[Jason]

Hello all,

Since finding this site I have been plucking away more than ever and really enjoying my guitar but lately I have had a problem with my left hand and arm falling asleep or getting very sore while I play. (I play right handed)

I have tried to maintain a good posture and a light touch on the fretboard but I still cant seem to play longer than 10-20 minutes without taking a break.

Is there any exercises (on the guitar or other wise) that might help me over come this.

I have heard horror stories about players damaging tendons by suffering through pain and playing on.....are these stories urban legends?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jason

[Kirk Lorange]

Hi Jason.

I don't know of any exercises, but I'm sure they're out there. I myself suffer from a left wrist ailment, a ganglion (doesn't that sound AWFUL?), which is a kind of hard lump that forms. It's apparently a build up of fluid and the old cure for ganglia was to whack 'em hard as you can with the family bible. Mine does disappear completely from time to time only to return. Every once in a while, I make a left hand guitar move and I get an excrutiating red-hot flash of a pain.

[Jason]

I guess I should count myself lucky....I dont have to endure anything excrutiating !

I think its a circulation problem.....some stretching and change of sleeping habits seem to help a bit.

I'll update for others if I find my miricle cure!!

Thanks for the feed back :-)

Jason

[Spyder F16]

I say go to walmart and buy one of those wrist/hand exercisers.

Theres also hand exercises outlined:

http://www.onlineguitarlessons.co.uk..._dexterity.php

http://ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/t...externity.html

http://ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/c...m_ups_lll.html

http://ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/c.../warm_ups.html

http://ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/c...rm_ups_ii.html