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piano forearm pain

But don't listen to me - listen to your teacher. Penelope Roskell is equally renowned as a performer of international calibre and as an inspirational teacher and professor of piano at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. This young man is an active performer in a rock band, though his initial training was in standard classical repertoire. I'm explaining it badly, maybe - I hope it makes sense. Your doctor will also need to know whether it started suddenly or gradually. Ideally the piano should be able to be raised and the pedals lowered (to avoid extreme extension at the ankle) to accommodate tall pianists. She holds a clinic at the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine for pianists with injuries and her guide to preventing and recovering from injury is available here. Mathew Ch says: October 30, 2017 at 5:44 pm. The most commonly used terms nowadays for the kind of non-specific forearm pain that pianists often experience are 'work-related upper limb disorder' or 'non-specific upper limb pain'. Realize that I'm being very critical. I love the Piano Fingers exercise because it’s a double whammy, as it strengthens and articulates the muscles of the forearm, wrists, and fingers. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0skUj9OCwMo&feature=youtu.be. Follow it with a delicious Yoga Tune Up® therapy ball massage, such as the Forearm Fixer below or the Forearm Meltdown, which targets the extensors of the wrist and fingers and can be found on pages 319-321 in The Roll Model by Jill Miller. Make sure you're icing your forearm, and consider seeing a physical therapist of some kind, as it sounds like your pain is pretty significant if it hurts to even pick up your phone. You slowly raise your hand to the keys, feeling the weight of your entire arm concentrated in your finger, and keeping everything completely relaxed, and play a single note, feeling the weight of your entire arm resting on the one finger that you're using to push down the key. There are many ways of dealing with the uncomfortable, tight feeling which often accompanies a fixed, tense disposition at the piano. As this type of pain is often associated with repetitive movement it was previously known as R.S.I. Posts: 5,921. Try to sit on the front third of the bench and see how that feels (this will require you to move your piano). She is the author of The Complete Pianist: From Healthy Technique to Natural Artistry and is the leading UK specialist in healthy piano playing. I strongly agree! Depending on where the damage is, you may have constant pain in your forearm or just an ache when you move your fingers, wrist, or arm. Without seeing or hearing you play, the most likely source of that kind of pain imo is tension. The most commonly used terms nowadays for the kind of non-specific forearm pain that pianists often experience are 'work-related upper limb disorder' or 'non-specific upper limb pain'. For now, play less until you figure out how to ease the pain. You don't gain anything from all that pulsing back and forth. Often chair height is the biggest issue, so I would look at that first. The Taubman Piano Techniques. Bone infections of the wrist are rare, but do happen in illicit drug users and can be triggered by trauma. I understand a movement when changing hand positions to setup for a new chord, but try not to waste all the extra movement in between. Piano-related pain can appear in many different places, including your back and neck, shoulders, elbows, forearms, wrists, fingers and thumbs. Rest Breaks . Arm pain can be caused by a wide variety of problems, ranging from joint injuries, sports injuries, overuse conditions, fractures, and compressed nerves. Because of the way the piano is positioned, you've allowed it to dictate where you should sit instead of the other way around. Not playing is killing me. That should be one motion with your hands dropping into the keyboard. The last thing you want is to cause long-term damage to your muscles, because that'll affect more than just your piano playing. This content is available as a separate, once-off purchase or as part of a subscription. You should look at other factors, how you're using hands and wrists when driving a car, on the computer, using power (and especially) manual tools, sports where you have to grip like rockclimbing, biking, tennis. Pain should not be a part of piano playing. I'd still be on the lookout for tension, particularly in your wrists. Let it contract to a natural hand position until just before you need it. If your'e doing all this already and it's still hurting, then you have have an actual muscle problem. I've gradually been noticing forearm pain after playing my Kawai for awhile and it lingers for the rest of the day. If you would like help from us, please post video of yourself playing. I studied classical piano when I was a teenager for 5 years and did not return to the piano until I retired 3 years ago. You need to take an immediate break and reevaluate your technique before you cause yourself more harm. Notice if you keep raising your shoulders or your wrists when you play. These forearm exercises work the flexion and extension of the wrist and the fingers, which you need to grip the brakes, maneuver the bars, and hold yourself upright on the bike. Forearm and Hand Pain - Tendonitis and RSI in Pianists, Elbow Pain - Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis), Elbow pain - Golfer's Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis). The up and down is a sign of too much tension. Mastering the proper hand position while playing the piano is one of the most important steps for your success on the keys. (repetitive strain injury). You're fighting gravity and doing everything with tension instead of controlling your drops. You will probably need to rate the pain on a scale so your doctor can understand how severe it is. My Dad thinks it's probably mild tendonitis and to ignore it. A new student came to me complaining of pain and tension in his right forearm. First of all, STOP. Make sure you're icing your forearm, and consider seeing a physical therapist of some kind, as