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Free 15-page Guitar Comfort Guide

Play longer with less hand, wrist, and shoulder pain.

A practical starting point for guitarists over 40, adult beginners, and returning players.

  • Use a five-minute routine before you play
  • Check posture and setup details that often increase strain
  • Recognise warning signs that mean it is time to stop and seek professional help
Pain-Free Guitar Guide cover and preview pages

What is inside

A short guide built to be used, not filed away.

  • The posture checks that matter before you worry about perfect technique
  • A practical warm-up for hands, wrists, shoulders, and breathing
  • Ways to reduce unnecessary fretting and strumming force
  • A repeatable practice structure for managing fatigue
  • Warning signs that should not be ignored

This guide is for you if

Your playing body has a history.

  • You are learning or returning to guitar as an adult
  • Arthritis, old injuries, or stiffness are changing how you play
  • Your hands or shoulders tire before you are ready to stop
  • Generic stretches and forum advice have not explained the pattern
  • You want sensible adjustments without being told to give up the guitar
Fergus P. O'Connor holding a guitar

Created by a manual osteopath who plays guitar

Practical checks grounded in movement work and lived playing experience.

I am Fergus P. O'Connor, a manual osteopath, psychology graduate, and lifelong guitarist. This guide brings together the practical checks I use when thinking about movement, playing position, pain, and confidence.

Educational guidance only—not a diagnosis or substitute for assessment from a qualified healthcare professional.