Klarinet Archive - Posting 000162.txt from 1996/08

From: Everett Austin <austine@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Neckstraps
Date: Wed, 7 Aug 1996 03:43:18 -0400

THere are various instrument supports and neckstraps marketed for the
clarinet and other instruments. Some players do have problems with their
hands, and can benefit from these if they take the weight off the affected
part (the right thumb in the case of the soprano clarinet). Pain in the
thumb at the "second joint" (metacarpophalangeal joint) is the commonest
occupational hazard of playing the clarinet, besides a sore lip, and is
caused by asking that joint to bear more weight longer than it wants to.
Inherent tendon or joint weakness, lack of muscular support or coexistent
arthritis (as in many older players) will predispose to this problem.
Tension and discomfort, acute or chronic can secondarily develop in the
extensor muscles of the right forearm and even in the shoulder or neck.
Frequent breaks and stretching can certainly help avoid this (as can
taking a break at he computer every 50 e-mail messages!). Oboe and
soprano sax players can have the same problem for the same reason and many
of them use neck straps despite the fact that they are not traditional.

It seems that the use of the neck strap should be dictated by the needs of
the player and neither forced nor prohibited. It should definitely be
designed so that the instrument is correctly positioned and comfortable,
and does not place the horn in the mouth at an undesirable angle, nor
generate strain in some other part of the upper body to pull the
mouthpiece into the right angle. I recall Floyd Williams commenting that
the weight of the Selmer Recital clarinets led him to use a neck strap
(these are thick walled instruments).
I would suggest an individualized, rational approach to "medical" concerns
of players as the most productive. In general, a preventive approach is
better than waiting for problems to become chronic, so perhaps the teacher
who encourages his or her students to try a neck strap is doing them a
favor, despite the fact that generations of clarinetists have merely
developed strong right thumbs and not much in the way of complaints?
Tendonitis, repetitive motion problems, nerve entrapment syndromes (eg
CTS) are very common causes of visits to occupational medicine and to
performing arts clinics. If these complaints are commoner now than in the
past (are they?) one would suspect that the cause would be longer and more
repetitious practice (I know a bassoonist who developed an intractable
upper extremity pain syndrome after practicing up to 10 hours a day for a
period of weeks and had to give up entirely.)

In any case, our bodies require maintenance to serve well and sometimes we
ask them to do things for which they are not well suited. ( Any comments
from the viola/clarinet doublers in the list?)

Everett Austin