Carpal tunnel syndrome

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clawhammer curmudgeons

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a place where old time banjo players can discuss setup, playing techniques, tune histories swap tales and lies.

458 Members, Created 1/27/2011 -

Administrators: Bob Buckingham (owner)

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From Tom Smith on 3/29/2011 8:37:16 AM

I used to fingerpick guitar, but I got to where I can't do that more than a few minutes without risking a swollen right hand the next day. Flatpicking doesn't agrivate my hand at all. I guess that's because it's wrist more than fingers...

I wonder if the same would be true of clawhammer style banjo. Any opinions?

Thanks, Tom

5 Comments
	black flag says: 3/29/2011 8:50:16 AM I'd say it depends on whether your thumb joint is part of the problem, otherwise CH uses different muscle groups than fingerpicking and may not aggravate repetitive stress injury and inflammation. Have you investigated physical therapy? Acupuncture?
	Tom Smith says: 3/29/2011 2:00:18 PM I haven't really thought about therapy because that's the only thing that I do that seems to bother it, and I decided if my playing was ever gonna get tolerable, I should just focus on one style anyway. But now I've taken a liking to this clawhammer banjo style and was thinking I might give it a try. And I don't think my thumb is involved in the problem. So, maybe...
	jduke says: 3/31/2011 6:56:53 PM You say that you can finger pick, but flat picking is bothersome to your Carpal Tunnel. For me, it’s just the other way around. I don’t have a problem with clawhammer banjo playing, but using a flat felt ukulele pick with my banjo-uke is next to impossible – can’t hold on to it! Jeff
	Tom Smith says: 4/1/2011 9:13:07 AM I guess it has to do with how uniquely we've damaged our hands over the years. Gravette looks like a real pretty part of the state. My wife and I vacationed near Hot Springs the year before last. She'd never been to Arkansas before, and she fell in love with it...
	Cottonmouth says: 8/9/2011 2:12:28 PM Tom, I have recently been advised by a neurologist that I have it bad in both hands. For the moment he has given me neck exercises to free up nerve(s) that are causing some of the problem. My right hand suffers more (from picking mandolin), but clawhammer banjo is less troublesome. The exercises have made a significant difference in the pain relief.
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