Guitar Wrist Pain: Fixes for Both Hands

Which wrist hurts? Start here

Strumming hand wrist pain: 6 fixes

1. Straighten the wrist. If your wrist bends sharply over the body edge, move your forearm so it rests further forward and the wrist sits closer to straight.
2. Share the motion. Fender's beginner tip is that most strumming comes from the wrist, with the elbow adding accents. If your wrist hurts, let more of the motion come from the forearm and elbow for a while (the BAPAM guitar factsheet recommends this).
3. Loosen your pick grip. Hold the pick just firmly enough not to drop it. A death grip tightens the forearm. See how to hold a pick and, if it slips, pick keeps slipping.
4. Strum lighter and faster, not harder. Volume comes from the guitar, not force.
5. Check strap height. Standing with the guitar slung low forces a bent wrist. Raise the strap until it sits about where it does when you sit.
6. Take breaks. 5 minutes off every 20 to 30, plus the shake-out below.

Fretting hand wrist pain: 5 fixes

1. Raise the neck. Angle the headstock up toward shoulder height; your wrist straightens on its own.
2. Relax the thumb. Rest it behind the neck, don't clamp. Barre chords especially: pull back with the arm. See barre chords.
3. Move the elbow, not just the wrist. Let the elbow swing out a little for low frets and in for high frets.
4. Press lighter. Press just behind the fret with the minimum pressure that stops buzzing. High action makes you press harder: fix high action.
5. Short sessions. Two 15-minute sessions beat one tense hour.

Wrist exercises and warm-up (3 minutes)

Gentle, never into pain. Do these before you play and after long sessions.

1. Wrist circles: Arms out, make 10 slow circles each way with both wrists. No forcing.
2. Prayer stretch: Palms together in front of your chest, lower them slowly until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold 15 to 20 seconds.
3. Wrist flexor stretch: Arm straight, palm up, gently pull fingers back with the other hand. 15 to 20 seconds each side.
4. Wrist extensor stretch: Arm straight, palm down, gently fold the hand down. 15 to 20 seconds each side.
5. Finger spreads: Spread fingers wide, hold 3 seconds, make a soft fist. 10 times.
6. Shake out: Let both arms hang and shake loosely for 10 seconds between songs.

Guitar fixes that take strain off the wrist

• Lighter strings and lower action need less force: strings too hard to press.
• Sit with the guitar on your left leg (classical position) or use a footstool if your wrist bends in the casual position.
• Big-body dreadnoughts force the strumming arm up and over: a smaller body helps. See dreadnought vs concert.

Coming back after wrist pain

Start with short, easy sessions and build up gradually; drop back if pain returns. A medical review in Hand Clinics suggests short practice blocks with 5 to 10 minute breaks and doubling playing time only every few days.