Soreness in my left wrist and forearm
 

Over the past week or so, as I have been playing, my left wrist and forearm are getting sore.

For example, if I do a C chord in this shape

- - - - - -|--------------|----- -----------|-------
- ----1---|--------------|----------------|-----
- - - - - -|--------------|----- ----------|-------
- -------- |-------2------|----------------|-----
- - - - - -|--------------|----- --3--------|-------
- -------- |--------------|-------4---------|-----
-

it actually hurts as I am doing it. Especially in the first position, where I have to have my palm right against the back of the neck because my hands are small.

Capo-ed it is somewhat better.

It is like I am getting a form or carpal tunnel syndrome.

I am 61, so I suppose arthritis is a possibility, but it is really disturbing.

Any hints? Suggestions?

when i started using lighter strings and lower action, i stopped having this problem. there are other things it could be, some of which are best determined by a doctor. some neck profiles don't seem to work with my arm as well as others, and if you squeeze the neck too hard or press to hard on the fingerboard, this can cause problems in the hand, wrist or forearm. poor posture can also be responsible.

How long have you been playing, are you standing or sitting, does it happen right away, and if you are sitting, what leg do you rest the guitar on?

Work out, stretch , rest, massage , maybe throw in some alternating ice and heat. Repeat repeatedly . The only way I overcame the physical obstacles of
playing was to get stronger , and the only way I can play and workout in the same lifetime without being stiff and sore is to massage and stretch and all the other stuff, a lot.

When I had truely started guitar playing I noticed a continuous pain in my entire fretting arm and shoulder. It was when I was in a train headed for work. I couldn't sit properly in the train without room to ease the pain by manouvering my arm into the least painfull position. Thought I was having a heart attack at 18 years old. Ofcourse I wasn't but I just didn't relate it to my vigourous practicing.
Kept an eye on it but it didn't go away and after a week of pain I started paying attention as to what I was actually doing with this arm to find the cause.
Took a while to find the answer as at that age it could have been anything. I stopped playing for a week or so and noticed the pain subsiding so I had the answer.
When I found out I gave it a proper rest because it felt as if something was dammaged and being quite possesed with playing I didn't want to risc any permanent dammage.
Never came back after that but some advice, you have to be carefull with the amount of pain you subject yourself to, it can lead to permanent muscle dammage or worse.
Keep paying attention to it and give it a rest at some point, as said it's part of the strengething phase and just like sports it shouldn't be overdone.
The fun part of it all was that after this I could outsqueeze any handshake with even the biggest labourers, much to their surprise as I'm just a small person, you'll become very strong in your hands.

Ludwig

Stop playing and go see your medic and get referred to a specialist. RSI/Carpal tunnel can stop you playing altogether if you don't address the problem. If you're in pain something is wrong. Don't use pain-killers or try to 'play through' the pain.
A good friend and music teacher was out of action for over a year with Carpal tunnel problems. Absolutely could not play a note.

Yeah, obviously doctors are an important part of the equation, and painkillers are a bad idea. I failed to note that my approach assumes no pathological condition or injury , and when the body parts are healthy, the cycles of stregthening , recovery , and physical therapy can be integrated into a long term 'program' . Permanent , for me , and so far, it's prevented injury and serious RSI issues, but it's a balancing act :) .

My poor father got to where he couldn't play a guitar at all. He let it go on for a long time before he went to the doctor. Turns out he had rhumetary Arthridus. Sad thing is if he went a lot earlier they could have stopped it from going so far. RA attacks and damages your joints and causes inflammation. The sooner you treat it the less damage. Not saying you have it, but it doesn't pay to wait around and find out. Worst thing that can happen is doctor tell you to tuffen up and quit being a sissy if there's nothing wrong

how long have you been playing the guitar?

are you possibly strangling your unsuspecting guitar?

Your palm should not be flat against the neck while fretting - regardless of how small your hands are.

My advice is to have an experienced player or instructor watch you play. They can make corrections in your playing posture to help make playing easier and prevent you from injuries caused by poor ergonomics.

A lot of guitarists/bassists play this way. Definitely a good way to hurt oneself.

I get those symptoms when I use a guitar with a thin neck. With fatter necks, I have no problem at all. I put it down to having more support for my fretting hand.

Well, I totally shut down for the last few days, iced up my hands and wrist...and then, two nights ago, I woke up in the middle of the night, and the bottom knuckle on my left ring finger was bent all way down -- it had popped out dislocated. It had become dislocated as I was sleeping!! And woke me up.

So for last couple of days I have been wearing a homemade splint made from a popsicle stick covering the bottom just my ring finger, with the stick up to the first knuckle, to keep the finger from bending out of joint.

Wild, eh?

To answer some of the questions --

I picked up the guitar about a year or so ago, played almost every day, though not when the road on business. The pain just started happening.

When I play, the curvature of the guitar rests on my right knee and the neck is more or less parallel to the ground. I try to keep my feet flat.

Here's a youtube of me playing my Gibson J45 -- you can see my left hand position as I play G/C, Cadd9, C, Amin, and D chords. At 0:58 you can see the full C chord that I describe in my opening post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF5dsORXQa8