Serious problem with left arm

W

wyldeguy

New member
Okay...I am 21 and I have been playing for 5 years and have gotten to the point to where I could play fast solos and do bending easily on my Les Paul.


Well, I am having a serious problem playing now, it came out of nowhere. I am STRUGGLING to just bend a friggin note at all or move my left hand fingers fast again. Especially my pinky.

I feel my left forearm just give up instantly and feel very tired when bending or playing fast runs. I used to do it effortlessly....and now its as if I lost ALL my muscle strength in my left forearm. This is so weird and its freaking me out because it came out of nowhere and I don't know what to do or if it will go away :( Its seriously making me not want to play anymore.


Last time I played without any problems, I just played some easy licks and stopped after just 15 minutes.


Then I moved houses. I lifted a lot of furniture over a period of 3 days.

When I got to my new house, the problem was apparent. It has now been over 20 days and it still is happening.

WTF is wrong? Has this happened to any of you before?
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

You need to start stretching out and warming up before you play fast.

It's kinda like running. If you try to just take off sprinting, you will regret it very quickly.
Stretch and warm up for a few minutes, it helps alot.
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

karpathion said:
You need to start stretching out and warming up before you play fast.

It's kinda like running. If you try to just take off sprinting, you will regret it very quickly.
Stretch and warm up for a few minutes, it helps alot.
Click to expand...

In 5 years I never had to do this and I even tried this and the problem still happens.
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

1. see a doctor.
2. take a break from playing.
3. I got tendinitis. When it got bad I've stopped playing for a week or two - completely. Came back to playing slowly while using bandages on my wrists. Stopped shredding forever (it was very liberating for me to stop trying to get better, I must admit...).
4. as you're going to read it a lot in the next few posts, I might as well repeat it. See a doctor and get some rest.
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

JohnnyGuitar said:
1. see a doctor.
2. take a break from playing.
3. I got tendinitis. When it got bad I've stopped playing for a week or two - completely. Came back to playing slowly while using bandages on my wrists. Stopped shredding forever (it was very liberating for me to stop trying to get better, I must admit...).
4. as you're going to read it a lot in the next few posts, I might as well repeat it. See a doctor and get some rest.
Click to expand...

If it was that, wouldn't it take some time to develop? I went from effortless playing to can't hardly play at all in the period of 3 days :(
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

Are there not government clinics or anything you could go to? Like you say if this happened in 3 days, it could very likely be something serious.

Don't stuff around with your hands. It's NEVER worth it.
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

You might have a different injury - and it just means that the risk is higher and not lower. I wouldn't let it deteriorate. You might end up paying a whole lot more - in every sense.

And after you take care of this, I'd start thinking of getting a health insurance plan.
We pay a lot for health here... but I can see my family doctor without paying - EVERYDAY. If you're a citizen of the USA, then you live in a country that takes lower taxes because it thinks that citizens can make wise choices with their money on their own. You might be broke and have debts and yeah, I really don't know anything about you - but health insurance is one of those really wise choices that you can make with all of your un-taxed money.
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

Sounds like tendinitis. I had the same issue, had it checked out, got stuck with needles and checked out. This is not a medical opinion, btw. I'm no expert at all, but moving a lot of heavy stuff likely strained your forearm muscles responsible for hand movements. I get quite a bit more noticeable fatigue of my forearms/hands after working on a car or some such. So, stretching and proper hand position makes a big difference. So, first off, take a rest. Don't push through it, it will definitely not help things.
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

trevorus said:
Sounds like tendinitis. I had the same issue, had it checked out, got stuck with needles and checked out. This is not a medical opinion, btw. I'm no expert at all, but moving a lot of heavy stuff likely strained your forearm muscles responsible for hand movements. I get quite a bit more noticeable fatigue of my forearms/hands after working on a car or some such. So, stretching and proper hand position makes a big difference. So, first off, take a rest. Don't push through it, it will definitely not help things.
Click to expand...

