Left hand thumb soreness

[Joseph McKeon]

I play acoustic guitar and am learning the fiddle (2 years into it). I notice that my thumb joint by the rist is unusually sore at times. Any suggestions to remedy this is appreciated. Perhaps I am not supporting the violin with my left hand or applying too much thumb pressure with my grip?

[Casey Willis]

Hi, Joseph. It may be a pressure thing. You shouldn’t be gripping too hard – perhaps that’s the root cause? Also, make sure there is a little space between the bottom of the neck and the joint between your thumb and first finger.

Finally, I’d recommend doing 3+ minutes of hand stretching before and after you play…that could help, sir.

C

[George Bretz]

Joseph,
If the suggestions Casey offered don’t work, you may want to consult an orthopedic physician that specializes in hands/forearms.
I had a similar issue with my left hand that resulted in a very painful wrist. Made playing guitar or banjo very painful.
After a couple of steroid injections and a couple of months rest the pain resolved. Completely
After a couple of years I developed trigger finger in the same hand. When I returned to the doctor, she explained that the trigger finger and wrist problems were related and not necessarily related to overuse. Curiously, she gave me a steroid injection in the palm of my hand at the base of each offending finger. Trigger finger resolved as did the wrist problem a few years before.
I should add, about five years ago I had carpel tunnel release surgery on both hands. What a relief!
It sounds like I’m a wreck but all of this stuff was manageable with medical intervention. I’m pretty busy with power tools, weight lifting, playing instruments etc but I was told my challenges are really not directly related to those activities. Doctor said some people are just prone to these issues and they seem to be most common in young mothers.
I am definitely not one of those.
Best wishes
George

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