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Writer's pictureIbukun Esther

Six Gigs to Play in a Week: Here's How to Protect Your Hands as a Guitarist

The guitar strings need your fingers to play their melody. But your fingers also need to rest to protect your health. Many guitarists with a lot of gigs tend to deal with calluses and Tendinitis after a while. As a Guitarist, this article will be beneficial as it discusses all you need to know about protecting your hands from the deadly torture of guitar strings. 



your playing hands as a guitarist


Common Hand Injuries in Guitarist 


1. Fingertip Calluses


If you give a random person a handshake and notice fingertips calluses, you best believe the person is a guitarist. Fingertip calluses are like trademarks of guitar players. However, thick calluses can lead to pain and discomfort.


2. Tendinitis 


Tendinitis is one of the common injuries among guitarists. The word tendinitis means inflammation of your tendons. Your tendons help to connect your muscles to your bones. Guitarists can develop Tendinitis in their wrists, fingers, or forearms due to repetitive hand movement. 


3. Tendonitis 


Tendonitis should not be confused with Tendinitis. Tendonitis is a stage of Tendinitis where the inflammation becomes persistent, chronic, and degenerative. Guitarists with tendonitis are always in severe pain and have little to no chance of playing the guitar again.


These common hand injuries that guitarists face may be scary. However, they should not stop you from playing the guitar. With the right tips, you can easily prevent these injuries.


Causes of Hand Injuries in Guitarist 


1. Overuse 


The most common cause of hand injuries in Guitarists is overuse. Playing the guitar for an extended period without adequate rest will lead to these injuries. Repetitive motions cause strains on the fingertips, muscles, and tendons.


2. Improper Technique


Most self-taught guitarists tend to play the guitar using improper techniques. In this situation, you may be a god at playing the right strings but use excessive force. Tight gripping and incorrect finger bending can also lead to these injuries.


3. Underlying Conditions


Underlying conditions like arthritis or other nerve disorders may cause hand injuries. Therefore, checking in with your doctor before going on a gig marathon is advisable.


How to Prevent Hand Injuries as a Guitarist


There are many ways to prevent hand injuries. Some of these methods include:


1. Carry out warm-up exercises like hand circles and finger stretches before playing the guitar.


2. Wash your hands before and after playing the guitar. This hygiene helps to prevent infection of cracks or cuts.


3. Moisturize your hands to prevent them from being dry, coarse, and prone to cracks.


4. Maintain proper postures and techniques when playing live. 


5. Cool down and let your fingers recover before playing your next gig.


6. Use ice therapy on your fingers to facilitate the healing process.


Dealing with hand injuries as a guitarist is a nightmare. Therefore, you must take care of your fingers and hands when running gig marathons. If you want an opportunity to play six gigs per week, you can consult SoundHeart Robotic AI Booking agent to help you out.

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