Klarinet Archive - Posting 000208.txt from 1996/12

From: Jennifer K Donovan <jdonova3@-----.EDU>
Subj: Tendonitis & Carpal Tunnel
Date: Mon, 9 Dec 1996 23:30:28 -0500

Hi evryone...just read about evryone with wrist problems....I
think that if you are a serious player, you are bound to have problems
along the way. I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel about 2 1/2 years ago
in my left wrist (weird, huh?) and have recently been having many more
problems with not only my left but my right wrist and arm as well. As for
exercises that may help: Try to slowly stretch your hands against a wall
as though you are palming it. Your fingers will spread, and you should
feel it in your wrist and forearm. If it hurts your wrist, stop. This
means you are putting too much pressure on you wrist and trying to
stretch too fast.
If you have severe problems, don't try to play for more than 30
mins at a time without a 10 min (or so) break.
When you are having pain, the ideal thing to do is to apply heat
for about 15 mins and then something like a cold pack. Keep the cold pack
on until it burns your sking, and then you are numb. When this happens,
remove the cold pack and then massage your arm (or ask your significant
other do it, like I do:-)). Enjoy the stretch. Work on the tendons that
are swollen, you will be able to feel them. You will probably feel a lot
of blood rushing to your hands.....if you are in the Wash DC, Virginia
area, I can recommend a WONDERFUL specialist that works primarily with
musicians...in fact, he is a flute player...hope this helps...Jen:)

On Mon, 9 Dec 1996, Benjamin Maas wrote:

> I have had many problems in the past few years with my hands. My problems
> started when I severely sprained one wrist one summer and then severely
> broke the other the next. Because my wrists are weak after these injuries,
> I started to use the Claricord (which is actually made by DEG). It is good,
> but I have two main problems with it (one has been solved by use of the BG
> neck straps). The first is it can get in the way of the left hand thumb
> because the strap rests against the body of the instrument. BG solved this
> problem by putting an extension to the instrument at the middle joint (comes
> with the strap). It is a piece of meatal with groves in it for a hook. I
> find that this works well to distance the thumb from the strap. The other
> problem is that when the weight of the instrument is taken up by a strap,
> it is in fact being transfered to the neck (much like a saxophone). I found
> that I was tensing up in my neck and shoulders as a result of this. BG
> does, make another strap that clips to the back of a pair of pants and the
> straps go over your shoulders. I do not own this, but a friend of mine does
> and It helps the tension problem greatly.
>
> Ben
>
>
> >
> > While preparing for my doctoral recital at Yale this past September I was
> > getting pain in my right wrist. I got a Claricord from BG which is an
> > elastisized neckstrap. It does an excellent job of redistributing the weight
> > so the clarinet still feels normal in your hands, while taking the weight
off
> > your right wrist. Simon
> >
> > Hi! Do any of you have problems with Carpotunnel and/or tendonitis? A =
> > few years ago my wrist stared hurting after I had been playing for a =
> > while. In the last few weeks my wrist has been hurting to some degree =
> > most of the time. (It doesn't help that I have to type at my work). =20
> >
> > Does anyone have an exersises for this or advise? I heard that if we =
> > roll those silver chinese balls in your hand that helps. Is that true?
> >
> > Please help! =20
> >
> > Lynn
> >
> > illusion@-----.ca
> >
>
>
> --
> ***************************************************************************
> *Benjamin Maas * Which is more musical, a truck passing*
> *Student, Eastman School of Music * by a factory, or a truck passing by a *
> *bm004e@-----.edu * music school? -John Cage, 1957*
> ***************************************************************************
>

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