What did I do to my shoulder?
Question:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->><snip> >> and drink lots of water (till it comes out of your eyes for the next 2-4 >> weeks). >Okay, now I think you’ve hit on something here! I was VERY dehydrated the >whole afternoon. I even told my wife, right after practice, that I was >dying for something to drink. I think I’ll take a jug of Gatorade to the >next practice! >> Don’t do what I did, and think you can play through the pain. >> Build strength, increase fluids. >> Hope that helps. >Thanks for all of the advice! :-) >Mark > Very important to keep hydrated, but 3 HOURS without a break? NOT > good. You need to put that beast down after 45min-an hour and give > yourself 10-15 minutes to loosen up again, just like working a gig. > You can’t go 3 hours at a time and not expect the body to retaliate in > one form or another, imho. > Charlie S. > W5CDS
I sincerely agree with Charlie on this one. Ed Cregger
Response:
> Do yourself a favor. See a real doctor first. The comment about it being a > symptom of a cardiac problem could very well be true. > Tackled early, these things are much easier to deal with and treat. The next > symptom might be a funeral. Good luck.
Yikes! I’m not ready to meet Jaco just yet!!
Response:
> Get a strap which take your two shoulders. > i build one when i played my 5 string which was louder than my actual 4. It > does exist but i don’t remenber the brand. Ask Donna; she bought one; if i > remember correctly > And like said Rob; work your shoulders body-building; not with the idea to > be the new Schwarzenneger; but simply to maintain shoulders and back.
You know, I’ve seen these fleece/leather pad things that you slide your regular strap through – big, funny-looking things, but I’d always assumed that they’d be very comfy. I may try to find one of those for rehearsals. I can’t say that I’ve seen any around lately though…
Response:
> Do yourself a favor. See a real doctor first. The comment about it being a > symptom of a cardiac problem could very well be true. > Tackled early, these things are much easier to deal with and treat. The > next > symptom might be a funeral. Good luck. > Yikes! I’m not ready to meet Jaco just yet!!
Well, you’re not too young to have a physician take a peek and collect some baseline data. Sorry for being so morbid. Most of the other fellows are probably right. It’s probably a result from straining and playing in unusual positions. The other fellow was correct in that shoulder pain is something that should be treated seriously, since the same thing that makes it sore could also show up a problem with the ticker. Good luck. Ed Cregger (just call me Gramps)
Response:
> Any sports medicine doctors here? > Finally, pulling this all together, yesterday was my first rehearsal with > these guys – three hours – no breaks – new, heavier bass… > Last night, I had the most horrendous pains in my left shoulder and down > into the upper left portion of my back. This seems like a lot more than > just a bit of muscle irritation because the pain wasn’t just near the > surface but deep into my shoulder. I took Motrin and rubbed BenGay all over > it, but could barely sleep. Right now I’m just really sore. I should be > practicing tonight, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. Well, I did > pull a stool into my music room and may try a little bit sitting down with > the bass on my leg.
My case went like this: I went to an audition for the first time after a 10 year break, we played for about 3 -4 hours, when I got home, I felt like I was beaten up by a group of angry people. I know I did tense up a bit, first time after all that time and all, but the next day I was ok. Really, do go to a doctor, then to a good chiropractor, he will teach you good ways to train your "problem areas". And follow the other advices you got here, they are very good! — Chris E-mail is fake, don’t you just hate spam…
Response:
> My case went like this: > I went to an audition for the first time after a 10 year break, we > played for about 3 -4 hours, when I got home, I felt like I was beaten > up by a group of angry people. > I know I did tense up a bit, first time after all that time and all, but > the next day I was ok. > Really, do go to a doctor, then to a good chiropractor, he will teach > you good ways to train your "problem areas". > And follow the other advices you got here, they are very good!