Ok. I won't play it for 30 days, and stretch both arms everyday. If it still persists after 30 days, something would definitely be up and I will have to see a doctor.

Thanks guys
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

I'd first of all see a doctor. Depending on what you do for a living, other recreation, and how much you play, you could have pulled a muscle. This happened to my brother when he was playing football (he threw out his arm), and he wasn't able to play a bass for a few months. The other side is that you could have a form of arthritis. This happened to my dad, and because they caught it early, he was able to get treated, and while he can't play as fast, he is able to still play.
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

tonello said:
I'd first of all see a doctor. Depending on what you do for a living, other recreation, and how much you play, you could have pulled a muscle. This happened to my brother when he was playing football (he threw out his arm), and he wasn't able to play a bass for a few months. The other side is that you could have a form of arthritis. This happened to my dad, and because they caught it early, he was able to get treated, and while he can't play as fast, he is able to still play.
Click to expand...

You should form a band with your dad and brother, use some of that expensive gear you keep buying. ;)
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

Chances are you don't have arthritis, that usually developes slowly, gradually. Not suddenly after a strenuous event (moving). It would be wise, however, to see a MD and be checked for rheumatoid factor because rheumatoid arthritis starts at an early age. And, 21 is too young to be getting osteoarthritis.

For tendonitis: take ibuprofen to reduce inflamation (2 tabs three times a day), give your arm at least three weeks total rest from strenuous activity, massage and gentle stretching (don't overdo it), gradually start gentle exercise. Do not do anything that causes even slight pain.

Tendenitis can take a while to get better. Sometimes several months. Be patient. Don't be too anxious to get back shredding. And especially avoid block chording...that really stresses the tendons.

Sorry for your pain.
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

One thing i used to do when i was obsessed with technique and scale/arpeggio binges to build my guitar playing foundation was filling up the sink with hot water and dunking my hands in while stretching my fingers before and after playing. I used to do this before gigs if I could, and it allowed me to play MUCH more comfortably with little to no warm up time and increased finger speed. Massage your forearms after submerging your hands. You should also try aspercreme or any other NSAID containing pain cream.
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

wyldeguy said:
Ok. I won't play it for 30 days, and stretch both arms everyday. If it still persists after 30 days, something would definitely be up and I will have to see a doctor.

Thanks guys
Click to expand...

Don't wait go to the Doctor now! It could be something serious that could be easily remedied but if you wait it could get a lot worse and it may not come back. Dude your a guitar player stop screwin around and get to the doctor!
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

Maybe find a good chiropractor with experience in kinesiology. There are differing opinions on it, I don't have a strong opinion either way but I had a family friend that practiced it and it worked for an injury I had, and made sense when he explained why it worked. That's all I know.

It might be worth a shot and usually cheaper than an uninsured doctor visit. They may be able to find the things you "did" while moving, correct them, and get you back on track. It sounds like the effect of some muscles underperforming, or when something is pinched.

Or start liking the drums...
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

JohnnyGuitar said:
If you're a citizen of the USA, then you live in a country that takes lower taxes because it thinks that citizens can make wise choices with their money on their own.
Click to expand...

What a strange concept -
 
Re: Serious problem with left arm

iismet said:
What a strange concept -
Click to expand...

it is; history has shown that the ordinary joe can't make good choices based on proper judgement since he's just plain stupid. I also don't get it why it's considered 'communist' or 'socialist' to have a mandatory health plan... I pay 100$ a month, and I'm ensured for EVERYTHING. If I want to have my balls snapped, I can. If I get cancer, I'm insured. If I get run by a truck and I'm bleeding like a pig, nobody will call the ensurancecompany first. treatment first, payment later. only 0.01% of the population has issues,but these people have very unique illnesses and most of them get coverage anyway, so why's that commy? no idea.

on topic: Just give it a proper rest. I had something like that too, and you just have to wait it out and adjust your playing accordingly when you get to playing again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top