Preventing Carpal Tunnel

Today at work I had a cancellation, so like always I went into my room and started practicing, and got a sudden sharp pain down my left wrist, I stopped immediately, and was unable to play much for the rest of the night without a dull throbbing pain – it didn't hurt but I knew what it was. My younger days of practicing for hours without a break were coming to bite me in the ass.

In an attempt to get as many people as possible to not make the same mistakes I made when I was young here are some basic guidelines for preventing carpal tunnel.

Proper Technique is key, sit up straight on a chair – not on your couch don't lean on the back either., elevate the neck of the guitar and your right leg (either cross your legs, put one foot on top of the other or use a foot rest). and don't wrap your thumb over top of the neck, all these things minimize the amount of stretching you need to do to play.

If you do stand keep your guitar in the same place it would be if you were sitting, lower positions again lead to more strain on the wrist then necessary.

Warm up before you play, stretch your fingers and message them, this will go a long way, and also improve your playing.

Also, when practicing try not to go over 30minutes or so in one sitting, get up and do something else for a bit, let your hand rest. Gigging is obviously another story though.

If you do experience any pain in your wrist stop playing and give it a couple hours, better be safe then sorry here.

And unfortunately a lot of it comes down to luck, if you follow these guidelines from the start your odds of getting it are low. However some people that take all the care in the world will get it, and someone who breaks all the rules might not get it, luck is a big factor.