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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000078.txt from 2005/11
From: John Towle <gtowle83@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] oboe & carpal tunnel
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 22:18:36 -0500
I had similar pain about a year ago and switched to
the adjustable Etude thumbrest. This thumbrest is a
great concept were it not for the plastic bracket
which supports it. With the attaching and removal of
the thumbrest (the "hook"), the screws anchoring the
thumbrest bracket eventually worked loose in their
screw holes, stripping the threads in the screw holes
to the point where the screws were no longer
supporting the bracket. Also, the screw heads enlarged
the holes in the bracket, to the extent that the oboe
almost came detached from the bracket. Not good for
the oboe, as it almost fell to the floor one night at
rehearsal. I took the oboe to a repairman and had the
Loree adjustable thumbrest put on as a replacement. He
either repaired the screw holes or drilled new ones,
not sure which. Anyway, it works, and I still have no
pain. I have the rest in the same position as
Rhondda's and I center the cork underside of the rest
on the vertex of the 90 degree angle created by my
thumbnail cuticle and the side of my thumbnail. There
should be no contortion of the thumb whatsoever. The
wrist should be in a straight line with the back of
the hand and the forearm. The index finger and the
thumb should appear in the form of a horseshoe, for
lack of a better description, as you look down at
your right hand configuration. I reemphasize that I
have had no pain since either the Etude rest or the
Loree rest.
Please don't misinterpret my comments re the Etude
thumbrest. It is a revolutionary concept. It just
didn't work for me on the oboe over the long term.
The positive side of this coin is that did enable me
to play the oboe for nearly a year, before I had the
aforemention near mishap. I should add that I have an
Etude thumbrest attached to my English Horn. So far
so good.
Best,
john
--- Rhondda May <rmay@-----.com> wrote:
> I've never had (thank g!d) carpal tunnel syndrome,
> but a colleague of
> mine in grad school did. She was told to wrap foam
> around the handles
> of her knives, so that she didn't crunch her hand so
> tightly while
> making reeds (hers was connected with a multi-day
> reed marathon + heavy
> recital preparation).
>
> I would also suggest something a bit unusual but
> something that I think
> avoids most of the strain on the right thumb. I
> showed this to the MD
> mentioned previously who does some consulting for
> the IDRS, and he
> remarked that it was an intelligent solution and he
> couldn't see that
> it would cause any other damage.
>
> I approach the thumbrest with my thumb straight-on,
> not pulled to the
> side and down. The weight of the oboe is transferred
> immediately into
> the forearm and bypasses the hand completely. You'll
> get the idea if
> you hold out your hand as though you're going to
> shake hands with
> someone, and then push your thumb towards you with
> the forefinger of
> your left hand.
>
> This means you may need to put something soft under
> your thumbrest, and
> you have to pay some attention to the right corner
> of the nail of the
> right thumb, but I've been playing with this set-up
> for almost 30 years
> and never had a problem with pain in my right hand
> from playing the
> oboe.
>
> I also use an adjustable thumbrest and have it about
> a quarter-inch
> lower than the normal position.
>
> I hope you find a solution, Alyssa - best of luck.
> Rhondda May
> Hong Kong
>
> On 30 Nov 05, at 11:52 AM, Alyssa Miller wrote:
>
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > I've been lurking on the listserv for a few years.
> I'm completing my
> > BMus in April '06, and in the last year I've
> injured my right hand
> > (practicing)... carpal tunnel seems to be the
> general consensus,
> > although the medical system is failing me at this
> point. My fingers
> > go numb and I get shooting pain from the wrist
> into the hand and into
> > the underside of the forearm.
> >
> > I've spent the last 6 months retraining my hands
> to a more ergonomical
> > position, and strengthening muscles and joints to
> try to keep the
> > strain to a minimum... and it hasn't flared up
> since last May, but it
> > seems to be getting worse again.
> >
> > Are there any other oboists out there on the list
> with this sort of
> > injury that could offer suggestions? I don't want
> to lose the ability
> > to play! I'm already working with a neckstrap and
> looking at getting
> > an adjustable thumbrest for my horn.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Alyssa
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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