Why Do Hands Feel Sore When Playing?

(1) Some beginners, driven by strong interest when starting to learn piano, practice for excessively long periods, sometimes even for one or two hours without breaks. Prolonged repetitive movements can easily lead to muscle fatigue and soreness.
(2) Practice sessions that are too short and lack exercise can result in weak muscles and unskilled technique, making it difficult to achieve proper relaxation and causing hand soreness.
(3) Incorrect playing posture and failure to master the correct playing technique can also lead to hand soreness.
(4) Incorrect force exertion leads to poor transmission of arm strength, resulting in stiffness in the wrist and fingers and subsequent soreness.

Solutions

01 Properly schedule practice time

It's essential to schedule practice time wisely. Regular practice, such as practicing for 30 minutes followed by a 10-minute break, and repeating this cycle several times, along with daily practice, helps to exercise the muscles and alleviate the problem.

02 Learn to relax

During playing, both the wrists and arms should be in a relaxed state, with natural lifting and dropping movements rather than stiffness. Beginners must pay attention to and experience this sensation, applying it to their playing to minimize issues.

03 Correct force exertion method

Improper force exertion is a significant factor leading to hand soreness. Piano technique force exertion involves not only finger force but also force operation from the fingertips to the shoulders. Only by correctly learning to exert force and withstand force in various parts can the problem be fundamentally resolved.