Sam, I’m really sad to hear that you are having problems.
I have heard horrible stories of guitar players quitting the guitar because of the problems with their hands.
I’m a person who play guitar and sit infront of the computer all day, and when I’m at work I work as a builder. This is really stressful to the hands!
I remember during the holidays I tried practicing guitar all day for an entire week. My hands cramped up and I had to stop.
So I started playing less computer games instead, and having a relaxed relationship to practice guitar. Never practicing guitar for longs periods, but in intervals and always making sure I get as much out the practice as possible. Just like the mind needs rest, the muscles in your body does too. It’s like recharging the phone.
eating the right food is very important too. I don’t eat too much, not too little, I don’t drink sodas! I drink normal fat milk, tea or water.
I know John pretrucci has strech excersises and a certain way to play guitar. He explains them in his DVD called Rock Dicipline, and you can actually watch it on youtube.
Don’t take a persons words on how you should hold and play the guitar too seriously. If it feels good and your muscles are relaxed, that’s good enough.
A local musician I know changed his entire style of playing and holding the guitar from strict instructions from a guitar trainer, it resulted in him getting a serious hand problem and has never played guitar since.
No guitar player are the same! Our bodies are different and works differently, so find a style that suits your body the best.
When you say that your hands feel numb, it sounds like bad blood circulation. So some mild excersise where you move your arms would be good. Like running or walking. It also gives you good sleeping patterns and lots of energy for the brain.
It can also be psycological. Some people believe that our body has ”valves” and that stress shuts down those valves. these valves can be our mind, our arms, our legs, our stomach. And through therapy you ”open” those valves again.
Maybe ”your valves” are closed because of something that is stressing you. Eliminating that emotional/psycological or physical stress can open them again
Either way, regular excersise, healthy food and a good days sleep is better than any medicine in the world.
I can tell you this because I had a nervous breakdown couple of years back ending in a bad psycose where I couldn’t sleep, eat or live life (or play guitar for that matter) Everyday was a struggle with 10 panic attacks a day and a severe depression.
I had to choose if I wanted to live like this forever or actually get my finger out of my arse and do something about it. After one and a half year of running, eating and sleeping healthy, I’m now a cured man.
Everybody has a mountain to climb in life, be it money, stress or even a broken heart. Maybe this problem with your hands is your mountain and you need to climb it. But everybody here at fractal forum are cheering for you.
To sum it all up, my best advice is: Run everyday and eat healthy. Keep that blood circulation flowing!!! Really the best medicine there is.
Godspeed to you and keep us updated.
