Sore right shoulder from tension (Is a pad the solution?)

Nathan Burns · From: Alberta, Canada

Hi guys,

This winter I have gotten on a practice schedule that's fairly time consuming. I try to get an hour or hour and a half on my pedal steel and then I do an hour or two of dobro depending on how much I can fit in before I have to get to bed and sleep for work the next day.

I haven't practiced this much since I was in my earlier twenties (I'm 29 now), but I've started to get some real tension and pain in my right shoulder (picking side). I know this is from my posture and having my right shoulder sort of tense for hours on end. Playing tense is never beneficial so I've taken to getting up and trying to do a few stretch every fifteen minutes as well and just taking a deep breath, letting my shoulders fall and then trying to maintain that position as I believe it's healthier.

Anyhow, I play an MSA Classic S-10 with no pad and I've been eyeing up a new steel with a pad wondering if I could rest my wrists while playing, would that release that tension from my shoulder?

Any SD-10 players that use the pad, is this something you think would be helpful? Has this benefited your posture or have you noticed any other positives? Part of me is also just looking for an excuse to get something new, but the more economical/responsible side of me says I should at least do some research and get a few opinions before I walk down the road of spending a cool few thoasand dollars Laughing

.

Thank you for your time,

Nathan
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Mullen G2 through Fender Steel King

Rayco 6 string curly maple reso

Petingill Southern Belle through Fender 68 Princeton Reverb reissue.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

No. A pad won't help. My suggestion is to chat with a chiropractor or sports medicine person (they're both pretty well versed on alignment and posture issues), and ask for input.
I'd been having serious forearm issues when I got back into playing in 2003, and I paid my chiropractor's bar tab plus $20, he came to my gig and got me settled down: the back of my guitar was ¾“ too high and was causing carpal tunnel pinching.
It's probably more posture than tension, but can cause problems if not corrected.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Nathan Burns · From: Alberta, Canada

Thanks! I think I will do that is its definitely something I'd like to correct as the hours add up. I am thinking perhaps looking at the height of my sitting position might help, in addition.
_________________
Mullen G2 through Fender Steel King

Rayco 6 string curly maple reso

Petingill Southern Belle through Fender 68 Princeton Reverb reissue.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I might be just one of the instruments that you need adjustment with. Try playing only pedalsteel for a few days and see how you feel. Maybe try the same with dobro.

In my case having a padded SD10 or a D10 or an S10 doesn't make any difference at all. I have had big elbo problems from playing dobro before though. That was a nightmare.

If you do skype I'll have a look and see if there is anything obvious you could adjust.
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Bob

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Possibly get a friend or family member to take pics or video of you playing: we can't tell exactly how you have it wrong, but if there's pain, numbness or discomfort, you've got yer ergonomics wrong.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Bill Moore · From: Manchester, Michigan

Exercise, can help. I had bursitis in my right shoulder for a few years. I began regular exercise, light weight training, stretching, etc. and that cured it. Before that, if I moved my shoulder wrong, it almost felt like I was being stabbed with a knife. If you don't correct this, it will probably get worse. It might take some time, but this will help. The stronger your core muscles are, the better your posture will be. Good luck.

Jim Palenscar · From: Oceanside, Calif, USA

In my experience a common posture problem in steel guitarists especially those that haven't been playing too long is allowing the elbow to drift away from the side. In order for this to occur the neck and should muscles have to remain in steady contraction and this can easily lead to neck and shoulder fatigue. When I first started in the 70's I put two belts together and wrapped the new one just above my waist with my elbows trapped as well as making a brace to keep my right wrist from extending. I looked like quite a sight but it did help.

Gabriel Stutz · From: Chicago, USA

I started to have shoulder pain a few years ago... I finally figure out that the seat I'd been using since I started playing was too low which caused me to raise my shoulder a little bit. I got a new seat the was just an inch or two taller and I haven't had any pain since....

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

I teach my students to be "loosey goosey," and let gravity work. Simply let your elbows fall naturally to your side. I can only think of one master player that would occasionally put his right elbow out away from his side, that being Tom Brumley. All others let gravity work for them. Check out Buddy Charleton's body position on the Ernest Tubb TV shows on Youtube.

