Jerry Garcia had it, and you can too - not fame and fortune, or a batch of illegal substance, but repetitive strain injury (RSI). Playing guitar is fun and rewarding, but it's important to pay attention to your wrists and hands to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and other painful conditions.
Just ask Dale Turner. In November 1997, he was playing in an acoustic guitar quartet, recording an instructional CD based on licks by rock guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani, and teaching private students. On Thanksgiving morning, "it was real obvious that I had carpal tunnel." His right wrist was in pain, his fingers had a tingling sensation (caused by inflammation of the "tunnel" in the wrist through which the nerves travel), and his hand was weak.
Besides dealing with pain, he had to put his guitar down for a month - a serious loss to a serious Los Angeles musician. Today, he's able to play and functional, though he doesn't have the same level of technique he used to, and has had to find workarounds for certain kinds of sounds. And he's since channeled a lot of his guitar energy and enthusiasm into writing instructional books and serving as West Coast editor for Guitar One magazine.
On his Web site, www.intimateaudio.com, he maintains a page called "Hand Job" that talks about the many different therapies he tried. In an interview with Eons, he cautions beginning guitarists, "Any kind of pain is a problem. If it doesn't go away after a day's time, the way you're holding the instrument, the amount of pressure you're putting on the fretboard with your fingertips, SOMETHING is improper."
The first thing to master is your technique. If you don't have a teacher, find one and make it clear that you're interested in working on hand and body positions to prevent injury. A lot of guitar books have pictures that show people in proper position, but a book can't tell you if you're doing it right. "Because all of the nerves and the tendons that run through your wrists, if you practice in a way where you have your wrist bent too extremely, your tendons and all that soft tissue need to fight a little more to be allowed to maneuver through your wrists. You should practice with your wrist as straight as possible," says Turner.
Second, take care of your body by getting enough sleep. Before Turner's injury, the Satriani recording had kept him up for several nights, robbing his body of the opportunity to heal. Exercising regularly, drinking lots of water and doing warm-ups to loosen your hands, arms, shoulders and back before you practice will also put you in better shape to play.
"If you get to a point where you're playing regularly, a good rule of thumb would be in an hour's time, practice 45 minutes and take a 15-minute break, consistently," suggests Turner.
If you do start to experience pain, Turner says, get to a doctor as soon as possible. At the same time, stop playing guitar. "Experiment by not playing for a week and see if your symptoms goes away. I would go out of your way to not do ANYTHING unnecessary with that injured hand. Do not type on the computer, don't pick up a suitcase with that hand, and don't even pull your seat belt on with that hand. There might be some stretches or exercises you can do with that arm that don't involve that grip."
To manage his ongoing condition, Turner credits massage therapy, a good chiropractor, acupuncture, and knowing his limits. "There are certain chords and tempos that I can't play. Try not to overstep obvious limitations, and try not to get frustrated."
For a beginner guitar player, Turner suggests finding a teacher connected with a college or music school - the school may be able to recommend someone. If you're concerned about injuries - perhaps you've experienced RSI before - let your teacher know in advance.
Even when you're just practicing or goofing around on the guitar, be aware of your seated position. "You want to have a straight spine with your arms totally relaxed at your sides, and then just bend your elbow to grab the instrument," says Turner. "Pay particular attention to the relationship of the wrist. The degree to which it's bent should be minimal."
Not all pain is a sign of permanent damage. "When you start playing the guitar in the beginning, you'll get soreness of the fingers, maybe even slight blistering. That's normal. Your fingertips will have to develop calluses and eventually that won't be a problem," says Turner.
Your progress may seem slower than you'd like, but "Things will get better," Turner says. "Something that might be fun is to try recording yourself once a week or so. You'll probably notice improvements by noticing what you are vs. what you were a week ago."
For many players, he suggests an electric guitar would be physically easiest to play. The neck is smaller, and the strings are close together. The exception would be if you have large, thick fingers, when you might find a steel-string acoustic easier to manage.
"You can go to any music store and the person who's trying to sell you stuff will demonstrate them. If you tell them what your favorite bands are, they can steer you toward an instrument that sounds right.
"Wherever you buy your guitar, chances are, that store also has a guitar instruction staff--teachers with an established track record. They might even offer a 'first lesson free' arrangement, or include one with your guitar purchase. Music store lessons are usually only 30 minutes long though, while others are typically one hour. Expect to pay between $25 to $50 per one-hour lesson. Most require that each month's worth of instruction fees be paid in advance.
"For best results, take lessons on a weekly basis - you don't want to lose your momentum! - and practice daily, to increase hand strength and develop better dexterity."