Klarinet Archive - Posting 000289.txt from 2000/12

From: "David B. Niethamer" <dnietham@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Breathing
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000 22:02:53 -0500

on 12/4/00 1:13 PM, stewart kiritz wrote:

>Actually, I suspect that the clarinet is a good instrument for an asthmatic,
>since it forces you to excercise your vital capacity and make your lungs
>more efficient. I do find that over the years I can't play quite as long
>phrases and so need to find more creative ways of taking in a breath
>unobtrusively. This is due to the chronicity of the problem. Over time,
>small airways become somewhat reduced in capacity if you have a lifetime
>with asthma, unfortunately.

I too am an athsmatic, and, while I don't have any real basis for
comparison (I've had athsma since I was a kid) I don't have more serious
trouble with lung capacity now than I did in the past. Playing a wind
instrument that offers resistance is related to exercises that hospitals
give respiratory patients - blowing against resistance. So it's a helpful
thing (playing the clarinet, that is). I do breathing exercises, and I
take regular medication to prevent attacks. Rarely, I need to take
Ventolin for relief for an attack. Raking leaves is a no-no! (Gee, what a
shame!). I also need to be careful about the intensity of physical
exercise, and about exertion in cold weather (Gee, no snow shoveling
either!). But for clarinet playing, I'm perfectly normal.

David

David Niethamer
Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
dnietham@-----.edu
http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/

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