Aches and pains of being a bass player

[BassYerbouti]

As a bass player of mature years who is starting to suffer for his art, I wondered if any of you had any tips for dealing with aching fingers and shoulders.

Our band only gigs three times a year but boy do we like to practice. I've had an aching right
shoulder for best part of this year which I am fairly sure is down to the hefty precision I am wielding. Now my fingers are starting to ache too and it's starting to reduce my fluidity and making
me play safe instead of trying to introduce some flair into my playing.

This is starting to read like an agony aunt letter now but to cap it all recently my guitarist has put in
a couple of songs that he would like me to slap and pop to. At 53 I suspect this isn’t going to make
things better.

So if you have any ideas to reduce the strain on this old boy (other than ‘give it up grandpa - it's over’), I'd like to hear them!

Bassyerbouti

[Truckstop]

Buy a lighter bass, a wider strap and get some lessons to learn correct wrist position.

A poor right hand technique can affect your entire uppe body due to having to overcompensate and put yourself in odd positions.

Try yoga and pilates (I get a lot of aches from playing rugby, pilates helps big time!) and don't forget to warm up before gigs and rehearsals! No offence, but at your age everything needs to be done carefully. My mother recently turned 54 and she struggles with knitting now; I've put her onto a good yoga therapist to help with her knitting posture.

Hope you feel better soon!

Alex

[Doddy]

[quote name='BassYerbouti' timestamp='1352214430' post='1860213']
Our band only gigs three times a year but boy do we like to practice.
[/quote]
Take some strain off your shoulders by sitting down in rehearsal. I pretty much always
sit down when at rehearsal,just because I can. Rehearsals are usually longer than gigs,so
I don't see the point in making yourself uncomfortable.
It's also worth taking a look at your technique if your fingers are aching. Check the position of your
wrists and make sure that they aren't at a sharp angle or resting heavily on the bass.When you're
standing,take some time adjusting the height of the bass so that it is in a comfortable position and you
aren't putting any strain on your wrists.
To take some weight off your shoulder try either a wider strap or a thick neoprene strap like the Comfort
Strapp. Alternatively,you could try the Damian Erskine Duo Strap,which distributes the weight over both
shoulders.

[fatback]

+ 1000 to the above.

There's nothing inevitable about pain. Technique is almost everything.

Oh, and cod liver oil.

[Bilbo]

There is a book called Alexander Technique for the double bass player or something of that sort which I found helpful as it looks at a whole body approach to managing the physical demands of an instrument (Ethan Kind is the author - but that is not his real name which is Nobby Fishcake)

[Lozz196]

Yep, wider strap, and then heighten/lower until you`re not stooping whilst playing.

I`ve a dodgy right shoulder, which I`ve had for years, and for me, having the bass slung fairly low helps, as the problem with my shoulder is when I lift my arm, so having it straight down whilst playing is the best solution. If your Precision weighs 10lbs or more, sorting out a new one - as they weigh about 8.6lbs - will be of benefit. it may not seem a lot, but 1.5lbs over an hours set does make a difference.

Lastly, army sergeant major here - stand up straight. My shoulder injury will never go, but my physio advised that my posture is bad, and to stand up straight, as slouching increases "pull" on the muscles. Standing straight means they all rest where they are meant to.

[Happy Jack]

+1 to all the above, especially to sitting at rehearsals (and who gives a monkey's if [i]"it's not very rock'n'roll, is it?[/i]"), plus if you must or want to stand then (1) try to hold yourself like there's a poker up your arse, makes a surprising amount of difference when you stand up straight, and (2) move around, don't just stand on one spot with a 5Kg plank slung asymmetrically around your neck.

[BassYerbouti]

Some great advice here chaps - thanks! we'll be rehearsing for 2+ hours tonight and I think I'll try it sitting down for once.

[Coilte]

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1352215444' post='1860225']
Alternatively,you could try the Damian Erskine Duo Strap,which distributes the weight over both
shoulders.
[/quote]

+1.

[url="http://www.gruvgear.com/duostrap-signature"]http://www.gruvgear.com/duostrap-signature[/url]

[sirenboy]

I'm a 56 year old bass player playing with 30 somethings in a pop rock band and I nearly always sit down during rehearsal sessions. As Doddy says, rehearsals are usually longer than gigs so I don't see any problem with sitting down. Our guitarist usually does too! Also, having a very wide strap helps.

[Blademan_98]

I bought the headless 'paddle' because of weight issues.

I used to struggle to get through 2 x one hour sets.

It's a breeze with the lighter bass.

My hand problems are a different thing altogether.
Although I have been 'advised' by my doctor to give up playing, they can have my bass when they prise it from my cold dead fingers lol.

(I'm 47 but feel like I have the body of a 90 year old some days!)

[Doddy]

Just on the thought of sitting,while I think about it-don't hunch over the bass while you play.It's an easy
trap to fall into,but try and keep your back straight. A stool is often better than a chair for this reason.

[shizznit]

I suffer from a whiplash injury I picked up in a car accident years ago and an ongoing wrist injury from my boxing days. Both affect me when I play. I used to just get on with it and battle through it, but as I get older my body does not recover as quickly as it used to.