it sounds like your pain is pretty significant if it hurts to even pick up your phone. In January of this year I began to play Chopin Etude 10-12. jael. I asked him to show me what he had been playing most recently when he noticed the discomfort, though of course this sort of complaint can be the result of cumulative actions. I play the piano sometimes for a few hours a day, and I also write (typing on the computer) a lot. Also if you're sleeping on your arm. As this type of pain is often associated with repetitive movement it was previously known as R.S.I. Your entire arm should be hanging completely loose and free as you play - the weight of the arm should be resting on the one finger that's pressing the key. First, locate the pain, such as generalized forearm pain, elbow pain, or wrist pain. Tension is never the answer, because it'll lead to fatigue and injury. It really helped me. All piano players know that looking at the keys is essential in the early learning stages. Here are my comments: I think you're sitting too close. Most people sit too close to the piano and wrongly establish this as the correct distance. If you record a video of your playing I can help more. The Taubman Piano Techniques The high rate of injuries among pianist in the last few centuries has inspired many pedagogues to carefully examine the traditional schools of piano technique by using scientific logic to question the underlying principals of these techniques. That's probably closer to how you play normally when you're not being watched. SC Mountains-Frycek. You really ought to stop at the first hint of pain or you might end up injuring yourself. Due to their constant use in almost all physical activities and movements, the forearms can become injured at home, on the job or during sports. As for your technique, I don't see anything glaringly bad in the video, I expected worse based on your description. 10 years without lessons means that you've had a lot of time to develop bad habits. 5000 Post Club Member-Frycek. (repetitive strain injury). I never had wrist problems from piano, but have had them from computer keyboard, sports and guitar multiple times. Find it as a reply to question No. The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. As you’re becoming accustomed to the instrument and growing your ability to translate notation into music, looking at the keys is the easiest way to locate the right notes to play. Finally, the violent pull off of the last chord instead of gently raising up and letting go of the keys is probably a good insight into your normal approach which is too much tension! Generally, it’s less painful than wrist or ankle. Rest breaks should be 2 minutes to complete stretching. Wrist Flexion with Elbow Bent. Right when you sit down, it looks like you're putting weight on your hands that are resting on your legs. Everything else should be completely loose and relaxed. Don't leave it extended if you don't need it immediately. (repetitive strain injury). I'm guessing you can't go back to your teachers for whatever reason, but somebody trained needs to watch you play from the right, left, above to assess your mechanics. I happen to know from experience that playing the piano can be a real pain in the hands. Not just your arm - your entire body. At 1:42 when you're nearing the end of your video (and probably not being so hypercritical of your technique anymore), look at all that tension! Your elbows may seem like an odd place to hurt, but keep in mind that most of the muscles that act on your wrist and fingers have their origins (Origin Tendons) at your inner and outer elbows. The following article was originally written for the Piano Professional Magazine, an EPTA (European Piano Teachers… This is usually because you are sitting too close and your own body simply blocks the mobility of … You can also learn more about the main causes of piano-related pain and injuries (and how to counteract them) by reading my latest free article on this topic. Wrist pain from sudden trauma, ... Fractures can occur in the small bones of your wrist (carpals) or at the ends of your forearm bones (radius and ulna). Joined: Aug 2005. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. I’ve started playing piano two days ago but due to practicing 5 hours a day from point zero has caused me to have a pain in forearm close to my hand and wrist. Sometimes I get random achy pain from my forearm to my ring finger. Piano-related pain can appear in many different places, including your back and neck, shoulders, elbows, forearms, wrists, fingers and thumbs. Contact | Help & support|Terms & conditions|Privacy policy. You're pushing away from the keys instead of dropping into them. Here, St. Augustine, FL teacher Heather L. shares a few exercises to keep your hands relaxed and agile…. Treatments and therapies for forearm pain. Your wrists are randomly moving in and out towards the keyboard. We all know too much tension can ruin piano playing, yet alleviating this issue generally takes time and lots of work. Does this usually happen after playing a certain piece? I would take a few lessons (even if it's just a month) and ask your teacher to help you with technique. It's a weak finger so it tends to hang out if you let it. I watched the video a few times. I don't believe there's such a thing as a good kind of pain in piano playing. As this type of pain is often associated with repetitive movement it was previously known as R.S.I. Could this be a sign of something serious, or is it normal? Watch from 1:38 to 1:41. Do you guys see anything odd with my playing... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0skUj9OCwMo&feature=youtu.be. Typing a PC keyboard has many similarities to playing the piano. I had thumb pain before I started practicing the piece but as the weeks passed the pain became worse. I can tell I have less grip strength after playing and it hurts to even pick up my phone. Be careful, you can do real damage to yourself if you don't change your technique. Describe the pain with words, such as dull, achy, cramping, sharp, shooting, stabbing, throbbing or burning. To reduce and prevent forearm and elbow pain, here are four quick exercises you can use to keep your forearm and elbow healthy! One of my teachers actually developed carpal tunnel from playing. Usually people have fixed their wrist when they play to get forearm pain. While not a big deal, you want to be in the mindset of tension-free appendages as often as possible. Distance to the piano is crucial to pain-free playing. Didn't receive confirmation instructions? It's not like excruciating, but it's definitely noticeable. Causes of forearm pain. Of course I think the bad form may have been one of the reasons beside the overplaying. Be on constant lookout for any tension in your body, and if you find it, relax it. Sign in or subscribe to read the full article. You may feel sometimes like you need it to play better, especially on particularly hard passages, but you don't. Buy unique gifts and gift ideas. Note: It is frequently impossible to get both the thigh slope and the forearm height correct, as only the seat is adjustable and not the keyboard height. One thing that may help is just to consciously focus on relaxation as you play. Stop playing, and ask your teacher to fix your technique. Your elbows may seem like an odd place to hurt, but keep in mind that most of the muscles that act on your wrist and fingers have their origins (Origin Tendons) at your inner and outer elbows. Slip and falls and punching solid objects are common causes of wrist fractures. Do you guys have any suggestions? : Rest, ice, compression and elevation are the most traditional treatments and therapy for most forearm pain, regardless of the cause. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4480877. Be sure to set a timer for every 20-30 minutes for a quick rest break for your forearms and elbows. 1988 Baldwin L Re: Developing forearm muscles and "feeling the burn" #543382 02/17/07 08:45 AM. Should I be concerned? 31 from the FAQs. There's extra tension in your right hand pinky. Browse | About Informance | I started playing piano 4 months ago and 4 weeks ago I developed pain in my right wrist from the middle of the wrist going toward the outside or right side of the wrist and pain along the right of the forearm going from the wrist to about 5 inches towards the elbow. I've been experiencing some pain (inflammation is a better word) in my right forearm during and after practicing piano. I'm not sure if it's my seating height/distance, technique or something else. Let your arms hang completely limp at your sides, flop them around a bit, and try to recreate that feeling in your arms/wrists even when you're playing. It feels quite tense while I play and shortly after, and my right hand's movement has suffered. It's hard to give you advice without seeing you play. There can be many reasons why you feel pain in your forearm. My teacher gave me an exercise to do where you are sitting at the piano with your arms hanging loosely at your sides. The most commonly used terms nowadays for the kind of non-specific forearm pain that pianists often experience are ‘work-related upper limb disorder’ or ‘non-specific upper limb pain’. Different people have different ability to stand the pain. You're also holding it very straight and ignoring the natural curve it wants to have. Reply. Shop for Unique Gifts, Gadgets, Electronics, and More at Hammacher Schlemmer. Inside or outside, or all over? Your wrists, your arms, your shoulders, your neck? Whenever you do play, analyze your body very closely - are your hands relaxed? But, as your piano skills become more and more advanced, you should aim to play without looking at the keys. You're swinging your pinky like a mallet using your wrist instead of playing the finger individually. And is there anything I should do? EDIT: I haven't had a piano lesson in 10 years. Click "Buy" to purchase it or on "Subscription options" to get access to this content in addition to our growing library of over 300 articles for as little as £9.99 per month or £99.99 per year (Click here to sign-in to view this page if you are already a subscriber). Overuse and nerve entrapment injuries of the arms and wrists are of the most common injuries for pianists, including: tendonitis (swelling of the connective tissue), bursitis (the swelling of the bursa), and in some cases carpal tunnel syndrome (the compression of the medial nerve at the wrist). R.I.C.E. I am now 64 and have been relearning my old repertoire. You play the chord, your wrists come up a bit, then your wrists lower back down. It feel more tendon-like pain instead of a muscle burn pain. Forearm pain can be caused by injury or damage to the bones, tendons, muscles, joints, or tissue that is located between your wrist and elbow. You want it to rest naturally on the keys as often as possible and use it only when you need it. Hard to tell from the video but it really looks like you're holding tension in your forearms, especially during the Bach. Gently push the top of the hand down toward the wrist. Since the forearm is used in almost every form of regular activity, forearm pain can be a very real disruption to daily life. A frequent asked question is – does forearm tattoos hurt or is more painful? Your teacher should look at the way you play and identify any areas where you're tense. Ilinca. This can be a big problem and many pianists have to adopt a compromise position. The last thing you want is to cause long-term damage to your muscles, because that'll affect more than just your piano playing. Your browser does not support JavaScript. It may have something to do with your playing technique. Good luck! Others who've done more teaching than me can probably give you better advice for bench height/placement, all I can say is that it looks maybe a little bit too close? Is it the top or bottom side? Many here are suggesting I see one to check out my technique. Make sure when you're playing that your wrists stay up (your hand should have a slight downward incline), and when you play louder notes, use your entire arm instead of just your forearm for more power/better technique. I think it started after a too eager practice coming out of a period of little to no practice. Never let the pain stop you from getting the tattoo if it’s important to you.

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