Hand & Finger Pain from Playing Guitar? Here's What to Do!

We can't forget about those other four digits!
Your fingers are obviously a pretty important part of playing guitar, so knowing how to take care of them is a necessity for any guitarist. Here's a quick video about muscle fatigue and fingertip pain that you will experience as you progress in your craft. It's NOT a sign that you should stop, or that guitar isn't for you! It's only a sign that your most important tools need to be well taken care of.
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[@pkortalk]

Been watching you since you started. Nothing about lessons but you have good genes and are aging ☺️ well. Have a long healthy happy life.

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you, Paul.

[@pedramesmaeelzadeh2367]

Not just genes. Lifestyle too

[@aggabus]

2006

[@michaeldrevyankosr6180]

Erich , I broke my neck and back and have plates and screws in my neck , lost All strength in my hands . I ended up building my own guitars with super low action , 9-40 balanced strings . I play it well without a lot of pain

[@kylieisola4735]

🌿💫👍🎸💖 Michael, You Rock!

[@donjohnson7550]

Warrior!

[@violetsky5202]

Thanks for this video. I had to quit guitar and bass for a while due to tendinitis but then I improved my technique and have been feeling much better since.

[@iwearstilts8847]

Love these vids I learned the notes on a guitar from you and I really appreciate what you do. Keep up the great work.

[@lita1403]

Thanks man you’ve helped me a lot!

[@oldhorseshoe4046]

Thank - you very helpful Dave.

[@davegreeley]

Such a deep sound for that guitar. Carpel tunnel is nasty. Fingertip soreness goes away never to be thought of again after a while. You start to realize you don't have to press as hard, just more precise between the frets. Great info for players.

[@markdavich5829]

Yep. I've been playing the acoustic and the electric seriously for a 4 or more years now and I'm just now starting to relax. LOL I don't know why I wasn't able to relax before now but I go out of my way to look for ways to do everything with less pressure these days. As things become fluid and faster, relaxing is almost unavoidable now - even finger picking comes easier when I can relax my fingers.

[@mikemiller6628]

Exellent info.

[@johnnga4496]

Thank you very much for taking time to talk to us and making this video. I was wondering if you had any insight on the picking hand pain I have wrist pain that I didn't have until recently and I've been playing for about 7 months I don't know what I'm doing wrong do you have any ideas what I did thanks

[@paulhadfield7909]

i hurt my arms at work, but i find playing guitar makes the pain go away, but i do press the strings lightly and play acousitc mainly, good video cheers

[@ariekoren4256]

Hi Erick, I always enjoy watching your videos, (for years) as there's always something significant to learn from you and thank you for that. To prevent pain and other problematic issues, such as tendonitis and other various joint and soft tissue minor or major injuries, that eventually might cause one to quit playing guitar, I think it's important to mention the necessity of of stretching exercises along with warming up exercises to the fingers and wrists to increase flexibility and local blood circulation pryor to start practicing and also to play slow in the beginning of the practice. I say this as a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

[@yourguitarsage]

🙏 thank you for the addition.

[@ariekoren4256]

@@yourguitarsage Thanks for responding, I have so much respect for you Erick, I think you are an amazing guitar teacher. Best.

[@ikkezegtie]

omg after building resistance in my fingertips, i started to get pain in a joint. I stumbled on this video and i realised that my technique improved more then i knew. also less feeling in my fingertips made me press the strings too hard like i did a few weeks ago, i was unaware as my fingertips are not sensitive anymore. Indeed now i dont have to press so hard at all, which also makes it more easy to keep my wrist forward. The fact that nowadays i can stumble upon someone like you is a godsend. Thank you very much for the efforts in providing us with your explanations

[@yourguitarsage]

👍🙏🥰

[@AdrianClement]

This is why I love my teacher (Erich) He teaches about real life. I changed my diet due to arthritis pain in my neck from an old injury and the results were well worth it!! My pain is gone. Thank you Erich for addressing this!

[@yourguitarsage]

Love that, Adrian! Congrats! Keep going down the rabbit hole. 👍

[@marinemomma62]

Adrian I’m working on it. I was a vegetarian most of my adult life then I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and I was put on the caveman diet All organic meat. No dairy Lately, the inflammation is building up in my body. My dr put me on water pills. I try not to take them. I’m going to read more the vegan diet. If I could figure out where to get the protein from. I really think it’s the meat giving me inflammation. I just bought a Hashimoto’s cookbook. There are vegan recipes. Going to try the best I can. Erich is a great inspiration. I’m glad you changed your diet and feeling well. Great testimony!!!

