Basically I’ve been playing a shit load lately… I noticed a muscle (I think) in my back, by the right side of my shoulder (picking arm) was getting sore one night. So the next day I m playing and it feels like a lighter is being held to my back after like 30 minutes of playing and has been consistently the same the last few days. No amount of stretching or even playing slower prevents this from happening. Any suggestions? Has anyone else experienced a similar problem?

take a break from playing for a little while and see what happens

If you play sitting down stand up, and vice versa - see if you still have a problem them.

Also when I played with a friend's bass for a gig, my neck hurt like hell until I lowered the strap a bit. So maybe check that too. Don't go beating yourself up.

maybe its from being on the pc for a long time

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sometimes when people play they tense up in areas. Some people shrug their shoulders, make funny faces, grind their teeth and stiffen up. While you're playing just try to relax. If you can learn to play when your relaxed and loose your playing will tighten up. Just start out slow. If that doesn't help then... you got some different problems.

i experience the same prob.



this explains it.

as for suggestions, rest it for a couple of days (id recommend a week) whilst rubbing some anti-inflammatory gel into the sore spot; i use voltaren.

now you can still play, but as suggested, use a different posture and relax- dont tense up the same area.

the gel basically hurries up the healing process, because what you are feeling is a strained muscle, and there are plenty of small muscles on your shoulder blade and its too easy to aggrevate it, and its not worth it.

the gel may be overkill, but if you lift regularly or sit in a hunched position it will be a godsend.
once youre healed, then you can stretch. id recommend 'Relax into Stretch' by Pavel Tsatsouline.

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same thing happened to me before. I solved the problem by really focusing on moving my wrist, rather than my arm or shoulder.

I had to make a strong concious effort to make my wrist do all the work, and eventually the muscles built up and I taught myself how to pick correctly and more efficiently.

I think the pain for me came from the fact that my elbow was the fulcrum of movement, rather than the wrist.


just be concious of it-- you will catch yourself using the wrong muscles, and you can correct yourself.

you know what? Try those icy hot pads! They work for me when i box, could work for your muscle tensions

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icy hot?

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stop using ur whole arm to pick?

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Something often overlooked are the related changes that puberty brings, with increased rates of cell/muscle development etc. Teenagers are notorious for bad balance etc as a result of this. From age 17-19 I had real bad proble painmsc s etc with my joints, in particular my left arm and wrist. It's still here at times but nothing too serious/isn't a continual problem.

Yeah try playing standing up with your strap set to three different lengths - "high, middle and hanging low" as each position slightly alters the ergonomics of your playing/ deformed back muscles

Another thing...Things like acute muscle problems etc in my experience are made worse by thinking about it. If you think about the muscle everytime you play you're more likely to feel it. Do some distractions with other muscles, like learn double bass ondrums, hah

Argh. I've turned 22 today