Cramps in my hand

[Boxcar Willie 84]

This sucks....ever since Thursday my left hand has been prone to cramping and feeling kind of sore in the pinky and ring finger part of the hand....it doesnt really feel so bad today but it was kinda bad a few times last night at the show. Has anyone else ever had this happen before, or know what you can do to prevent it? I always warm up good and everything so I don't really know whats causing it.

[VinceV]

If ever a post was left open to make fun of. :ROTF:

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Im not laughing dude this is serious business, but for the record I am right handed and this is happening in my left hand...maybe I should switch up because my right hand is fine haha

[St.James]

Do you stretch your fingers, wrists and forearms before playing?

[Boxcar Willie 84]

i just play some easy stuff and work my way up...got any suggestions?

[St.James]

Well, if you're cramping up I'd try some stretches. In was watching John Patrucci on a video taking about stretching before warming up. If it's good enough for him It's good enough for me.

I believe in keeping muscles good and stretched anyway... Just good over all exercise.

[HuntinDoug]

I used to get this kind of "nerve shock" (I dont know what else to call it) in my left hand when I played certain chord structures. The strange thing is, it would only happen at gigs, or in practice. I guess I had to be standing up for it to happen. Anyway, it felt like a shock going thru my wrist, all the way past my elbow. At times it was bad enough that I would have to stop playing for a couple seconds before feeling came back...Hasnt happened in a long time.

[horns666]

Yeah, Box I used to get that all the time..I don't have that so much anymore..now my playing hand is basically half paralyzed which is awesome...NOT!

Try doing some stretches like these guys advised..I had to do that before a show..If I didn't, man I would get a cramp in the thumb part of my palm..ouch!!

That's not cool when your in mid-song live..I remeber I got that in my picking hand during a show once..it was so bad I dropped my pick..not good!!

I had a nerve conductive test...BTW that test sucks..they ruled out carpel tunel(sp?) but confirmed I got nerve damage due to my injury..

Take Care Box, be careful and good luck!

Bill

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Thanks guys I am gonna do some stretches from now on. Bill sorry to hear all that!

[Fragle]

my bass player used to suffer from the very same problem. stretches and a better warmup procedure is the way to go here.

[sully]

box, is it more of a tingling that goes from your pinky, and down that side of your hand to your wrist? that could be nerve related. i have those issues in both hands, but thankfully it hasn't cropped up in a while.

sully

[quakana]

box, is it more of a tingling that goes from your pinky, and down that side of your hand to your wrist? that could be nerve related. i have those issues in both hands, but thankfully it hasn't cropped up in a while.

sully

I get that sometimes Sully...ever had it diagnosed?

[sully]

yeah, pinched nerves in my neck. went thru some tests that involved needles and electrical currents. it reminded me of the scene in lethal weapon were he's getting electrocuted. to say it blew rhino wand in an unrelenting fury would be an understatement.

[El_Kabong]

The same thing has been happening to a friend of mine. His left hand gets stuck in a 'claw' positon and it lasts for a few days. Running hot water over his hand provided a bit of relief.

Another friend, whom is now in his late 50's had a similar ailment and ended up having to have the tendons surgically cut so he could straighten his fingers. He has only 2 working finger on his left hand, but can still play the ass of most.

Good luck at your G.P.'s.

[dg]

+1 that you should try Petrucci's stretches from the Rock Discipline video. They're really good.

Sully, I think I have the pinched nerve in the neck thing. We put up a heavy bag in the garage a while back & I think I threw something out of whack. It was painful from my neck & down my left arm for a week or so. That went away, but now I get numbness & tingling in my left pinky & ring finger. I'm probably going to go to my wife's chiropractor & see what he can do before I resort to the "Lethal Weapon" treatment.