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→Ergonomics and Injury Concerns
* Depending on your guitar and strap, you may find that the guitar slips off your shoulder. To compensate, you may try raising your shoulders. Holding your shoulders as such for prolonged periods is very stressful on the joints and muscles. Instead, try using a larger (wider) strap, and shorten the strap length. Also, be sure that the guitar isn't in front your body, but on the picking hand's hip. If that doesn't help, consider the balance of the guitar. You may be able to weight the back end down to shift the weight balance away from the headstock. If nothing else works, consider a different guitar, using different body styles, woods, cavity placement, and chambering.
* You may find yourself hunching over the neck when playing, moving your head closer to where you are playing the fretboard. This curve in your spine is bad posture, and when held in such a position for prolonged periods can put lots of stress on it. Be sure to sit up straight.
* Baritone, 8-string, and bass guitars often position the bridge closer to the back of the guitar's body. For bass, this is less problematic, as the picking/plucking is generally further from the bridge. For guitar, especially metal guitar, where lots of palm muting is required, you will often pick near the bridge. If sitting with the guitar on the picking hand thigh, the bridge may require holding the picking hand back in an uncomfortable position. If held that way for long periods of time, this can cause lots of stress on the shoulder and neck. Hold the guitar in classical position instead, with the body on/between both thighs, positioning the bridge closer to the center of your body.
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