>
> One of the most devastating consequences of my initial RSI was that I
> could no longer play classical guitar.
>
> Much later in my story I confirmed one way my musicianship caused RSI
> symptoms when I typed: Classical guitarists let their fingernails grow
> a bit on the hand they pluck the strings with; they cut fingernails to
> a minimum on the hand they fret strings with. Flamenco guitarists
> sometimes let the fingernails of the strumming had get considerably
> longer.
>
> RSI symptoms have always been much worse in my right hand. I that when
> I let the fingernails of that hand grow a bit longer than usual, pain
> in that hand increased.  After I cut the nails down, the pain would
> subside. I confirmed this later with deliberate testing. I speculate
> that this effect is caused by my tendency to strike keys at a greater
> angle, so as to hit the keys with the fleshy part of the finger instead
> of the nail.
>
> My left hand tends to hit keys straight down, with the finger segment
> purpendicular to the key. I have tried to train my right hand to do
> this, even though this can result in the nail, rather than the fleshy
> finger hitting the keys. I also try to cut the nails more frequently.
>
> Of course, I can be wrong about the mechanics of why the nails cause
> the pain. But I am sure about the correlation.  What do you think Paul
> Marxhausen? Any ideas?
>
> Even when I could not play at all, self-image and (I suppose)
> ``denial'' would not allow me to cut the nails on the right hand
> entirely down!
===
I play classical guitar myself, and think that when you play with rigth
1.-4th fingernails grown and polished as one normally do playing classical,
you have an increased mechanical load on the joints and tendons. No matter
whether its tirando, apuyando, 2-finger picking in folk music  etc. With cut
nails, playing with the finger pulps, the pulp slides  over the string and
the load is less. Unfortunately the sound quality and volume of
course decreases also, when playing with the finger  pulps. I think it`s
important to observe correct position of the guitar neck/keyboard - if  it`s
kept to low you incrase the strain on the ulnar(littlefinger) side of the
wrist and the tendons there, in order to keep the fingers/nails  correct
angled. Besides avoiding playing for too long, and have sufficient breaks, I
don`t really think there are any solutions to this inherited problem of
classical guitar.
====

     Having been trained in classical guitar I've had the nails on my right hand
     long for over 25 years, even though I play a more jazz style now (at least
     I did). So far that has not affected my typing or my right hand. My
     problems are with my left arm and come from mostly (I believe) the actual
     playing of the guitar.

     This doesn't mean it's not a factor but it seems that tension in the right
     hand would be more of a cause than the fingernails. Also, one of the
     therapists I've worked with said she has treated fewer classical guitarists
     for RSI than other types of guitar players. Maybe that's because there are
     fewer classical guitarists around or because their training is better (more
     focused on "correct position").

     Why not cut the nails for awhile, they'll grow back.