[@sujayanarula3913]

Thank you so much 😊 appreciate your effort to educate on this topic

[@paulowen8282]

Get an outdoor all terrain full on physical job! Works for me, never had sore fingers from a guitar but a few black nails from a hammer!. Is that a band " The Black Nails " ? It should be. Thanks Erich ill share this with my office worker buddies 😀

[@Rev3Band]

You're awesome 💪☀️

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you, Eve! You are too 🤗🙏

[@owensterry29]

Having a guitar with jumbo sized frets helps too.Gibson uses them on all of their acoustic and electric guitars.

[@TokyoBlue587]

I second the recommendation to see a physical therapist if there is unusual pain. Some of these issues can be successfully treated with physical therapy. Physical therapy aims to treat the cause of the pain, whereas a lot of doctors will just give you meds to mask the pain. Find a good PT and don’t risk doing further damage to your hand.

[@marinemomma62]

Erich thank you for this video. Before my pain gets any worse I’m going to change the gage from 11 to 8. I’m working on the diet because I do have autoimmune and lots of immflamuation. Arthritis and Hashimoto’s. I wish I could go vegan... but with Hashimoto’s... beans, tofu my body antibodies would go through the roof. So much great information to help and prevent further damage. THANK YOU. 🙏🙏🙏

[@yourguitarsage]

👊🏻👍

[@pedramesmaeelzadeh2367]

Look into raw vegan/fruitarianism. Beans and tofu are high in physic acid

[@marinemomma62]

I will. I was told no beans, but I eat lentil beans. I got to figure this out. Thank you I appreciate that. 🙏🙏🙏

[@yourguitarsage]

Beans affect SOME, not all. If u can eat them, I would. If you cannot, I would not.

[@goofy5607]

I play bass aswell...i dont have any feeling left in my fingertips anymore

[@chosenone6323]

My pain is on top of my hand leading towards upper middle part of hand trying to do solos of Dave mustaine killing my hand feels like it’s about to split in two horrible pain

[@eagali2188]

My index finger 's upper knuckle pains when i play C and F chords . Please help me

[@dirtworshiper2800]

Soak your hands in ice water whenever possible for about 10 minutes each hand. Especially right after. Brings the swelling down. Well it works for me.

[@razzymarcus8044]

I woke up today and my fret hand was so sore and my ring finger was like semi trigger fingering

[@captainkangaroo4301]

Dilaudid 4’s always worked for me.

[@MajorKassad]

I lost my sense of touch on top of my fingertips after playing for hours on end. Will I ever get back the feeling of sensing again?

[@yourguitarsage]

Most likely. That can happen when playing a lot.

[@NaomisNews2]

That happenz when ya got a fractured wrist&arm with an un-natural twist... but not showing up? when we should be together, no exuse unless yur dead...4 sumone who needs 2 C kno & sho N0W!

[@aggabus]

Lui say needa be reset neck

[@sujayanarula3913]

I am forced to take a break from Guitar after developing Tendonitis, I think it’s to do with my Son’s classical Guitar ‘s strings that are higher than it should be 😟

[@kalpendurawat9706]

Hey it heal for you?

[@davidjohncox7333]

I wish someone would address strumming hand pain and cramping issues.

[@yourguitarsage]

If your guitar action is set to high, that can also be a problem. Start here my friend: www.yourguitarsage.com/30

[@aggabus]

0:00 to 0:13 song ? Any ? One ?

[@JoeHobbs]

People are Strange by The Doors

[@mns8732]

Try fingertips push ups. 50 everyday.

[@aggabus]

1:36

[@ShaswataGhoshShas]

Friends do you have hand Pain?

[@yourguitarsage]

😜

[@aggabus]

Tens of thousands Ok 24,000 is on the low side (much lower than A million .. redacted) So 25,000 ÷ 50 year 500 times a year ÷365 = 1.35 per day For 50 year

[@alcovitch]

Not sure going vegan is something most guitarist need lol

[@yourguitarsage]

not necessarily vegan. But just a low acidic diet. Veggies help.

[@aggabus]

1:30