3 Common Injuries in Guitarists and How to Avoid Them

Don’t Let Pain Steal Your Playing

You sit down to play, your fingers flow across the strings, and all the sudden a sharp pain in your wrist or upper back breaks your attention. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Up to 88% of guitarists report pain that interferes with their ability to play (Portnoy et al., 2022). Whether you play for fun or professionally, injury can derail your passion and progress. The good news is many injuries are preventable with the right habits.

Why Guitarists Get Hurt

Guitar playing might not look like a sport, but it places surprisingly intense demands on your body. Hours of repetitive motion, poor posture, and inadequate warmups can all add up to musculoskeletal injuries. A 2022 study by Portnoy et al. found a strong link between poor body posture and pain in guitar players. A separate study from Portugal found that 53.3% of guitarists had experienced a neuromuscular injury, with tendinopathy and low back pain being the most common (Dos Santos & Minghelli B, 2024).

Injuries in guitarists often stem from:

• Repetitive motion (especially with the fretting hand)

• Prolonged poor posture (especially while sitting)

• Overuse without proper warm-up or rest

Let’s break down the 3 most common injuries and what you can do to prevent them.

1. Tendinopathy in the Wrist and Fingers

Medial Epicondylitis-

What It Is: Tendinopathy refers to pain and irritation of a tendon due to overuse. In guitarists, this typically affects the tendons on the palm side of the wrist and fingers, especially in the fretting hand.

Symptoms:

• Aching or burning pain in the wrist

• Pain that worsens with playing or gripping

• Stiffness or weakness

Why It Happens:

• Repetitive finger movements, especially with wrist flexion (or wrist bending forward)

• Playing with a tight grip

• Poor wrist positioning or excessive pressure

Prevention Tips:

• Grip Lightly: Avoid clamping down on the fretboard. Use just enough pressure to get a clean sound.

• Change Positions Frequently: Alternate hand positions and chords to vary the load.

• Warm-Up:

Warm-Up for Wrists & Fingers:

1. Tendon Glides:

• Start with fingers straight

• Make a hook fist (bend middle and end joints only)

• Make a full fist

• Return to straight

• Repeat 10 times

2. Wrist Circles:

• Make loose fists and circle wrists in both directions (10x each)

3. Finger Extensions with Rubber Band:

• Place a rubber band around fingers and thumb

• Spread fingers outward 10-15x

2. Low Back Pain

What It Is: Pain in the lower back caused by prolonged sitting or poor posture during playing.

Symptoms:

• Dull ache in the lumbar spine

• Pain that worsens with long sessions

• Discomfort when bending forward or standing up after sitting

Why It Happens:

• Leaning forward or slouching while sitting

• Weak core muscles

• Playing without lumbar support

Prevention Tips:

• Posture Check: Sit with feet flat on the ground, pelvis neutral, and guitar supported.

• Switch Positions: Alternate between sitting and standing when practicing.

• Use a Footrest or Ergonomic Chair

Warm-Up for Lower Back:

1. Pelvic Tilts:

• Lie on back with knees bent

• Tilt pelvis to flatten low back

• Return to neutral

• Repeat 10x

2. Cat-Cow Stretch:

• On hands and knees

• Arch back up (cat) and down (cow)

• Repeat 10x

3. Standing Hamstring Stretch:

• Place heel on chair, lean forward gently from hips

• Hold 20-30 sec, repeat on both sides

3. Shoulder & Neck Pain

What It Is: Overuse and poor mechanics leading to strain in the upper traps, shoulder girdle, and neck muscles.

Symptoms:

• Tightness or burning in the neck and upper shoulders

• Headaches

• Difficulty turning head or lifting arm

Why It Happens:

• Holding tension in shoulders

• Shoulder abduction during fretting (especially when sitting)

• Leaning forward or downward to see strings

Prevention Tips:

• Neutral Neck: Keep your head upright. Use a mirror or adjust playing position to reduce neck tilt.

• Strengthen Postural Muscles: Build endurance in mid-back and shoulder stabilizers.

• Stretch Often: Especially upper traps and levator scapulae

Warm-Up for Shoulders & Neck:

1. Shoulder Rolls:

• Roll shoulders forward and back, 10x each

2. Neck Side Bends:

• Gently tilt ear to shoulder

• Hold 20 seconds, each side

3. Scapular Squeezes:

• Pinch shoulder blades together and hold 5 sec

• Repeat 10x

Play Longer, Stronger, and Without Pain

The best players don’t just practice more—they practice smarter. Developing body awareness and building injury prevention into your routine can help you:

• Avoid time off due to injury

• Improve your technique and efficiency

• Play longer with less fatigue

• Build strength and endurance over time

As one study showed, guitarists who skipped warmups were 33% more likely to experience injury (Dos Santos & Minghelli B, 2024) Think of warmups and strength work as your insurance policy—they may not feel urgent now, but they’re what keep you playing for decades.

Make This Part of Your Practice

You don’t need to add an hour to your routine. Try this simple 10-minute pre-session warm-up:

10-Minute Pre-Practice Routine:

• 2 mins wrist circles + tendon glides

• 2 mins shoulder rolls + scap squeezes

• 2 mins cat-cow + pelvic tilts

• 2 mins hamstring + neck stretches

• 2 mins play slow scales focusing on posture and breath

Need more help? If you’re struggling with a nagging injury or want to personalize your prevention plan, consider working with a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) or Occupational Therapist who specializes in musicians.

Keep the music going—pain-free

Portnoy, S., Cohen, S., & Ratzon, N. Z. (2022). Correlations between body postures and musculoskeletal pain in guitar players. PLOS ONE, 17(1), e0262207. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262207

Dos Santos, R. M., & Minghelli, B. (2024). Epidemiology of neuromuscular injuries in guitar players living in Portugal: Associated risk factors. Work, 79(2), 965–973. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-230701