Question to those who are guitar players out there that are also currently playing the Stick that suffer from stiffness, tingling and burning in the hands maybe the symptoms of issues like Carpel Tunnel or Arthritis, do you find it easier to play the Stick?

I know they are two different instruments like comparing guitar to piano, but wondering if the Two Hands technique is easier on the hands than guitar playing?

Thanks - kb

Excellent question.... While I do not suffer from those types of issues, there have been posts in the past saying the Stick is easier on the hands than guitar. Hand movement is the key to ease in playing and ergonomics (ask Greg Howard). And as an acupuncturist, I treat a fair amount of tendonitis and arthritis. Carpal Tunnel is often mis-diagnosed, it is specific and has specific symptoms... Warming up the hands, and the upper thorax and neck is key to playing comfortably and also to relaxing... If you YOUTUBE "Intu-flo" a great series of exercises will come up dealing with aspects of the whole body, and particularly the upper thorax and upper extremities.

Dietary changes such as the elimination of wheat, gluten and sugar are also very helpful, as they promote inflammatory response in the body. Turmeric is a powerful and wonderful anti-inflammatory as well. Check out the "Abascal Way" or Paleo diets....

Wow, I never knew so many factors could affect the hands but then again the human body is amazing - thanks for the suggestions I will look into them - kb

Thanks to Randy for the nod, and to Emmett for making an extremely ergonomically sound instrument (when positioned in the most helpful way, that is ).

With the Stick in a more upright position, and leaning back a little toward the shoulder, you can play a wide variety of left-hand chord shapes in great comfort, with almost no wrist bending. Add a little hand movement as the energizing force and the fingers have a much easier time of it as well.

All this is covered in detail in my DVD, Basic Free Hands Technique, but there is a video on Youtube that shows how easy it is to play chords in the inverted 5ths bass tuning, even on a long-scale instrument. The shapes fit the hand perfectly, all yo have to do is change the angle of the arm to accommodate:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TZi0qKzKCM[/youtube]

Hello, I have RSI from my computer career and I've been in and out of Occupational/Physical Therapy for decades. I worked very hard to get to the point where my condition is fully under control and I can type and play Stick pain free. The key for me, and many, is to use a straight wrist and use a lot of arm motion. RSI is caused by overuse of the small muscles in our arms and hands. Minimizing the use of small muscles and maximizing large muscle movement saved my career and has allowed me to play music again.

The worst thing you can do is to have a severally bent wrist while playing. There are some who play that way and feel it doesn't affect them. The research on this is very clear. You will develop problems if you do things wrong. I have watched students over the years develop carpal tunnel and some of the other RSI issues. I tried to warn them but until you feel the pain there's no motivation. However, by the time there's pain it's too late. Then you have to learn to manage your RSI. I cringe when I watch folks playing with bent wrists, I know what's coming for them.

The Stick can be a very ergonomic instrument. It might be the most ergonomic of the guitar family. It certainly is for me. However, we still have to learn to do things correctly.

-Eric

Interesting thread. Eric's comments resonate with me. I first had problems with RSI in my wrists just over 7 years ago and I too have had to learn to manage it in order to save my career as a puppeteer and my passion for playing music. I'm not sure which caused it or whether it was a combination of both. I was playing a great deal of piano at the onset of tendonitis, sometimes long sets without breaks several nights running. I was simultaneously touring a puppet show that involved articulation of the fine muscles while wrists were bent right over. So as an aspiring stickist it has been one of my main concerns about taking up the instrument: will it hurt me and will I end up needing to give up? Reading the comments here is reassuring.

My Railboard is on order and when I get down to learning I intend to pay attention to position and posture at the start. I can see from the many videos that posture varies greatly! I would not be able to play for long with a bent wrist.

Like Eric, I have learned to manage RSI and have gone from being in pain nearly all of the time to being pain-free nearly all of the time. I concur that using the larger muscles, bigger movements and whole body movement is the way to go. Also warming up and stretching properly is vital - before and after; even having a warm shower helps to relax the muscles. Any form of stress is bad, feeling cold is bad, and one wrong move can mean a strain injury with weeks of pain as you recover. I try to be aware of my body and know my limits. The risk is greatest when doing something I wouldn't normally do, or getting impatient with a task such as unscrewing the lid of a jar.

When playing, I try not to get locked into the same arm position for too long. Occasionally relaxing and shaking out the arms helps to diffuse any tension and aids circulation - which I've found to be important.

Not sure how much of this would apply to other conditions but I expect at least some of it would. Certainly knowing your own body, knowing your limits, and looking after yourself is a good philosophy for anyone!

Great video, Greg! Planning to work through your book and DVD when the Railboard arrives.

I had carpal tunnel and couldn't play after five minutes. First my fingertips went numb, followed by PAIN. Thought it was all over. Found a hand surgeon who diagnosed and performed Carpal Tunnel Release (technical terminology). Total success. It was gone the day I took the bandage off - the next day. Mind you, full strength came back in about a month because he made a half-inch slice into the meat of my palm muscle. But the tingling, numbness, and pain were removed immediately and have remained that way for four years.

I have osteoarthritis and tendonitis flare ups. If I keep my left elbow in proper alignment out in space, and keep the Stick fairly vertical, I have no issues at all. If I let my left elbow fall to my side, my wrist cocks and my fingers clench up. The low pressure required to make sound combined with the ergonomic chord shapes for both hands makes this instrument a win on the arthritis front.

Thank you all for your very valued comments and encouragement kb