Crippling back pain / sitting position

[Blues scale]

I’ve started playing guitar for the first time in 15+ years and it turns out I’m creakier than I used to be. I play sitting down and my back is *killing* from being hunched over.

Tried various ‘proper’ postures that I’ve found via Google search, but can’t find one that feels natural yet.

45 degrees (classical guitar position?) feels awkward with a heavy LP. Holding horizontally and sitting up straight is comfy, but I have less fretboard visibility and almost feel like I’m playing blind.

Can any old codgers recommended a ‘definitive’ posture that I should force myself to use?

Cheers

 

[icantshred]

Once I got used to classical position, it's hard to play any other way. I tend to tilt the guitar when I want to see the frets rather bending forward. Some classical guitarists have a pillow under the guitar or attach some do-dad that makes it easier to keep in playing position. There are lots of ergonomic benefits to classical position, but I understand it's not for everybody.

Alternatively, I have heard good things about those elastic/stretchy straps that are supposed to make a guitar feel lighter.

 

[sumitagarwal]

I’ve started playing guitar for the first time in 15+ years and it turns out I’m creakier than I used to be. I play sitting down and my back is *killing* from being hunched over.

Tried various ‘proper’ postures that I’ve found via Google search, but can’t find one that feels natural yet.

45 degrees (classical guitar position?) feels awkward with a heavy LP. Holding horizontally and sitting up straight is comfy, but I have less fretboard visibility and almost feel like I’m playing blind.

Can any old codgers recommended a ‘definitive’ posture that I should force myself to use?

Cheers

I'm so sorry to hear that.

I'll spare you my own epic journey, but suffice it to say I do almost everything standing now, except for eating, watching movies, and driving/planes. And during all of those activities I'm mindful of my posture. For work I use a standing desk almost always in the standing position. Ergonomically-speaking, playing guitar while seated is more challenging than anything other than an intercontinental flight.

At this point I don't miss sitting for guitar at all. I find standing to be more engaging and dynamic, and it lets you play consistently whether alone or performing. My back is very happy with it, even playing a Les Paul (shoulder may sometimes protest after playing my 10 1/2 lbs one).

Best of luck and I hope you find a seated position that works for you, but don't be afraid of spending more time standing.

You can do anything you want to as long as you're smart and careful. This summer my wife and I moved from a 3-floor house to a 4-floor house and I packed and moved everything myself except for large furniture. Zero problems. For her birthday we stayed at a super fancy inn with soft fancy beds. Problems.

 

[Blues scale]

Once I got used to classical position, it's hard to play any other way. I tend to tilt the guitar when I want to see the frets rather bending forward. Some classical guitarists have a pillow under the guitar or attach some do-dad that makes it easier to keep in playing position. There are lots of ergonomic benefits to classical position, but I understand it's not for everybody.

Alternatively, I have heard good things about those elastic/stretchy straps that are supposed to make a guitar feel lighter.

Thanks for this. I can play a classical guitar in that position, but the LP body shape makes it really difficult imo.

I'm so sorry to hear that.

I'll spare you my own epic journey, but suffice it to say I do almost everything standing now, except for eating, watching movies, and driving/planes. And during all of those activities I'm mindful of my posture. For work I use a standing desk almost always in the standing position. Ergonomically-speaking, playing guitar while seated is more challenging than anything other than an intercontinental flight.

At this point I don't miss sitting for guitar at all. I find standing to be more engaging and dynamic, and it lets you play consistently whether alone or performing. My back is very happy with it, even playing a Les Paul (shoulder may sometimes protest after playing my 10 1/2 lbs one).

Best of luck and I hope you find a seated position that works for you, but don't be afraid of spending more time standing.

You can do anything you want to as long as you're smart and careful. This summer my wife and I moved from a 3-floor house to a 4-floor house and I packed and moved everything myself except for large furniture. Zero problems. For her birthday we stayed at a super fancy inn with soft fancy beds. Problems.

Likewise, sounds like your back is in worse shape than mine.

For now, I’ll practice standing. Might experiment with different angles.

If I’m going to be a world famous rockstar (there’s still time, of course), I’ll have to learn this anyway.

 

[sumitagarwal]

Thanks for this. I can play a classical guitar in that position, but the LP body shape makes it really difficult imo.


Likewise, sounds like your back is in worse shape than mine.

For now, I’ll practice standing. Might experiment with different angles.

If I’m going to be a world famous rockstar (there’s still time, of course), I’ll have to learn this anyway.

