Klarinet Archive - Posting 000338.txt from 1996/08

From: niethamer@-----.EDU
Subj: Re: Tingling feeling in hand (was Neckstraps)
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 23:03:11 -0400

On Sun, 11 Aug 1996, Patrick Kwan wrote:

> The point is things that some
> doctor that was interviewed said. He said it is neccessary (umm this word
> looks weird) to put our hands in either a bucket of ice-cold water or just
> stuff our hands in the freezer. He said it would reduce potential hand
> problems by 75% if we do it each time after a hard :"work out."
> Well, see if this helps, more like a prevention, but I also use this method

I have two gel-packs in my freezer which I use if I feel any pain during
periods of heavy practice/performance. They work quite well for me. I use
them for 10-15 minutes at places on my arm recommended by a physical
therapist who treated me for arm/hand pain a few years ago.

I once saw a documentary about baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan. After
pitching, he had a vest of the same sort of material which he wore for 20
minutes after the game, and he used this time to ride the exercise bike
to develop the leg strength necessary for pitching. Ryan pitched until he
was about 45, well past the normal age for pitchers to retire.

I once attended a seminar about performance injuries, where the
difference between sports injury treatment and musical instrument injury
treatment was summed up as follows:

1.) for the most part, athletes are in better general physical
condition than musicians.

2.) More $$ is on the line when a high priced athlete is injured,
so team owners spend more money and time to "protect their investment".

David Niethamer