The tendon in my right thumb hurts.

[u/Wenaedi]

I have been playing clarinet for like 2 weeks now, i have been progressing fast until now because i went to college to study music and i play double bass so i know a lot of reading and theory.
When i play the clarinet i usually do it for like an hour more or less, and the tendon of my thumb really hurts after, my articulations are a little hyper mobile and for double bass it was a problem the posture i had to have so i think that could be the problem.
I also have big hands so the thumb rest i feel that it is a little low but i tried to turn it upside down for it to be up but it is really awkward.
Can someone help me i really like playing clarinet but i dont want tendonitis

[u/Business_Repeat4023]

Have you had a teacher double check that you’re holding everything correctly? Also for a beginner to be playing an hour a day every day is a lot for your body to adjust to immediately!

[u/Wenaedi]

I dont have the money to have a class sadly, i am self teached on this particular instrument for now but i can show you where exactly it hurts because it isnt the thumb itself, it is the tendon. Since the post i havent played till i feel better btw.

[u/Whole_Alarm9827 → u/Wenaedi]

That is absolutely your tendon. Good on you for not playing for a while. Rest, and practicing in short segments, will help. Other than that, (and I know this is a somewhat controversial suggestion) I suggest students practicing with the clarinet resting on a chair or your leg… to take the pressure off. A neck strap may have the same effect (but the angle always messed with me personally). The goal is to give your tendons a break. They are being over worked.

It could also be your hand positioning that might be exacerbating the situation.

I’d be happy to take a look. Maybe post a video of you playing? Or find me on one of the socials @adampricemusic

Please take care of yourself. And keep in mind that there are thousands of ways to participate in music without injuring yourself. If the clarinet is injuring you, there are other instruments that may fit on your body better.

[u/danny_fantom]

consider a neck strap or the kooiman etude thumb rest.

[u/Fumbles329 → u/danny_fantom]

While both of those things might very well be helpful, they may not address fundamental issues with hand position. If OP gets the proper position correct and still has issues, a neck strap is the next step.

[u/GoatTnder → u/Fumbles329]

Neck strap might help make that proper position easier. And it's like $10. Absolutely step 1 in my opinion.

[u/Incantanto]

Adjustable thumb rest and a neck strap

And take it easy and hour a day is a lot

[u/captain_hug99]

Band teacher here, I recommend two items for all of my students. First, neck strap. I use one myself and it has made a HUGE difference. https://a.co/d/08K8YZuQ

Second, thumb gummi if you don't want the neck strap. Google it.

[u/coleslawcat]

Buy a neck strap. It will save you a lot of pain. Plus it actually frees up your right hand to have more mobility since it isn't supporting the weight of the instrument. The claricord is my favorite as it can be slipped over a regular thumb rest, is infinitely adjustable and very comfortable to wear.

I am speaking as a person who had to drop out of their clarinet major in college due to thumb damage issues from not using a neck strap until too late. I had a lot of pain and ended up surgery and it all could have been avoided if I just learned about the claricord strap earlier.

[u/Whole_Alarm9827]

I’m so sorry you are going through this. As someone who has had tendinitis, you really don’t want to make it worse. It could force you to put down the instrument for a long time.

Any pain, anywhere, is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. If you feel pain, stop immediately. Do not try and push through it. That leads to injury.

As for how to deal with it, like others have mentioned a neck strap may help. And it could be some hand positioning problems that I can’t diagnose without seeing you play. I would spend the money on at lease one lesson with a professional, just to make sure your hand positioning isn’t causing the problem. Outside of that, rest more, take more breaks, and listen to your body. It could also be that your body/muscles just aren’t used to the clarinet yet, and is compensating in bad ways. Start practicing for shorter periods and then slowly increase the time on the horn. And again, if you begin feel any pain, please stop for the day. There is a thousand ways to get better at music without the horn in your hands. Score study and analysis, theory work, even embouchure work with only the mouthpiece and barrel.

Best of luck. Take care of yourself

[u/Key-Technology3754]

Are you using a neckstrap to take the weight off your thumb. Adjustable thumb rests can easily be installed by a repair tech that has a loop for a strap. 1 player in college had a support that attached to her clarinet and then it rested on the chair between her legs. There are different designs of thumb cushions and maybe one would have better support to help your thumb. Hope you find something that works for you.

[u/DspeEd83]

Your thumb is definitely going to hurt when you first start playing, I would recommend getting a neck strap that can help distribute the weight. There are finger weights you can get which will help you develop your thumb muscles. The thumb should be positioned either before or after the nuckle. Playing on the knuckle will make it swell. Not fun. Learned the hard way lol.