Ideally, you want to spend all your energy focused on your hands, not in keeping your shoulders or elbows in an unnatural position. Many years ago, I was watching my friend John Ely play and I noticed a great amount of tension in his left arm... John is a naturally intense kind of guy, anyway... and I mentioned to him that he might develop some kind of physiological problem. Turned out he eventually had pretty severe rotator cuff problems with his left shoulder that hampered his playing for a great amount of time and required physical therapy.

This isn't something to ignore, IMHO. Talk to a professional before it becomes an issue requiring treatment.
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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Jim Kennedy · From: Brentwood California, USA

Recognisng that you have tension is half the battle. As soon as you notice some discomfort stop and check what you are doing. Slumping, shoulders hunched, elbows to far out, hands not relaxed. If you wait until you hurt you will miss what is causing the problem. Playing any instrument is an athletic endevor and injuries do occur. Good physical tecnique has to be practiced just as much as scales, arpegios, and chord progressions. Muscle memory may make this tough to correct. It takes 10 times longer to correct bad habits than it does to learn, right ot wrong. I had to correct my guitar playing right hand technique to avoid carpal tunnel problems. Honest self evalutation, time and perseverence are the keys.
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ShoBud Pro 1, 75 Tele, 85 Yamaha SA 2000, Fender Cybertwin,

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

What Herb said !!! And it can't be over-emphasized. There should be almost no strain in your shoulder area when you play. It almost sounds like you're holding your shoulder up (maybe to raise your elbow/forearm position?) when you play. You may just need a higher seat, but you also have to learn to r-e-l-a-x when you're playing. Constantly stiffened muscles, always under constant tension, can easily cause all sorts of problems. Winking

I also notice some players hiking their left shoulder every time they're pushing pedals, and that's probably another thing that should be avoided.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

You don't just sit down at a steel guitar. More like putting a pair of coveralls on. Ever thing has to go in the right place. We are all built different, And picked fights with thunder storms and run into trees somewhere along the way that causes problems later. Seat height, guitar height, and whether the guitar is level or needs to be tilted forward or back can make a difference. Good luck in finding a comfortable position so you can concentrate on the steel and not on the pain.

I have a MSA S10 I put a pad on. Just a few paint stirring boards wrapped with cloth will tell you if a pad will help you.

Nathan Burns · From: Alberta, Canada

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the responses. I'm kind of bad for only coming on here once in a while, but I wanted to give you an update. Tension is definitely something I'm working on but something I struggle with. I try to take a deep breath and drop my shoulders before I start any song or exercise but the problem comes into play when I start concentrating. I always seem to tighten up.

Anyhow, the post about the elbow kind of floating up to the side is exactly my issue. When it stays up like that for extended periods of time it is constantly engaging the rotator cuff which results in soreness that can radiate all the way up my neck. I booked an appointment with a sports therapist to be assessed, but here's what I've done on my own to correct it.

I initially tried a belt to prevent the motion from happening but a better fix I've found is folding up a towel and putting it under my right arm pit. I'm usually unaware of when my elbow floats up because I'm concentrating on my playing but if the towel falls I know I have moved my arm to far from my body. This doesn't fix the problem of tension and I still have to be aware of keeping my shoulder dropped and loose but already after a week of doing this towel method I seem to have gotten rid of the rotator cuff pain.

I'm not sure if this simple little fix will be for everyone and maybe a towel under your armpit would feel a little odd for some, but physical habits are hard to break and this seems to be working for me. Hopefully if anyone else has a similar rotator cuff issue this could help. I'll also let you know what the therapist says.
_________________
Mullen G2 through Fender Steel King

Rayco 6 string curly maple reso

Petingill Southern Belle through Fender 68 Princeton Reverb reissue.

Skip Edwards · From: LA,CA

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I think having a SD size pad, or a back neck, helps not only shoulder and arm fatigue, but is also beneficial to your E9 right hand technique.
JMHO/YMMV

Dan Robinson · From: Colorado, USA

+1 to Herb's advice. I used to experience numbness in my left hand from muscle tension in my neck and shoulders pressing on a nerve bundle.

Seat height, guitar height and angle, your posture, they all matter.

Lane has a great "Pyro-Crackter." Laughing

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