Shoulder ache and round shoulders. Any cures?

[The Teleist]

Hi all, me again.
I love playing my guitars, particularly my Hamer which weighs about 8bls, and my tele which is about 6/7bls. However, 10 minutes into playing (standing up) i get quite a bad ache in m' left shoulder. Any cures? I think a new strap is in order, as i'm currently using nylon ones, so i'll buy a leather one. Can anybody reccomend anything else though? Excercises and what have you. I'm quite thin and not particularly muscular (if that makes any difference ).

Also, any cures for round shouldered-ness? Playing heavy guitars does not aide my round shoulders, and standing up straight seems to be getting difficult, particularly when playing. It's got to a point where i think the next guitar i buy may be an SG because they're so slim (not that that's a bad thing, i like SG's)
Cheers,
The (aching) Teleist

[dr. love]

How do you have the guitar positioned on the strap when you are standing? If it is really low, or too high, it could be a contributing factor.

[MtJam]

Your guitars sound like they're fairly light. Definitely go with a thick leather strap (even a 3-inch bass strap. I have a lot of back and neck issues, and it has helped me some. I would be in agony with a thin nylon strap.

[garymaddox]

I had a friend with a similar problem from typing. She was really round shouldered and walked slightly bent over. At some point she got into doing yoga and now, year later, she has lost the rounded shoulders and has much better poster. Maybe you could practice some shoulder specific positions.

[Steve G]

Big wide strap.
Good posture.
Lots of stretching.
Squier affinity tele - slim bodied and light!

[jefrs]

Do not despair. Practice and your strength and stamina will soon increase.

You are only 16yo? Assuming you are male, you strength is about to start rapidly increasing, it will at probably double by the time you are 20, by the time you are 30 at least double that or more again, and if you keep fit will further increase throughout your forties.

My most comfortable strap is a wide Fender webbing one. Try playing seated wherever possible. Tai chi will help with posture, weight-training for strength, any active sport for fitness and stamina.

[octatonic]

Yoga or Alexander technique.

[Stevie 202]

My chiropractor was a big advocate of using light dumbells to target specific areas of the body to re-align things.

It's easy, about 15 min a day. I'm not talking about pumping iron. I mean little 5 pounders.

Before you try this, do some research or you could hurt yourself.
Or get some professional advice.

(BTW & FWIW - I was a reedy little guy like you when I was your age.. Not so little now tho')

Good luck

[Telenator]

Is it possible that you just need to relax? I have seen many a player standing there with their shoulders hunched up and forward when they play. That will surely make you ache.

Gripping the neck too tightly can also cause arm and shoulder pain. A lot of guys get real tensed up when they play.

Try taking a moment to see if you're tensing when you play.

[tdu]

Straps and playing position are obviously important, but I agree with the people suggesting flexibility and strength training. Especially something like Yoga, which will do both. To offset shoulder problems, you need to strengthen the opposing muscles to bring things back into line. You can just isolate one part of the problem to fix it.

You could also likely get a basic physio program from your Dr., or even find one online.

Whether it's Yogo, Physio, or any other type of exersise you are doing to try to correct a problem, just make sure you learn it properly and use the correct form though or you could just end up with a whole new set of problems.

[nosuch]

exercise, my friend!

[pbenn]

Pushups, maybe. Nothing crazy, just a little game to play once a day.

Another approach is a left handed guitar on a strap or otherwise, maybe an inexpensive orphan strat or something. It's going to be impossible to play left at first, but if you stick to it, you will correct all your back muscle stuff you've built up playing right.

JMO, of course.

[straightface]

pull ups

[The Teleist]

I bought a leather/ suede strap today. Most comfortable.

[brokenjoe]

Stretching is good, so is focusing on staying loose.

Fortunately, I've never had a shoulder problem -even with playing a very heavy banjo. I liked the look of the strap that I bought for my banjo, and now use it for both. Nice and wide, padded, and good looking too!

