A guitarist should try to maintain a straight wrist (or gently/slightly arched wrist) when playing. If the wrist is bent too far, the friction on the tendons as they pass through the carpal tunnel is increased which can cause injury (carpal tunnel syndrome).
One wants to avoid any ligament injuries to the wrist. It is very important to keep the wrist straight as possible in any repetitive motion activity, such as guitar playing or using a computer mouse. All these activities can add up to damage the wrist.
How to Avoid Pain and Injury
A guitarist should practice sensibly. They should avoid the two typical causes of injury --Practicing too much and practicing incorrectly. For instance, they should take plenty of breaks. Also, they should only press the strings down as hard as is needed to produce a good tone. Over-pressing can lead to pain and injury. Moreover, holding a chord down too long is not wise, especially if it is done incorrectly.
A guitarist should focus on moving their fingers from the knuckles. In fact, when one moves their finger from the knuckle, the moment that they relax, the finger will spring back to a neutral position. The less strain a guitarist puts on their hands, the better. One should use the least amount of effort possible when playing the guitar.
In general, the left hand knuckles (or fretting hand knuckles) should stay parallel to the edge of the guitar neck with fingers curved. This is called the classical position. If the hand is slightly angled from the classical position (also known as the base-ball position), then the wrist should still be relatively straight. It is fine for the fingers to be a little flatter in this position. What is important when playing the guitar is the position of the wrist.
A guitarist should use relatively new strings. They should try extra-light gauged strings (or nylon string) if they are a novice. The strings will be easier to press down and bend. Also, a guitarist should keep their strings clean. It is suggested that one use a good string cleaner.
A guitarist should always practice on a guitar that is playable. There are just too many beginner guitars being made today that are not playable and can lead to wrist injuries, among others. A guitar should be fitted to the player just like a good pair of shoes. A guitarist should properly maintain their instrument. A guitarist should spend the time to correctly learn how to practice and play. It is so important that a guitarist know the anatomy of the hand, wrist, and arm.
How to Play Barre Chords
A guitarist will be extra careful when learning and using barre (or Bar) chords. Typically, barre chords are easier on electric guitars, but not usually on acoustics, so they should try a different voicing (open chords and such). This is important because one can easily wear out their hand by not playing efficiently. A guitarist will strive to play efficiently as well as effectively.
It is good practice to mix up barre chords with other voicing instead of playing all barre chords. This will give the guitarist’s wrist points of relaxation. It is very unwise to constantly hold onto a chord that strains the wrist. If one is learning barre chords for the first time, then they should practice them in spurts. They should not spend a lot of time holding a barre chord down.
It is good practice to start with chords that barre only two strings, then only three strings, and so on. A developing guitarist should work their way up to barring all six strings. Note: There are other ways to barre chords: Hinge Barre, Split Barre, Half Barre, among others. A guitarist should learn and use all varieties. It is not always necessary to completely barre a chord shape.
How Should a Guitarist Practice?
A guitarist should stretch before they play. They should always play relaxed. They should make sure they eat a well balanced meal and stay in good shape. They should also stay hydrated.
A developing guitarist will play new material slowly until thoroughly learned. They will use the very best fingerings: One-finger-per-fret-rule and such. They will warm up with something that is easy to play. They will treat their practice time just like a professional athlete, including a warm-up and cool down to their routine.
It is also good practice for a guitarist not to play when they are tired. It is much easier for injuries to develop when one does not have enough rest.
Also a guitarist will learn to play with all sides of the pick. The different radius of curvatures on the pick and the angle of attack can improve one’s speed, accuracy, and safety. The way the pick is used can sometimes cause strain on the wrist. It is important to try different gauge picks as well. A guitarist should choose the pick that is the easiest for them to play with and does not cause pain.
They should learn to pick open handed while resting a finger (for example, pinky) on the guitar. This anchored finger can serve as a pivot point and allow a guitarist to play much faster and with control. It can stabilize their wrist.
In summary: The above suggestions will help any aspiring guitarist to avoid bad habits that lead to injuries. It is particularly important to warm up and maintain a straight wrist. It is important to not over practice or to practice incorrectly. Overuse and misuse are two common causes of injury. If one takes the proper precautions, one can avoid having serious injuries. If something hurts, then one is most likely doing something wrong.
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