Thumb Pain while playing chords

Playing Technique
#1

Dear fellows,

I recently started studying some different chords, trying to go a bit beyond the power chords and the pentatonic scale.

Usually, I do listen to people complaining about pain in the picking hand or the fingers of the fretboard hand due to significant stretches.

It isn’t my case, at least not yet.
However, I do feel strong pain in my fretboard hand’s thumb.

I am attaching a picture of how I have my thumb in the neck most of the time while playing.

Do you guys have some advice?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Cheers,
Ivo

IMG_3622
IMG_36223024×4032 2.34 MB

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#2

My advice would be if the pain is persistant, go see a doctor to make sure there’s nothing wrong mechanically with your thumb or hand.

Don’t do like me. Like an idiot I pushed through pain and had to stop for months because I had a serious hand problem.

How much tension/strength do you put in gripping the neck for these chords? Seeing the chords themselves would be better since thumb placement varies (for me anyhow).

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#3

The main muscular actor when you’re playing a barre chord isn’t the thumb, it’s the back. Rather than using the squeeze of the thumb to press down on the strings, keep the thumb in place lightly as a reference and use your back muscles/lats to “pull” your entire arm back.

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#4

Thank you very much eayottes,

Yes, it seems to be some tendonitis.
I’ll try to have it check ASAP.

Cheers,
Ivo

#5

Thank you ShadowoftheSun,

I’ve never consider that.
I’ll try to do it for while, to see how it does work for me.

Cheers,
Ivo

#6

I agree, and I had to find this out the hard way. I relied to much on my thumb for a ‘fulcrum’ and it really caused issues with my thumb/wrist, to the point where I had to stop playing for a couple months.

I’ve since adjusted my form to use more of the top of the palm for most of the pressure. I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t have to use my thumb at all anymore. It feels very comfortable, and more reliable.

#7

It is interesting.
I am quite ok to use the palm when I am playing power chords.
However, if I am playing something more complex that requires a bit more of finger twist I have to put the thumb in the back.

I’ll give it a try.

Cheers,
Ivo

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