Today I feel almost back to normal!?!?!? Other than a sensation in my shoulder that "something happened" to me on Saturday, I’m okay. Good thing too because I just got called up to play for church this Sunday and practice is tonight. I think I’ll play sitting on a stool tonight… I’m gonna go see my chiropractor though…
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Oh, I should’ve mentioned that my strap goes over my left shoulder, so it > wasn’t related to the pain in my forearm (which is probably from plucking > the strings?). > It doesn’t necessarily follow that pain on the right hand side is > unrelated to tension over the left shoulder. > I’ve overcome similar problems by using a double strap arrangement. I > made the first one sometime in 1992 and have been using it ever since. > I have now made several of these for my main basses and I find it also > helps lock the bass in place which improves my playing as well as > alleviating shoulder, neck and arm pain. > To make one, buy two straps, one needs to be one of those leather straps > which you adjust the length of by threading a tongue of leather through > some slots at the back – the second strap I usually use one of the nylon > type straps which adjust with a sliding piece. Undo the tongue of the > leather strap most of the way – you’ll have to do this anyway to get the > length right – when you re-thread it trap one end of the second strap > through it. The leather strap goes over your left shoulder in the > conventional way, the nylon one goes over the right and attaches to the > upper horn. > Make sure these are nice wide padded straps – I usually add a layer of > foam under each shoulder. > You can buy similar straps commercially – please note: I’ve never used > any of these products or dealt with any of these companies. > There’s the ‘DARE’ strap, http://www.idare2.com/index.html > I don’t know how many of these he sells, but these are the closest > commercial offering to the ones I make for myself. > There’s the Y-strap > http://pages.infinit.net/ystrap/index.html > The weird looking slider strap, http://www.slider-straps.com/ > and the Wittman ’spin’ strap http://www.wittman-spins.com/ made famous > by ZZ top. If you play in a heavy rock band this is probably the only > one you’ll be able to use without merciless ribbing from your band mates > and the audience. > Good luck. > — Derek
Hmmm. Another approach to solving a problem. Thanks, Derek. Ed Cregger
Response:
> > Chiropractic works wonders, and it’s cheap. Make an appointment, and stick > to a regular visit schedule if you plan on keeping this workload. > This is what my wife says – get to the chiropractor… I guess I should > call tomorrow? > And all I did was play bass????? I’m a wuss…
Heh, I got a simliar thing for a little while. I figured it was because the bass was qutie heavy, and neck heavy, so took up weights for a bit of help. Then tried a lighter bass and a couple of other things… turned out most of the problem was from head banging along with the music while I was playing. I’m 37, I hope your warranty -hasn’t- expired! Cheese, Rak
Response:
> > Stop with the ETOH and Coffee (is there an ETOH-like abbreviation for > coffee?? Beano6??) > and drink lots of water (till it comes out of your eyes for the next 2-4 > weeks). > Okay, now I think you’ve hit on something here! I was VERY dehydrated the > whole afternoon. I even told my wife, right after practice, that I was > dying for something to drink. I think I’ll take a jug of Gatorade to the > next practice!
Good ole’ water is great. Gatorade has too much other stuff that you only need if you’re in the process of really burning that other stuff off. None of need the calories 
If need be, there is some lighter duty stuff, like… can’t think of the name right now, but it’s nearly just flavored water. Plain water is kind of a bore. — O< "Happy Carnival!" /() ^^
Response:
> Oh, I should’ve mentioned that my strap goes over my left shoulder, so it > wasn’t related to the pain in my forearm (which is probably from plucking > the strings?).
It doesn’t necessarily follow that pain on the right hand side is unrelated to tension over the left shoulder. I’ve overcome similar problems by using a double strap arrangement. I made the first one sometime in 1992 and have been using it ever since. I have now made several of these for my main basses and I find it also helps lock the bass in place which improves my playing as well as alleviating shoulder, neck and arm pain. To make one, buy two straps, one needs to be one of those leather straps which you adjust the length of by threading a tongue of leather through some slots at the back – the second strap I usually use one of the nylon type straps which adjust with a sliding piece. Undo the tongue of the leather strap most of the way – you’ll have to do this anyway to get the length right – when you re-thread it trap one end of the second strap through it. The leather strap goes over your left shoulder in the conventional way, the nylon one goes over the right and attaches to the upper horn. Make sure these are nice wide padded straps – I usually add a layer of foam under each shoulder. You can buy similar straps commercially – please note: I’ve never used any of these products or dealt with any of these companies. There’s the ‘DARE’ strap, http://www.idare2.com/index.html I don’t know how many of these he sells, but these are the closest commercial offering to the ones I make for myself. There’s the Y-strap http://pages.infinit.net/ystrap/index.html The weird looking slider strap, http://www.slider-straps.com/ and the Wittman ’spin’ strap http://www.wittman-spins.com/ made famous by ZZ top. If you play in a heavy rock band this is probably the only one you’ll be able to use without merciless ribbing from your band mates and the audience. Good luck. — Derek — Many Hands – Trans Cultural Music from Aotearoa/New Zealand http://www.manyhands.co.nz/
Response:
Just what I would say. Get a softer wider strap or one of those double thingies. And Robs advises are min etoo… Soren – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Get a strap which take your two shoulders. > i build one when i played my 5 string which was louder than my actual 4. It > does exist but i don’t remenber the brand. Ask Donna; she bought one; if i > remember correctly > And like said Rob; work your shoulders body-building; not with the idea to > be the new Schwarzenneger; but simply to maintain shoulders and back. > cheers > basst
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