see if that helps.



Thanks in advance

---

I am a huge believer in supplents to cure issues like this.  Have you tried high quality MSM, glucosomine & chondrotin?

Also eliminate gluten from your diet: no wheat, rye, barley, oats, oat meal, buckwheat and fried food. 

---

Unfortunately it's part of a genetic disorder so supplements can't do much. Physio therapy can do a lot of good though

---

If your are curiuos, look into Dr Walllach's theories.  He has some interesting thoughts in genetically inherited conditions. 

HighLonesomeF5 - Posted - 08/04/2024:  14:28:42

quote:

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Originally posted by Parker135

quote:

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Originally posted by Enda Scahill

I don’t know anything about hyper mobility and I’m not a physio or any other kind of doctor, but during World War II many hundreds of women in England sat day after day after day typing war reports on heavy duty typewriters and there is zero reports of any wrist or finger pain from that time. My journey in this area is that when I understood why that was, then I no longer had any pain.

---

I'd love to hear more about this, Enda.

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Me also.  Fingers crossed the answer is Guiness. 

Culloden - Posted - 08/04/2024:  15:17:16

My suggestion: make an appointment with the physiotherapist and take your banjo along so you can demonstrate the technique that is causing your pain. Nothing is more helpful to a doctor than being able to see exactly what they are dealing with. They don't have to work by trial and error until they find what works for you.

Edited by - Culloden on 08/04/2024 15:22:16

Tim Jumper - Posted - 08/04/2024:  16:17:01

I developed wrist pain from many years of full-time wood carving. I was on the verge of surgery when I decided to try acupuncture and PT. Those, plus quitting carving so as to be able to keep playing music -- life is choices -- has worked for me. (Knock on wood -- ha!)

Fathand - Posted - 08/05/2024:  11:00:19

I recently had wrist/forearm pain not sure if it was from banjo fingerpicking or guitar flatpicking. My Dr. diagnosed it as tendonitis. Was advised resting it, hot compress, wrist brace and anti inflammatories. It's been clearing up well after a few weeks.

See a Doctor, could be tendonitis, carpal tunnel or something else.

seancheol-ceol-nua - Posted - 08/08/2024:  08:08:47

quote:

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Originally posted by Eulalie

It's very easy to over-use the tendons in your forearm, wrist and hands. I always work with my students to develop freedom of movement in the wrist in order to stave off tendonitis. Using a pick with too much tension in your grip, and too much tension in your wrist will invariably lead to problems.



Try using a loose wrist and sense how the wrist connects with the fingers that hold your pick, without tension. The pick should not be grasped, but rather held with just enough pressure to prevent it falling from your finger and thumb. Let the forward edge of the pick make contact with a string, and then let gravity help move the pick through the string. Then make sure you are using a relaxed wrist and forearm to move the pick with an up-stroke.

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This has helped so much! I've been using your advice for the past few days and it's helped, the pain hasn't filly disappeared but I'm being careful and taking breaks and ill talk to physio about hyperextension and stuff next week!