Guitar Fingers, Hands, & Posture: How to Play Without Injury

The guitar is one of the most popular instruments today, with millions of people playing it around the world. However, the horrors of “guitar fingers” will be one of the biggest obstacles as you start your musical journey.

“Guitar fingers” are when a new player’s fingers become sore from pressing notes on the fretboard. If you have never played a stringed instrument before, you will go through this struggle within the first few weeks of guitar lessons! Injuries sustained when playing an instrument can mean you won’t want to play or practice. So, how do we avoid common injuries on the guitar?

The first thing to remember is that guitar fingers will happen no matter what! You are building calluses on the tips of your fingers which will help you to play notes easily. Do not try to prevent these! Keep playing! Of course, do not push yourself so far as to bleed or be in incredible amounts of pain. There are three rules to remember to prevent injuries; always stretch, have good posture, and use Economy of Motion. 

Rule #1: Stretches

Similar to athletes, guitarists must stretch their bodies before practice. Playing the guitar can feel like a marathon, so warming up the body is essential to our health. Before touching your guitar, stretch your hands/neck/shoulders for at least two minutes. Stretches loosen your muscles as well as increase blood circulation (which also increases your sensitivity to touch!). Here are a few stretches to get you started…

1. Take the hand you want to stretch and put it out in front of you with the palm facing down. With your other hand, grab the fingertips and gently pull them towards you. Remember to stretch the thumb separately! Switch hand.
2.  Take both hands and make fists. Roll the wrists clockwise and counterclockwise very slowly to help stretch the wrists.
3. With both shoulders, begin doing some light shoulder shrugs. Go one direction for 15 seconds and then reverse it for another 15 seconds.
4. Make small circles with the neck. Do this very slowly for 15 seconds each direction. Many players build tension in the shoulders and neck, so do not ignore these important body parts!

Rule #2: Posture and Hand Positioning

Now that you have stretched, let’s discuss the importance of good posture. Bad posture correlates to bad playing! If our bodies are not in an efficient position to play, we will have difficulty playing what we want to play on the guitar. We want our playing to be effortless! Here are my recommendations for finding great sitting postures and hand positions…

First, find a comfortable chair (preferably without armrests) to sit in. It is best to sit in a chair that has more body support, unlike a couch or a bed that makes you sink into the material! There are three sitting positions I teach my students; standard, flamenco, and classical positions.

Standard Position:

Sit on the edge of your chair with your back straight and both feet flat on the ground. Place your guitar on your lap on your dominant side; ex. If you are right-handed, the instrument rests on the right leg. This position is great for strumming chords!

Flamenco Position:

Start by sitting in standard position. Next, take your dominant leg and cross it over the opposite leg. This allows the neck of the guitar to be at an angle, which makes strumming and fingerpicking more accessible!

Classical Position:

You will need something to elevate your nondominant leg, such as a guitar footstool. If you do not have a footstool, your guitar case will work well! Place the “footstool” under your nondominant foot. Rest your foot on top of the footstool while the dominant leg stays supported on the ground. Take your guitar and place it between your legs at an angle; the curve of the guitar should be resting on the nondominant leg!

Try all of these postures and see what feels the most comfortable to you! Do not be afraid to change positions either! Now that you are in your sitting position of choice, we can put hands on the guitar to get ready to play!

1. First, take your dominant hand and place your thumb on the 6th string (the thickest string closest to your face). Your arm and wrist should be fairly straight and relaxed.
2. Let your strumming fingers naturally curl into a relaxed position. You can also rest all your fingers on the 1st string (the thinnest string).
3. For the fretting hand, drop your arm towards the floor and let it be dead-weight.
4.  Take deep breaths and focus on the relaxation.
5. From the elbow, bend your fretting hand towards the guitar and place on the instrument. Your thumb should be behind the neck and your hand should look like the letter “C”. Think of grabbing a bottle of water, and your hand will build this shape automatically!

 Rule #3 Economy of Motion

The final, and most important rule, is using Economy of Motion. I describe this as “doing the most work with the least amount of effort”! Do not make exaggerated movements while playing and stay relaxed! Here is a beginner exercise to help your Economy of Motion in your fretting hand…

1. Start with your index finger and place it on the first fret of the 6th string.
2. DO NOT PRESS THE NOTE YET! ONLY TOUCH THE STRING!
3. Pick the string with your thumb. You should hear a clunky/dull note.
4. Slowly start adding pressure onto the fret while continuing to pick the string.
5.  Once you hear a clear note without buzzing, STOP! This is how little tension you need to play any note on the guitar!
6. Repeat with the rest of your fingers.

Use These Tips for Positioning Your Guitar Fingers, Hands, & Posture

Use all of these tips and you will be playing effortlessly and without injury! Remember to breathe and focus on your relaxation!