Klarinet Archive - Posting 000214.txt from 1997/12

From: SDM@-----. Morrow)
Subj: Clarinet-Related Health Hazards!(was: Advice for TMJ?)
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 1997 14:17:20 -0500

I wanted to bring everyone's attention to another clarinet-related health
hazard:

When I first started playing clarinet in fourth grade, it turned
out I was biting too hard on the mouthpiece. The result was months of
painful root canal work! Teachers, please watch for this with your
beginning students (and beginning students, be aware!).
As with TMJ, CTS, and repetitive motion syndromes, it seems that a
lot of these problems can be avoided by RELAXING while playing and TAKING
BREAKS (I make a point of flexing my fingers during rests).

-Scott

Scott D. Morrow
Department of Biochemistry
School of Hygiene and Public Health
Johns Hopkins University
(410) 955-3631

SDM@-----.edu