Why does My hand hurts while playing guitar?

Question

I've been playing for a good three months now and my hand hurts. Not the tips of my fingers. I have enough callises. But my hand will start to tense up really quickly and I can start to feel the muslces in my left hand starting to tense up like my muslces do after a workout. I also feel that my left hand in general starts to tense up.

Do you think working out my hand using the hand squeezer and doing barbell curls will help build strenght.

Answer 1

When someone constantly uses their hands in a certain position it an cause carpel tunnel. Try taking small breaks and exercising your hands in a different manner than they were before. Also, go to a manicurist (I know even if you're a guy this is okay!) and having a hand massage once in a while. Also pick out one day of the week to not play the guitar.

Answer 2

what julian said is correct. when i took guitar lessons like 11 years ago the first thing i learned is to keep your thumb up on the back of the guitar so can move your fingers more easily and put less stress on your wrist. so when i started playing guitar hero i naturally used the same hand positions on the mini plastic guitar as i do on my real ones. its possible your just not used to that position yet, it will be less uncomfortable with time. but if it really hurts dont try to play through it. take a break and play again in a few hours. this is true if your fingers hurt as well. i remember practicing the hardest stuff on expert (like jordan, so forth) until my fingers hurt and i still couldnt hit it. but when i played again the next day it seemed alot easier to me than it did before

Answer 3

I have been playing the guitar since december and i get the same thing. I find doing the hand excercises with a stress ball helps, also after playing for 10 - 15 min, relaxing the fingers and opening and closing your hand a few times help until you build up more strength

Answer 4

Sounds like strain.I play the quitar,well haven`t played in a while ,but as you get older your hand will cramp up.I used to play all the time I own a music company with my daughter and we had a five piece band.I notice my hands hurt worse when I play the piano.Don`t give up. I agree with rvd520 that your gripping the neck to tight.Also strech your fingers this works wonders for reaching the frets.

Answer 5

Arthiritus

Answer 6

You may be haveing symptops of carpel tunnel (im not sure thats spelled right)..

Answer 7

i have a feeling that you are grabbing the neck too tight. try resting your thumb on top of the neck while you are playing.

Answer 8

you might have carpaltunnel syndrome