My left hand hurts

[Weslapootayn]

I've been having a problem for a while with my left hand. I want to play rudiments but after playing them for a few minutes my left hand starts to hurt. It's not joint pain, it feels more like a ligament pain or something. It's on the right side of my left wrist. I've tried staying off of it for a while and not playing for a week or so, and that hasn't helped. Do you guys have any suggestions on how to keep my hands from hurting when I play? Thanks again.

Weslapootayn

[fumbled time]

WOW sorry to here that, I notice a pain in my lower forearms when I am gripping to tight. How many years you been playin? does anyone in your family have a history of that kinda pain? Have you ever broken it before?

[Mysterious Stan]

Hmm interesting. I echo FT's comment, how long have you been playing? Is it for like normal playing aswel or just rudiments. Sometimes i get a sorta ache from playing to intensely, maybe try playing slower and build up. Sounds like something though that should ultimtalry be checked out if you think its that serious. Hope i helped in some way

[pastor_bob]

Weslapootayn, if it is only a function of doing rudiments, and not at other times, I would guess that you are tensing up, and it is entirely possible that you strained a tendon. If so, you will need to let it rest a bit, so if it only hurts you when you are doing rudiments, then your body is telling you something.

The old joke is the patient who goes to the doctor and says, "Doctor, doctor, it hurts whenever I do this." The doctor responds, "Then don't do that."

[Weslapootayn]

Yeah I might have strained a tendon but I've tried resting and it didn't fix it. I'm thinking that maybe I grip the sticks wrong and I need to try a new playing style. I think I'm gonna try the gladstone technique and see how that works for me. I've been playing for two years by the way.

[mcramer]

im gonna say grip.

I had pain in my hands, but i dont know if it was from work or not.
I noticed my grip/wrist position would change when i started to get warmed up and into it.
i worked on staying uniform and i havent noticed any other pain.

[Weslapootayn]

Yeah thanks a lot Mcramer. I've been thinking that the grip I use to play is way wrong. I checked out the three major grip types (German, French and American) and found that I don't use either. I use my own messed up take on what a grip should be lol. SO, I'm going to try to learn the American grip because I've read that it is the best or most well rounded grip. Problem is that I can't find a good enough instruction on how to use the American Grip. As soon as I find one I'll start on that right away and hopefully say goodbye to my wrist problem. If anyone has a very well written instruction or a good video showing how to play with the American grip properly, I would greatly appreciate you sending it my way If not..well I guess I'll just post a thread about it. Thanks again!

[mcramer]

sure thing man. ill post some pics on how i play.

[Weslapootayn]

Thanks a lot! I'm also going to start learning the Gladstone technique, so if you have any tips on that just let me know. Thanks again

[El-kevo the drumtech]

Assuming your a beginner;
play through it. when your hand starts to hurt/burn play a song or two more to build endurance. dont stop until your just about in tears. byt the end of the month you will with have an incredible threshold for pain or an amazing ability to keep a tempo at incredible speeds and timings.

Or contact the brown hand center AND get lighter sticks AND choke up on the stick more AND turn your wrist from a "pinky on the outside" (sideways) to a "pinky down" (up and down). Bob from MCR had bad habit of "pinky on the outside" and had to get surgery for carpool tunnel. casual mistake that nearly cost him a career right when his band was breaking big.