The Steel Guitar Forum

My girlfriend came home from a physical therapy session with some pamphlets on carpel tunnel syndrome (actually, the pamplet called it something else, but it was that sort of problem). Turns out, the way I position my wrist to perform some bar slants is exactly the kind of movement I'm supposed to avoid. I know I'm supposed to use my thumb to slant the bar properly, but sometimes it's easier to just turn my wrist, especially when I have to make the move quickly. I've never had any pain from playing, but I haven't been playing that long.

According to the information, you should never rock your wrist from side to side (in a radial motion). You should always keep your wrist as straight as possible.

Have any of you ever had problems with carpel tunnel syndrome from playing steel?

Well, my wrists never hurt(not yet anyways), but if I've been playing a lot my left index finger gets stiff, as do my arms. Practice practice practice!

Well I have Carpel Tunnel and playing steel has never bothered it at all. I slant; twist; turn; tilt every possible way and have not triggered the carpel from playing that way at all. I have been seeing a Chiropractor for my neck and back condition; and he has informed me that the carpel tunnel was nerve related of course. He has done wonders for me; and my back and neck and carpel tunnel pain, are nowhere to be seen. I developed the symptoms of carpel tunnel through working with paint brushes; staple and Caulking guns. Mainly griping with fingertips give me my pain; but the cause is bad nerve flow from the certain area in spine.
So don't worry about developing Carpel from playing because you won't. You will get it if you have bad nerve flow from spin to that part of your extemity. My wrist get sore from playing simply because not in shape; so I try to keep them in shape.
Ricky

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Ricky Davis
http://hometown.aol.com/sshawaiian/RickyHomepage.html
http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel/steel.html
sshawaiian@aol.com

I have "tendonitis" in my wrists from work, for about 5 years or so.Cumulative Trauma Disorder or Repetitive strain is what they may call it. If you don't have any pain keep going, if you do STOP until it goes away and do not play if your taking anti-inflammatory medication. I like a good streching 5 or 6 days a week to keep loose, and that has helped alot (yoga).If people said I would be playing Hawaiian Steel Guitar and doing Yoga 5 years ago I'd say your full of it.Age has a way of changing things.So keep going and if pain starts e-mail me or post again and I can ramble on. Good Luck

I only get the mid-lower back problem on the left side after a long session w/ a lapsteel, meaning no legs or stand, literally on my lap, but it's just poor posture, never get it on a steel w/legs or pedal,
Aloha,
Mike

Hi Chris,

I have had carpal tunnel and eventually underwentthe surgeon's knife. When it gets bad enough you'll do it. I had it for about 12 years befoere I let them cut on me. I feared they'd screw my hand up for music.

I can tell you a few things to do that will help you. It works for me. First, though I must be honest and tell you that I didn't properly take care of my wrist and hand after I had the surgery and it came back after one and half years.

However, since here are some things I learned one can do. First, take vitamin B complex, take it everyday. Two do hand exercises by strecthing your wrist on a flat surface and putting some weight on hand as you bend it. Lastly, the one works best for me is to use a heavy rubber band and place it over your finger tips and strech exercises opening it with just your finger tips. It works and I must also say that I believe in prayer too and it workls too!

God Bless You!

Terry J. Wood

Hi Chris,

Me again. Please excuse my poor typing skills. I can't see the fine print to well.

Terry Wood

Terry
It sounds like those exercises would only aggravate your condition. What is the theory behind them?

Earnest
I use play-doh for squeezing, add water to get a consistency that's good for you. And the rubber band extensions stengthen the opposite muscles so there more balanced.Weakness and stiffness of the muscles and tendons are contributing factors.
The idea is to strengthen and loosen them up so nomal activity doesn't bother them. You can start lower on the finger if your hands are in bad shape.

Hey Dave,

What is the concern about playing while on anti-inflammatory drugs? It seems that I'm always on some NSAID or another these days.

Bill

Hey Chris, don't worry about it! If you try to adjust your playing to allay your fears of developing carpal tunnel syndrome, you could develope a problem. In dealing with steel guitarists who have played 40 years or more, carpal tunnel has not been an issue. If you do develope it, it is probably from some other cause. Besides, there are lots of hand surgeons that can readily fix it! No hay problema!

I really appreciate everybody's kind words, but I must have mis-communicated. I don't have carpel tunnel or cummulative trauma. I was just curious as to whether anyone has ever had this type of injury due to playing steel, since the range of motion that is used with the bar is the big "no-no" in the pamphlet. Thanks again for the responses. It has been interesting to read everyone's posts.

Hey Bill
If your tendons become irritated and swollen
"tendonitis" from a forceful or repeated activity, anti-inflammatory is a great way to speed up the healing process and reduce the pain.With the pain reduced you feel fine, but the tendons are still healing. you can damage them more because you feel no pain and think everything is fine.

When I started my P. T. I was to get off all medication, so they would know how things were going. I take it after work some times if need be but not before. I had it bad and keep doing stuff that made it alot worse.

Keep doing what works for you

Dave

Hi Guys,

I can't say for sure if playing the steel aggravated or even caused the condition I developed. Also, mine was not in the bar hand but rather my right picking hand.

Earnest, the exercises were prescribed by two different chiropractors for my condition. I figured after the condition returned, that I would be willing to try anything, rather risk the surgeon's knife again. It seemed that the rubber band worked best for me and it also seemed there was an improvement within just a few days. It was kind of like a reverse pushup, but done with the rubber bands on the figure tips stretching it outwards. I can't explain it any better rather than it seemed to work.

Terry J. Wood