Good attitude. Makes all the difference.

One thing that helps in my case is my #1 is this unbelievable 7.6 lbs all-solid Orville by Gibson LPS-57C. I know it's not weight-relieved because I have another LPS-57C that weighs 10.2 lbs.

Keep us posted

 

[Blues scale]

Good attitude. Makes all the difference.

One thing that helps in my case is my #1 is this unbelievable 7.6 lbs all-solid Orville by Gibson LPS-57C. I know it's not weight-relieved because I have another LPS-57C that weighs 10.2 lbs.

Keep us posted

I’ve just spent $2k on a new LP, so please don’t try and tempt me to go out and buy another guitar. It’s already hard enough to resist!

I haven’t weighed this one, but it was more than a normal standard, so I’m guessing between 9.5lb and 10lb.

I don’t think it’s the weight, though, it’s being hunched, which is easier to avoid when standing. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Pop1655]

 

[ArchEtech]

Maybe a stool that allows you to lean more than completely sit down?

As someone who suffers from back issues I can tell you got see a PT and don’t settle for the pain. I’m lucky in that mine is mostly muscle related not disc, but is have a little of that too. Don’t settle for pain - there might be some help, and many of us could lose a few pounds too which always helps!! I hope you feel better.

 

[Pop1655]

Three surgeries and have rods and pins installed. I go between standing and a gaming chair.
Please try this. Cut about an 18" section of pool noodle and put it in your chair.
It's a game changer for me.

 

[ArchEtech]

I actually play standing and leaning against the wall too. I have my guitar straps set pretty high and at the classical angle. I can’t play for shit James Hetfield style.

 

[Blues scale]

View attachment 670389

I’ve always had a thing for girls with guitars.

I actually play standing and leaning against the wall too. I have my guitar straps set pretty high and at the classical angle. I can’t play for shit James Hetfield style.

Yep, this is me:

 

[sumitagarwal]

I’ve just spent $2k on a new LP, so please don’t try and tempt me to go out and buy another guitar. It’s already hard enough to resist!

I haven’t weighed this one, but it was more than a normal standard, so I’m guessing between 9.5lb and 10lb.

I don’t think it’s the weight, though, it’s being hunched, which is easier to avoid when standing. Thanks for all the advice.

Apologies for that, I just like to show off my recent acquisition. That 10.2 lbs LP was my #1 until recently, and I mostly bought the lightweight one because I liked the deep top carve.

You'll be fine with yours. It's the posture (mostly lower back position for most people), not the weight. Hiking with a heavy backpack is excellent for most damaged backs.

Weirdly enough I do play kinda Hetfield style, but not low enough that I need to hunch my back. I find it lets me stay dynamic and change up positioning, sometimes resting the guitar's weight against a pushed up thigh. I'm not especially recommending that, just saying think outside the box and see what works for you.

 

[SteveGangi]

I’ve started playing guitar for the first time in 15+ years and it turns out I’m creakier than I used to be. I play sitting down and my back is *killing* from being hunched over.

Tried various ‘proper’ postures that I’ve found via Google search, but can’t find one that feels natural yet.

45 degrees (classical guitar position?) feels awkward with a heavy LP. Holding horizontally and sitting up straight is comfy, but I have less fretboard visibility and almost feel like I’m playing blind.

Can any old codgers recommended a ‘definitive’ posture that I should force myself to use?

Cheers

It may not be considered "correct", but can you tilt the guitar back toward you? Your fingering hand will have to turn a bit more, but it doesn't take a whole lot to see the fretboard.

It doesn't have to be perfectly vertical for any reason.

 

[sumitagarwal]

Coming back to this conversation because recently I got a singlecut with a wider neck/fingerboard, and I found it harder to play with my guitar slung low Hetfield style. Once I brought the guitar up higher I found not only could I play it faster, but moving my existing guitars up higher gave me a little more speed too.

HOWEVER, after a few weeks it was VERY clear to me that it was much worse for my back! Bringing things back down helped hugely, and now I'm familiar enough with my new singlecut that it plays well in that position (ok ok, I also did roll the fretboard edges and stuff).

