Hey all,

Firstly, I do not know many techinical piano words so I will just describe my issue and see how I go.

I am only new to the world of piano playing, and as such, I have been practising around 3-4hrs a day (After work on late shift there is nothing else to do). I have recently started to get a pain in my right hand whenever I apply any downwards pressure on my little finger. By downwards pressure, I mean as if you have your hand on the keys, and press one with your little finger. This only occures though when my hand is spreading out for far apart keys.

I think it might be due to overuse of the little finger. It has probably never had to do much work in its lifetime and I think I might just have strained one of the muscles on the palm side. Oh yeah, the pain is on the palm side. I will attach a picture.



This is the only hand picture I could find. Its of a left hand, but still does the job.

I have circled the area in red that has the pain. Lately, even playing for less than a minute, it gets really sore. Im hoping that if I just leave the piano alone for a week or two it will fix itself.

I was just wondering if anyone has had the same issue, or knows what it could be?

Thanks,

Dan.

Sorry, don't know what it is, BUT, if you touch that area gently with your left hand you will feel muscle movement when you push your little finger down, so yes, it sounds like 'muscle soreness'. You have been practicing SO MUCH (I think someone who wants to be nearly a pro would practice 4 hrs a day as a beginner!) so yes, give it a rest for a couple of weeks. You might even find that you'll play even better after a break
jo

I know of a teenager at the Pucell school who 'only' is expected to do 4 hours a day.

Yes , you are doing far too much practice.
I'd actually leave off afor a whole week before restarting at an hour a day, preferably in two sessions.

Thanks for all the replies.

I will give it a rest for 2 weeks as I am going away so its a perfect time to let my hand get better.

As for the extreme practising, when you receive 2 Scott Joplin books in the mail, its hard to not get absorbed in the madness that is ragtime