I am now starting to switch to lighter instruments, thicker padded straps, correct and comfortable posture whilst playing either sat down or standing. All of which does help my neck and back. I have been receiving regular chiro treatment for a number of years now and that also helps to relieve a lot of the pain and stiffness. For performing bass players - I would certainly recommend visiting a chiro at least every 6 months...even you think that you are physically okay. I was a sceptic at first, but now I can't live without the therapy.

My wrist (plucking hand) is something I can't do much about. The pain doesn't necessarily come from playing, but from doing every day stuff and it then inadvertently affects my playing. Wrist supports don't really help and I normally have to rely upon pain killers in prep for a long gig or recording session. I do strengthening exercises recommended by my GP, but I can't do them when the wrist is playing up as it aggravates the pain.

There will be a day in the future whereby I will probably have to quit playing due to my health, but I am trying my hardest to prolong that day as much as I can.

Edited November 6, 2012 by shizznit

[Muzz]

One of the first things I look at these days when I see a new bass is "How much does it weigh?" My 7.5lb Dingwall makes a real difference. I also sit at rehearsals most of the time.

[JellyKnees]

+1 on the yoga... I've been going to a class once a week for about 2 years now and it's helped me enormously with various back/shoulder niggles.

It's also very good for improving your overall strength, stamina and balance, all very helpful when playing bass. As an added bonus it has reduced my blood pressure back to 120/80, so hopefully I'll avoid that coronary for a good few years to come

[Nico@Bass]

I had this "pain" after playing for some time. I changed my technique at the right time and don't have any problems anymore!

Edited November 6, 2012 by Nico@Bass

[Len_derby]

Some good advice here.
In my experience aches and pains are significantly reduced (or disappear) if you can lose excess weight.
From your body that is, not just your gear!

[essexbasscat]

[b][size=6]BAPAM ![/size][/b]

[size=6][size=4]Trouble with online advice is it may or may not apply to you. General guidance can be helpful, but advice specific to you will ALWAYS BE BETTER. [/size][/size]

[size=6][size=4]For instance, the advice here to stand with a better posture would seem to be good on the face of it. Trouble is, if you try to improve your posture in the manner that many people use, it can replace one problem with another and be ineffective in postural correction over the long term. [/size][/size]

[size=6][size=4]Best wishes for a pain free bass career OP (and everyone else on BC too ) [/size][/size]

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

So much good advice here. May be a good time to get a headless bass , or a short scale one .
Have the height of the bass the same standing up as sitting down. Relax. A lot of tension is held in the shoulders .

[Marvin]

I find the best way to avoid aches and pains is to be completely inactive. Only when it is absolutely essential should one move, at all. The sofa is my favourite resting place with the TV in the on postion.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='BassYerbouti' timestamp='1352214430' post='1860213']
I've had an aching right shoulder for best part of this year which I am fairly sure is down to the hefty precision I am wielding. Now my fingers are starting to ache too and it's starting to reduce my fluidity and making
me play safe instead of trying to introduce some flair into my playing.[/quote]

Refer yourself for physiotherapy. I had a gradually worsening problem in my right arm earlier this year, went to see a physio and he diagnosed a shoulder problem - I've been busy exercising to fix it for nearly three months now and it's getting better but taking a while.

Glad I decided to go see a professional though, rather than let it get worse.

[4 Strings]

53 year old using a heavy lump of a Stingray daily, adding my not inconsiderable weight to the wide strap, straight wrists advice.

Body end down, neck end up for straight wrists.

[bertbass]

Try a Danelectro. The lightest bass in the world and a great sound too.

[Kongo]

A wide strap will help with weight. P-basses are light if you use wide spaced 6-string basses regularly :-P but I can't even feel the weight of them with a 4" leather strap.
Keep your wrists STRAIGHT, it's easy to slouch and put your elbows towards your ribs and have bent wrists. Poor for blood flow and doesn't help tendon sheaths.

Someone above mentioned Cod Liver Oil. I'd like to post what no one has and say that can actually BE your problem instead. Cod liver oil contains a lot of vitamin A, if you already have enough in your system this will trigger vitamin toxicity.
Vitamin A overdose will cause chronic joint and muscle pain, which can be confused as injury or disability.
Seems to be a rarely known fact.
If you already take multivitamins with Vitamin A in it, Cod liver oil can easily put you well over the recommended UI.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Kongo

[fatback]

[quote name='Kongo' timestamp='1352245739' post='1860784']
A wide strap will help with weight. P-basses are light if you use wide spaced 6-string basses regularly :-P but I can't even feel the weight of them with a 4" leather strap.
Keep your wrists STRAIGHT, it's easy to slouch and put your elbows towards your ribs and have bent wrists. Poor for blood flow and doesn't help tendon sheaths.

Someone above mentioned Cod Liver Oil. I'd like to post what no one has and say that can actually BE your problem instead. Cod liver oil contains a lot of vitamin A, if you already have enough in your system this will trigger vitamin toxicity.
Vitamin A overdose will cause chronic joint and muscle pain, which can be confused as injury or disability.
Seems to be a rarely known fact.
If you already take multivitamins with Vitamin A in it, Cod liver oil can easily put you well over the recommended UI.
[/quote]

On the other hand, there's this:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/5868.php