carpal banjo syndrome

Subject: carpal banjo syndrome
From: walter -dot- crockett -at- ascentialsoftware -dot- com
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 09:57:58 -0400


After years of trying to become a faster guitar flatpicker, I no
longer believe all arms are created equal. In the bluegrass world, the law
of natural selection prevails in spades. Only those people whose arms and
wrists were built to move as quickly as David Grisman's, for example, have
even a chance of becoming top bluegrass mandolin players; and only those
whose fingers are nearly as nimble as Bela Fleck's can hope to become
bluegrass banjo stars. Blazing arm and hand speed are necessary, but not
sufficient conditions for success at the highest level in bluegrass. (You've
got to be musical too.)
The last time I made a concerted attempt to increase my picking
speed I ended up with the beginnings of carpal tunnel syndrome, which was
aggravated by spending the day at my computer job. So I backed off and
decided to just try to improve my musicality instead.
I also agree with those who say that never having had a problem with
CTS doesn't mean you never will, though maybe you have one of those arms
that just won't quit. In my case, I have found that doing the common
exercises for it found on the Internet has always gotten me back to normal.
I hope that continues to be the case.

Walter Crockett


>From: written_by -at- juno -dot- com
>Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 05:08:37 -0600
>X-Message-Number: 5
>
>I do not understand something.
>
>Everyone I know uses a keyboard and mouse, hour after hour, day in and
>day out. They do not report any CTS problems. I am at my desk for many
>hours at a time, and I have not suffered any CTS problems.
>
>I also play the Banjo, and if there was a problem with CTS, I am guessing
>that it might be reflected in my playing. When I started playing the
>instrument, it was hour after hour of unusual finger positions and
>repetitive motion.
>
>I was also a custom printer in a lab and for more than a decade, it was
>the same repetitive movements hour after hour, 6 days a week. I am
>thinking that if repetitive motion was a problem, it would have shown up
>by now.


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