Comments on: Monday Mailbag – Dealing with Pain

By: Valerie

Valerie — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:42:24 +0000

I would also recommend ‘What Every Pianist Needs to Know About the Body’, but if you are looking for a way to explain these concepts to a student, there is a similar book titled ‘What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body: The Application of Body Mapping to Music’. While not a book that you would want to just hand a student and have them read, the illustrations are very helpful in explaining concepts that a student might not fully understand without the visual. You can get it on Amazon, or order it from your local music store.

By: Shirley Kelly

Shirley Kelly — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:00:56 +0000

It took years for me to figure out that the pain I often get in my upper back and shoulder area has a lot to do with my posture. I tend to slightly slope when I sit for a long period of time. I traded my traditional chair for a contour chair with an adjustable seat and back. Not only does it force me to sit upright, it has greatly improved my posture.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:22:17 +0000

Frankly, carpal tunnel and similar painful problems that afflict musicians have always scared me stiff! Your suggestions were quite thought-provoking, Natalie, and I think that training our students to play without tension is a huge part of our responsibility. Rather than just saying, “Don’t tense up!” we need to come up with good analogies and exercises to help them relax.
This is something I will always be learning about, I know!

By: Rachel Velarde

Rachel Velarde — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:46:17 +0000

I would also refer you to the GretchensPianos blog. Her most recent posting deals with pain, etc. There are also quite a few wonderful references in the comments. http://gretchenspianos.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/do-you-need-an-arm-massager/#comment-370

By: Alice

Alice — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:20:46 +0000

What Every Pianist Needs to Know About the Body, by Thomas Mark, Roberta Gary, and Thom Miles, is an excellent resource. It changed not only the way I sit at the piano, but also the way I stand and walk.