Just three years into playing bass, I was mid-set at a dance-party gig when a sharp, shooting pain tore up my fretting hand and along my forearm.
My fingers locked. I looked at my brother and mouthed, “Something’s wrong.” The music kept going, but my left hand was done—frozen in a strained, bent position.
In the weeks after, I felt pain, numbness, tingles, and pins-and-needles any time I played.
Simply wearing the instrument brought the pain back fast. A physical therapist later explained I’d developed a pinched nerve in my neck/shoulder.
I switched to playing sitting (still do), but a new problem showed up: my plucking hand wrist started bending too much, and I developed carpal tunnel symptoms on the right. I took over six months off the instrument just to dial the pain down from “constant” to “livable.”
During that break, I tried a lot of things. 25 years later, these three hacks have stuck with me ever since. They don’t replace care from a pro—but they helped me calm flare-ups and keep moving without pushing through pain.
Quick note: Parts of this routine were inspired by Kate Montgomery’s End Your Carpal Tunnel Pain Without Surgery and exercises I learned from a physical therapist. This is general information, not medical advice.
TL;DR (what worked for me)
A simple three-part routine—forearm “saw” massage (30s), gentle wrist stretch (20s ×2), and a short ice massage (~2 min)—became my go-to reset when computer time or bass sessions woke up the cranky zones in my wrists and forearms. Not medical advice—just sharing my experience.
Disclaimer: I’m reader-supported. So, when you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Having that said, this article does contain affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. This book is what I’ve used for over two decades for relieving sore forearm muscles and I fully recommend it, especially if you’re experiencing forearm pain. You can read my full affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy in the footer.
The 3-Part Reset (what I do when the forearms bark)
1) Forearm “saw” massage — 30 seconds
- Place the fleshy side of your opposite hand against the forearm that feels tight.
- “Saw” across the muscle (across the grain), working slowly over tender spots.
- Pressure: medium—enough to feel it, not enough to wince.
- Breathe naturally while you move. If a spot feels “spicy,” back off slightly and keep the breath steady.
What I watch for: a dull, “good” ache that eases after a few passes. If it sharpens or zings, I stop.
2) Wrist stretch (palm up) — 20s × 2
- Arm out, palm up, close fist. Gently anchor your thumb of your other hand to the corner of your wrist, then use your fingers to bend the wrist while out stretching the arm.
- Sensation target: light stretch along the top part of the forearm and the wrist.
- Avoid: tingling, numbness, zaps, or joint pain—those are my “nope” signals.
- Reset between sets; shake out the hand.
Why I keep it light: once nerves are irritated, “more stretch” isn’t “more better.” Gentle wins.
3) Ice massage — ~2 minutes (or until the cube melts)
- Get an ice cube and a towel.
- Small circles over hot spots in the forearm or wrist.
- Stop if numbness creeps in. I keep it brisk and localized.
Pro tip: keep a few ice cubes in a silicone tray near practice space so this step is frictionless.
Bass-specific tweaks that helped me
- Neutral-ish wrist angles. Sitting helped my back, but it also bent my plucking wrist. I lowered the bass position and brought the neck slightly up so both wrists looked closer to “straight line” than “hinge.”
- Micro-breaks over marathons. I use short practice blocks (10–20 min), then 1–2 min off: stand, shake out, shoulder rolls.
- Volume from the amp, not the hand. If the line needs to hit harder, I turn the amp up a touch instead of digging in with extra tension.
Vary the motion. Alternating fingerings, shifting positions, and changing attack keeps one tiny set of tissues from doing 100% of the work 100% of the time. - Warm-up = slow + soft. Chromatics, light ghost notes, and time with a soft touch before anything athletic.
What I wish I knew earlier
- Pain is information, not a personality test. “Pushing through” cost me months off the instrument.
- Technical wins feel better when your body isn’t on fire. Sound > strain.
- Little resets stack up. Thirty seconds here, twenty seconds there—it adds up to more playable time.
If this helped, you’ll probably like the quick demo clip that sparked this post. And if you’re navigating similar pain as a bassist or computer user, I see you. Small adjustments can open big doors.
