Curious about whether playing the guitar will lead to issues later on?
Personally, I’ve fallen victim to multiple issues that, whilst not directly caused by Playing the guitar, have certainly been exacerbated by my constant playing. But, especially as a rock-loving teenager, I wasn’t one to take medical advice. Suffering for the sake of learning power chords was worth it!
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I’ve included some of the more common issues that I’ve had, and from musicians I speak to regularly across the globe and within Specific support circles. Hopefully you’ll find some more information into the types of symptoms you’re seeing, or understand whether your approach to playing is likely to lead to an issue.
The background to this post is that I was diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome in 2014, a painful condition in which my nerves are compressed along the right side of my body, more specifically via the collarbone. This has meant that playing for any significant amount of time has become very difficult, and I’ve sought years of medical advice to help to alleviate both the pain and get back to my playing habits.
Changing my approach to playing posture (adopting more of a classical style) and taking notice of actually having breaks within playing has made my playing a lot less painful. But that’s just me, and I know there are people out there with much more prolonged pain.
I’m hoping this post can help guitarists out there to either further understand their specific issue, or also to discover methods in which to manage any prolonged pain.
It’s very important to note that I am not a medical professional, and this post or any advice on this site related to anything to do with stretching, illnesses and advice is to be treated as non-professional advice only. Please speak to a medical professional prior to actioning any of the recommendations in this guide.
The common issues I’m going to cover in this guide are:
- Arthritis
- TOS (Thoracic Outlet Syndrome)
- Tennis Elbow
- Frozen Shoulder
- Tendonitis
- Repetitive Strains
- Carpel Tunnel
Arthritis
This one you’ve no doubt heard of, or at least will be aware of. Arthritis causes inflammation within the joints, often causing them to rub or wear down, and can be very painful. Naturally, it’s something that can cause your guitar playing to suffer. I can’t stress the importance of stretching enough with any illness like this one.
You also really need to listen to your body in order to mitigate any further pain. Arthritis can be particularly painful for players who have it more specifically in their arm, neck and shoulder.
Specific treatment approaches for guitarists
Arm stretches for arthritis:
Releasing back tension:
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome / TOS
Thoracic outlet syndrome is the broader name of a series of issues that are surprisingly common in guitarists and stringed instrument players.
With TOS, the nerves in your neck and shoulder are compressed by the first rib, which can cause anything from severe pain to tingling and spasms.
It’s really important that with any TOS symptoms that you avoid any movements that are drawing your neck and shoulders forward. This includes practicing good posture, being aware of your posture as it slips, taking regular breaks, and rethinking your overall playing posture.
Specific treatment approaches for guitarists
Alternative playing posture:
TOS Release procedures:
Tennis Elbow
Tennis Elbow is very common in players, or anyone working in a capacity that involves the same movements in the elbow over a prolonged period of time. This commonly causes pain around the elbow, forearm and hand.
If you can, it’s best to rest with this one, especially if you’ve been diagnosed and know for sure that this is what you have. It can usually be treated with proper rest and therapy, and you can be back to playing, so don’t try to force through the pain to make everything worse.
Specific treatment approaches for guitarists
Tennis elbow stretches:
Stretching basics:
Frozen Shoulder
Well, this is one is pretty much what it says on the tin! And, if your shoulder is struggling to move properly or you’re having pain, then naturally shredding your favourite scales is going to be a bit of a struggle.
As with a lot of these issues, there are specific stretches and movements you can stick to in order to, well, get that shoulder un-frozen!
Frozen Shoulder stretches:
Tendonitis
This is where your tendon can swell due to a form of inflammation, usually related to an injury and often from continued use of the injured area following the injury occurrence. Often lumped with arthritis, there’s actually more specific approaches you can take with tendonitis in order to treat it properly.
Again, if it’s in your neck, shoulder and arm, you’re going to want to take playing easy for a while.
Tendonitis stretches:
Repetitive Strain Injury
Very similar to tennis elbow, RSI’s refer to the wider range of issues that can occur from overuse of a muscle or nerve. TOS, tennis elbow and shoulder tendonitis can be linked back to this form of overuse, leading to inflammation for a lot of people.
It’s also very common for musicians of all kinds to encounter an RSI at some point in their playing career. The advice is to take a break and follow stretches like those below. After-all, it’s likely that the overuse is what got you into a pickle in the first place!
RSI Stretches
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
Similar to TOS, but more isolated to the hand, carpel tunnel is where the nerves in your wrist are compressed which can lead to prolonged tingling and numbness. In most cases these can be resolved by specific stretches, like the ones I’ve added underneath which also helped me with my specific guitar-related issues!
Carpel Tunnel Stretches
Diagnosing your specific issue
Many of these issues seem very similar, so it might take some time to actually get a diagnosis of what your specific issue is. All I can say here is din’t give up hope. It took me years of MRI’s, scans, different therapists and countless appointments… but it was worth it!
Advice for guitarists experiencing discomfort when playing
Please start by resting and getting booked in with a professional. You can then get diagnosed and work out a specific stretching programme that will actually help get you back to shredding in no time. The worst thing you can do is try to push through the pain and make things worse!
More common myths and questions
Can playing the guitar directly cause arthritis?
The short answer here is no, playing guitar will not directly cause you to have arthritis. However, if you are seeing symptoms, then do not try to push through any pain. Scales and exercises may even help sore hands and stretch to work through specific movements, but arthritis is such a general term that there's no 'one size fits all' approach to guitarists with this condition.
Is playing the guitar bad for your posture?
Like sitting at a desk, any prolonged time spent seated is going to see your posture suffer. Playing guitar is no different, and you can definitely develop poor posture if your initial playing posture is poor. My advice is to take a look at how classical guitarists approach their playing posture, and look at what you can take from their pristine upright approach!
Conclusion
Remember that this information is a guide and a nudge in the right direction to get you to see a professional and get your issue diagnosed if you’re experiencing pain when playing. Best of luck and I hope that you can get back on the shredding path in no time at all!
Again, and I cannot stress this enough, I am not a medical professional. Please see a medical professional if you’re experiencing prolonged pain or issues when playing.
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