[The Teleist]

Update: I'm falling apart. Really. Just tried to play along to Cream's version of Crossroads and got an ache in my right wrist. Dang.

[hannigan]

The older and heavier I become the lighter my choice of guitars becomes.
But, I do not have a weight problem because my money goes for gear and I skimp on food.
I do play sitting down much more because of shoulder pain.

[Gareth John]

If your hands are aching it sounds like you're too tense when playing. Look in the mirror when you play and see how you hold the guitar, or if you look uncomfortable playing it. If you do have a weakness in your shoulders playing guitar in the regular position may not be helping. Practice sitting down with the guitar on your left knee, see if that helps. There are also guitar straps that go over both shoulders which would be better if you do have a weakness. If you're short for your age it could just be that the guitar is heavy for you. I remember being 12 or 13 and somebody giving me a squier strat to hold and I thought it was so damn heavy, so heavy that I had to put it down.

[The Teleist]

I've only just read these latest posts, but funnily enough i looked at myself whist playing today. I noticed that my right shoulder is higher than the left, and that i seen to tense up my left shoulder when i'm standing up with m' guitar. SO much for buying that Tokai Les Paul!! Perhaps a tele.... or SG......

[nosuch]

I don't think your problem can be cured by a lighter guitar. You report aches in your wrist. And you are only 16 years old. Maybe you should see a physician and discuss that with him. some excercises wouldn't hurt IMHO but if you are already in pain this also has to be discussed with a physician AND/OR with a guitar teacher maybe.
BTW: How long is your strap?

[The Teleist]

The strap is long enough, and adjustable (sorry if i spelt that wrong). I believe aches of the wrist are coming from being a bit stiff before strumming. I shall 'warm up' beforehand in future.

[nosuch]

well I asked because a friend of mine also tends to lift his right shoulder when playing the guitar. he didn't report any pain, though.

I always thought that his strap is maybe too short, so he lifts the shoulder so he can strum the strings.
but you are reporting pain. and you are 16. these problems are not so common in your age IMHO.
one question: is playing the guitar for you connected to pressure or stress? does someone in your family or yourself has very ambitious goals connected with playing?
or frankly: why can't you just relax and enjoy playing?

[jmaul]

Rowing. Real or on a machine. Excellent for shoulder strength, core strength, posture, etc.

I will second yoga, pushups, and pullups as well.

The combination of all four will give you that V figure with strong broad shoulders.

[Jeff_K]

Others have said it already: get a very good strap, don't make due with the "free strings, amp, pick and strap" variety. I got a 3" Franklin leather strap and it changed things significantly. MUCH more comfortable. Even if you don't pop 50 bucks for a leather strap, don't even think about less than 3" wide. And the Franklins are extremely well made and will last for years, so $50 isn't a bad deal for equipment that is comfortable and durable. I know, at 16 it's probably hard to imagine $50 for a strap, but that's what Christmas, Hannukah, and/or birthdays were made for! MF has an extra padded 3" Franklin for $25 and looks like something a 16-year-old might like, too. It's pretty cool.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.c...abs?sku=360761

[david_lewis93]

First off ,not being a smart eleck or any thing here, I have been a practicing nurse for the last 20 years and started in surgical rehab. warm up by stretching and rotating your wrist and hands ,get a tall stool to sit on while playing,stand as long as you arent hurting then sit back to relive tension in your neck and shoulders a bar type stool or counter hight is wonderful ,I use one at church where I play and at home, try that and if it doesnt help see your physician ,,enjoy ,,(and get you a tele ,they dont hurt ).

bend em tight and let er scream.

[TheBlueNote]

It seems as if barbell shrugs would help your shoulders cope with the guitar's weight. Additionally, you might want to keep your guitar higher...I find the lower my guitar is, the harder it is on my fretting hand's wrist.

[The Teleist]

How much does a standard Fender tele weigh? In pounds.... or some other measurment if you prefer.