Klarinet Archive - Posting 000332.txt from 1998/02

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fredj@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: tendonitis
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 21:39:54 -0500

Victoria,
I'd love to SLUG your teacher! You may have "tendonitis", which is
a catch-all phrase for a variety of problems associated with tendons,
cartilage, etc., or you might have Carpal Tunnel syndrome. Did your doctor
rule it out? Assuming he did, have you talked to a sports medicine
specialist or a hand specialist? I strongly recommend it. Your average GP
knows diddly about how to deal with tendonitis and this is your career
here.
In my experience, and I have dealt with tendonitis myself for
the last ten years, now, the best treatment for tendonitis is DON'T
PLAY!!! That being said, it is usually impossible to do. So there are a
variety of treatments which are used in tandem:
1) Start using anti-inflamatories like ibuprofen (sp?)
2) Cold packs to bring down swelling FOLLOWED BY warm packs to
bring nutrient-rich blood to the area (once the swelling is gone, of
course).
3) I am assuming that the pain is in your thumb/forearm, like
most clarinet/oboists. Using a strap is a good idea. Another option is to
buy a stand of some sort to rest the instrument on. Get a copy of The
Clarinet magazine. There are some advertised there.
4) I had my thumb rest moved to make it more comfortable. You can
too. You can also buy an adjustable thumb rest. Remember, the design of
the clarinet is so rooted in tradition that modern, ergonomically correct
key placement STILL hasn't dawned on the <bleeps> who are manufacturing
instruments today, even though the incidence of tendonitis is virtually
epidemic. So you have to do it yourself.
Please take this seriously. The fact that it has been with you so
long tells me that you really have not.

Fred Jacobowitz
Clarinet/Sax Instructor, Peabody Preparatory

On Thu, 5 Feb 1998 vjupton@-----.edu wrote:

> I am a first year music education major. Twards the end of my first
> semester I started experiencing pain when I was playing. Over winter
> break the pain was so bad that I went to a dr. who said that i had
> tendonitis. I was instructed to wear braces as much as possible and cut
> down on my practice time. A friend of mine who used to play bass
> clarinet for the richmond symphony also suggested that I get a neckstrap
> for my instrument to take the pressure off my hands. I have been back at
> school for four weeks and the pain has gotten worse and I have
> experienced some swelling. Last week my professor told me to stop
> wearing the braces and not to use the neck strap. Her reasoning for the
> latter was that if I use it now I will have to use it the rest of my
> playing career. Wearing the neckstrap doesn't bother me as I would
> rather be able to play than have to quit. I was wondering if anyone out
> there has experinced this and can give me some suggestions to help me
> get through it. I have been using a heating pad to relax the muscles and
> trying some flexing exercises. I am concerned because the pain is with
> me for most of the day no matter what I am doing. Thanks for your help.
> -Victoria
>

   
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