I'm more firmly beginning to believe that low slung guitars can, for some people, but much better for their backs. Here are my hypothesis:

1. Part of the weight of the guitar shifts from your shoulder/back (above the lumbar spine) to your thigh (below the lumbar spine)
2. Bringing your guitar and your hands (which are in front of the torso while playing) down to a lower position reduces the forward leverage that all of that weight has on your back
3. It's a much more dynamic position: you move more with the guitar low, whereas a higher guitar is much more locked-in-place. For most of the human body, joints, etc it's healthier to have varied movement, and static positions counter-intuitively create a lot of wear
4. Not as sure about this, but I think the increased (guitar) neck angle might create a more natural overall arm position. At very least it does bring the arms closer into the torso, which again is better for the back and reduces leverage

I could be wrong about all of this, but felt apparent to me and curious about others. I'm swapping between Les Pauls ranging from 7.6 to 10.2 pounds, and wearing them high up the weight difference feels massive while wearing them down low the weight difference feels a lot more negligible.

 

[Blues scale]

Coming back to this conversation because recently I got a singlecut with a wider neck/fingerboard, and I found it harder to play with my guitar slung low Hetfield style. Once I brought the guitar up higher I found not only could I play it faster, but moving my existing guitars up higher gave me a little more speed too.

HOWEVER, after a few weeks it was VERY clear to me that it was much worse for my back! Bringing things back down helped hugely, and now I'm familiar enough with my new singlecut that it plays well in that position (ok ok, I also did roll the fretboard edges and stuff).

I'm more firmly beginning to believe that low slung guitars can, for some people, but much better for their backs. Here are my hypothesis:

1. Part of the weight of the guitar shifts from your shoulder/back (above the lumbar spine) to your thigh (below the lumbar spine)
2. Bringing your guitar and your hands (which are in front of the torso while playing) down to a lower position reduces the forward leverage that all of that weight has on your back
3. It's a much more dynamic position: you move more with the guitar low, whereas a higher guitar is much more locked-in-place. For most of the human body, joints, etc it's healthier to have varied movement, and static positions counter-intuitively create a lot of wear
4. Not as sure about this, but I think the increased (guitar) neck angle might create a more natural overall arm position. At very least it does bring the arms closer into the torso, which again is better for the back and reduces leverage

I could be wrong about all of this, but felt apparent to me and curious about others. I'm swapping between Les Pauls ranging from 7.6 to 10.2 pounds, and wearing them high up the weight difference feels massive while wearing them down low the weight difference feels a lot more negligible.

Well-timed post.

I’ve been playing standing since I made this thread, and it’s helped my back a lot.

However, last week I moved my guitar up one notch on the strap, as I just look a bit weird where I have it now, and I can’t take it lower, so I thought higher it is!

I’m now really aching and will probably have to leave the LP alone for a week. I thought it was just the cumulative effect of practising every day, so your hypothesis didn’t occur to me.

I have a lighter guitar at my parents house that I’ll be bringing back with me next month. I’m hoping if I practice 50-75% of the time with that, it will put the struggle to an end!

If not, I’ll be looking into lighter guitars — either an SG, hollow body or just drilling holes into something cheap.

 

[sumitagarwal]

Well-timed post.

I’ve been playing standing since I made this thread, and it’s helped my back a lot.

However, last week I moved my guitar up one notch on the strap, as I just look a bit weird where I have it now, and I can’t take it lower, so I thought higher it is!

I’m now really aching and will probably have to leave the LP alone for a week. I thought it was just the cumulative effect of practising every day, so your hypothesis didn’t occur to me.

I have a lighter guitar at my parents house that I’ll be bringing back with me next month. I’m hoping if I practice 50-75% of the time with that, it will put the struggle to an end!

If not, I’ll be looking into lighter guitars — either an SG, hollow body or just drilling holes into something cheap.

Glad we're getting into some interesting findings here.

One thing I've found with my back, my guitars, and many other things is that most of the time we're all just repeating the same recommendations we've heard before without really grounding it in observations.

 

[tzd]

Try this strap:

Levy's MRHSP-BLK 2.5" Wide Suede Right Height Guitar Strap - Black

2.5" Suede Guitar Strap with RipChord Adjustment and Leather Ends

www.sweetwater.com

It allows you to adjust height on the fly to find the best position.

 

[Blues scale]

Try this strap:

Levy's MRHSP-BLK 2.5" Wide Suede Right Height Guitar Strap - Black

2.5" Suede Guitar Strap with RipChord Adjustment and Leather Ends

www.sweetwater.com

It allows you to adjust height on the fly to find the best position.

Thanks for this.

I’m actually going to try a variation on this theme: an elastic strap.

Based entirely on one YouTube video and a few Amazon reviews. I’ll report back.

Fender WeighLess 2

Buy the Fender WeighLess 2

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