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  #1  
Old 10-10-2021, 07:03 AM
michals231 michals231 is offline
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Default How you can avoid guitar shoulder pain?

Dear guitar friends ,
I am sharing with you my workout which gives me healthy shoulder, neck or back. Wondering: How you can avoid guitar shoulder pain? (My guitar shoulder pain workout takes few min. All you need is an elastic band yoga mate.)
Stay healthy!

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  #2  
Old 10-14-2021, 02:31 PM
redir redir is offline
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It is amazing how physical playing the classical guitar it. Core strength is very good to have. These are good tips.
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  #3  
Old 10-19-2021, 03:02 PM
michals231 michals231 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by redir View Post
It is amazing how physical playing the classical guitar it. Core strength is very good to have. These are good tips.
Thank you so much for your response! I can only agree.
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  #4  
Old 10-19-2021, 04:23 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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As we age a few things happen. (Warning, not great news!)

1. We tend to put on weight, especially around oue middles!

2. We lose muscle mass.

3. We tend to lounge in nice comfy couches and "lazy boys"

4. We cling to our dreads and jumbos.

So, having a belly that you didn't have in your teens, - thirties, means that it tends to push yoiur guitar further away from your "frame" . i'e., spine, chest cavity, shoulders etc., especially when seated.

In order to reach over that body, we need to push our right shoulder up, and pull it around your guitar.

In 2016, I was 70, and definately "tubby" but attended the gym regularly and kep up a fair amount of muscletone.

During the following year I underwent cancer treatment and lost about 45 lbs in as many days. it wasn't just fat - it was muscle.

Then after some months when i tried to play my guitars again, I experienced the shoulder pasin that many of us know.

As soon as,well actually sooner than my consultants advised, my GP referred me back to the gym on a rehabilitation plan (NHS funded) and from picking up feathers, I gradually recovered most of my muscle tone, but not the fat, and as you age, you have to fight harder to retain strength.

Sadly for me and so many others, 2020 denied the opportunity to keep as fit as we would have liked, although I did sessions with weights and dynamic tension at home every other day.

Keepnig the body fit is one thing. How you position yourself is another.
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  #5  
Old 10-21-2021, 11:31 PM
ssynhorst ssynhorst is offline
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First answer: I live in a senior community and suspect that a great many people have shoulder problems as they age. I got a bad one, nothing to do with guitar. My doc gave me xrays to see what was up and then a referral to a good physical therapy clinic. My PT figured out exactly what the problem was, treated it with massage, gave me some exercise bands and taught me exercises. Worked great, no further problems, though I continue with the exercises now and then to stay that way.

Second answer: playing guitar can very clearly twist and stress the torso, shoulders and arms. I tried various positions and supports and concluded that a strap works best. Not like the ones for electric or acoustic guitars, but basically a thickish cord from the end pin to the head stock. In olden days they used silk ribbons or woolen cords. I could not find good ones, so I use nylon ones. Paracord works but is inelegant. There are various color and sizes available from outdoor hiking and climbing stores.

Properly adjusted they can hold the guitar firmly in about whatever position your physique requires. They can easily duplicate the positions commonly used by classical and Spanish guitarists without the need for mechanical supports.

You do have to learn a couple of knots, including some kind of a slip knot for the upper portion. - Stevo
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  #6  
Old 10-21-2021, 11:53 PM
N4640W N4640W is offline
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Smaller guitar sizes.
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  #7  
Old 10-23-2021, 08:38 AM
ckmurf ckmurf is offline
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Thank you for posting that video and also thanks to all for the follow up comments. I have been thinking about this a lot lately and learned several excellent things while reading this today. I have follow-up questions: Basically, does anyone have experience with any of the following for helping us old timers continue playing without as much discomfort:
• Smaller guitar body, for example a 7/8 like a Torres
• Shorter scale length, for example 640mm
• Manzer wedge body
Excellent video- I will try those exercises.
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  #8  
Old 10-23-2021, 10:02 PM
ssynhorst ssynhorst is offline
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I have a 7/8 guitar but do not find it significanly easier than a regular classical.
Regular is already smaller than most steel string acoustics. I suggest trying my strap suggestions and different seat heights before giving up on the standard classical design. Try many positions; professional players use a wide variety of positions from horizontal to nearly vertical. My thick cord strap notion with slip knot accommodates them all. Try silk or wool if you do not like nylon. There is historical precedent. - Stevo
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  #9  
Old 10-24-2021, 08:51 AM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ckmurf View Post
Thank you for posting that video and also thanks to all for the follow up comments. I have been thinking about this a lot lately and learned several excellent things while reading this today. I have follow-up questions: Basically, does anyone have experience with any of the following for helping us old timers continue playing without as much discomfort:
• Smaller guitar body, for example a 7/8 like a Torres
• Shorter scale length, for example 640mm
• Manzer wedge body
Excellent video- I will try those exercises.
I would add a body bevel to the list.

Many say that the body bevel doesn't change the arm position by much, but I've found the bevel substantially changes how you hold a guitar and that translates to comfort and way less stress on the right shoulder structure.

I knew this from playing a few guitars with body bevels so I built a bevel into my size 0 and love the ergonomics.
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  #10  
Old 10-25-2021, 01:32 PM
redir redir is offline
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I may try using a strap again but I didn't really feel as though it made much of a difference. Fortunately at this point I do not experience too much pain with the standard foot rest.

One thing I did notice when I first started playing is standing up to take a few bows between performance pieces is a good way to stretch a bit. And I am not talking in actual performances but in practice. Get up off your chair once in a while.
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  #11  
Old 10-27-2021, 07:57 AM
H165 H165 is offline
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"4. We cling to our dreads and jumbos."

"Smaller guitar sizes"

"Manzer wedge body"

All three for me....

https://umgf.com/harmony-h165-mods-t...--t159258.html
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