Hand pain when playing Melee

[Deleted member]

Does anyone get extreme stiffness and joint pain when playing Melee?

When I have my daily practice sessions, it seems like when I'm ten minutes into it, my hands hurt and my controller feels like it's going to snap in half.

Don't worry, I'm using a genuine first party Platinum colored GameCube Controller, it's not the controller.

I don't know if it's because I play Captain Falcon, and that he's a crazy ************, or it's because I'm "playing too hard".

Does anyone have any tips in relation to controller etiquette or maybe controller positions? Because I feel pretty ****ty when my hands feel like there about to fall off after I play my first match at a tournament.

(Note: My Daily Sessions are usually an hour or more every single day or whenever I'm not busy)

 

[dRevan64]

I don't know what to tell you man. I play spacies for hours at a time and I only get hand cramps when I do Revolutionesque tech skill routines or sit down and multishine a gorillion times. Any tech stuff that I'm used to using comes painlessly. You might actually be getting carpal tunnel or something.

 

[RaigothDagon]

How are you pushing the L/R button? I know at one point in time I wasn't curling my fingers, so not only was I awful at wavedashing, it hurt my index fingers to play extensively utilizing L canceling/wavedashing. I don't know if that could be part of your problem, or if maybe I was just an idiot for playing in a way that my fingers would get sore for so long without noticing.

On another note, I do have a fairly insignificant residual soreness after playing for hours with friends out of state. It's not a lot different from the soreness I experience when I lock my joints to lift heavy stuff for extended periods other than being much less severe.

 

[xCardiac]

Try stretching your hands and fingers prior to warming up, that may help! If it doesn't stop, I'd get it checked out by a physician.

 

[ZaXXoR]

Try stretching your hands and fingers prior to warming up, that may help! If it doesn't stop, I'd get it checked out by a physician.

this^ only time i ever really got pain was when i had played for like 10 hours, and it was because my friends analog was missing rubber, and also my old analog was so brand new the grooves sticking out hurt my thumb after a huge session

 

[thespymachine]

Everyone needs to read, bookmark, and share this whenever appropriate:
http://smashboards.com/threads/staying-healthy-a-guide-to-playing-melee-better-and-longer.332355/

 

[Deleted member]

Everyone needs to read, bookmark, and share this whenever appropriate:
http://smashboards.com/threads/staying-healthy-a-guide-to-playing-melee-better-and-longer.332355/

Thanks!

 

[rawrimamonster]

You'll get used to it, all I can say. I skateboarded for 12 years so my fingers, hands, wrists, and forearm joints are all messed up in some way or another, yet I can play a very efficient fast fox when I'm not being a ******. Eventually you'll get past it and wont notice it anymore.

 

[Nicco]

I main the man too, and I know what you mean. However, being a ballet student since from age 9 to 18 and a pro from 18 to 20 taught me that PAIN IS GOOD!

My thumb was blue after Pultti (finnish national), but I still played friendlies the next day. And I'm not joking, it was literally blue.

The Falcon giveth and the Falcon taketh. My only tip is: buy lots of painkillers, smoke lots of weed, and don't "click" the shoulder button when you L-cancel. (Which you should never do anyway, because teching is good)

 

[Zhea]

Scotch, your probably holding your controller to tight, you need to relax your grip. It's also probably affecting your control of Falcon. I gained a lot more speed and control when I focused on practicing lighter and looser.

 

[Justkallmekai]

My hands hurt after playing for like.....6 hours straight. After that my hands hurt a lot.

 

[Oskurito]

Any hand movement when done in a repetitive manner can cause inflamation of the tendons that surround your hand or forearms, your wrist or elbow may also hurt depending on how you hold the controller and sit (I'm assuming you play seated).

The fact that you're playing so often may be the cause, but it also could mean that you have very weak flexors (muscles that move your fingers).

If you're serious about your practice routine then I suggest you stop for a little while just to let your hand rest. Then do this:

1. Stretch your hands before each practice session
2. Everytime you feel pain or discomfort try massaging your hands and rest for a couple of minutes before continuing.
3. Strengthen the muscles of your forearm so you can stand pressing all of those buttons quickly for a long period of time without any feeling of stiffness or discomfort. Try searching for simple forearm exercises you can do at home.

 

[The Star King]

Take a break from your daily practice, maybe a week or so.