 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2005-04-15 01:14
I've been playing for 16 years now and through my college years I've developed an issue with my right wrist and arm. Diagnosis is tendinitis. To try to combat this I wear a neckstrap. It helps to a point, but the problem is still there. My teacher gave me some stretches but they don't seem to help much. Anti-inflammatories don't help either.
Is there anything else I can do that will help my problem? 2x a week I play for 4 1/2 hours straight (with a 15 min break in the middle between rehearsals) and that's when it bothers me the most. Sometimes it bothers me at the end, sometimes just after an hour in, and sometimes not at all. The inconsistancy bothers me. I used to wear a brace, but that didn't seem to help much either.
I will be auditioning for grad schools next year and I know I will be playing even more than I am now. If I'm in pain at this point, will I be able to add even more playing on top of that?
Any words of wisdom are greatly appreciated.
Rachel
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Author: K.B.M
Date: 2005-04-15 01:31
Hey Rachel,
Although I usually don't play for as long as you do, I have also occasionally
felt pain in my right wrist and arm. I started using a neck strap, and that solved the problem for the most part. However, I found a thumb rest on www.wwbw.com that is suppose to help with the problem of inflammation and fatigue. Although I haven't tried it, I read some reviews on it and it seems to help. It is made by Tom Kooiman, and the link is listed below.
http://www.wwbw.com/Ton-Kooiman-Professional-Thumb-Rest-i80645.music
Good luck,
Katie
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Author: Rissa
Date: 2005-04-15 14:18
I have that problem as well, but my pains last for at least 2-3 days. I usually try to work the wrist out (probably with the same stretches your teacher suggested), but when my wrist gets so tight that the overall range of wrist motion is jeopardized, I ice the top of my wrist- I've found this to work the best, and I hope it works for you as well.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2005-04-15 21:47
The problem is stiffness, higher up the arm. You need a doctor, and rest.
General fitness (weight training) will help - after your period of rest.
Playing 4.5 hours at a stretch borders on criminal - are you over committed?
Keep going at this rate, and your in for something crippling.
Pain is the body's way of sending you a message about your activity level.
Lastly, if you raise the thumbrest on your clarinet, you may find the wrist in a more comfortable position (with the thumb and first finger opposed) - it will take some accomodation from you, but so does an immobilization cast.
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2005-04-16 03:04
This is how my Tuesdays/Thursdays work: I practice from 2:30-3:30, have orchestra from 3:55-5:15, then have concert band from 5:30-7:00. So it's not completely straight, but the breaks aren't so significant either. I'll be seeing my orthopedic doc when I'm done w/ school for the year to inquire about continuing knee problems (running in high school/college wrecked both knees), so I'll ask him about this, too. Maybe he'll have some ideas.
I looked at the Kooiman thumbrests on wwbw, but I'm hesitant to go that route. Even if I could afford one of them, I don't like the idea of drilling more holes in my clarinet to mount them (correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like you'd have to do that). I've already had crack problems w/ this clarinet and don't want to risk more.
Thanks for the ideas. Keep 'em coming.
Rachel
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2005-04-16 03:13
Practice smarter, not harder. Getting familiar with a piece so that you "know" it before you play it can cut down on finger-woodshedding significantly.
I've recently had some nasty wrist pain. The doctors seemed to think it was sprained, and the pain did start suddenly when I moved it in a weird direction one morning. The pain has mostly subsided after two weeks of icing and immobilizing the affected area. It was aggravated (and probably caused) by a period of extreme stress, which is now over. I'll be seeing the doctor again shortly for a more thorough diagnosis.
In any case, practicing for such a long time in a row isn't good. If they are all rehearsals, it's probably time to let a group go (an extremely hard decision, but it has to be made).
I've gotten used to the neckstrap now, and the clarinet seems heavy without it.
The problem, in any case, seems to originate with improper posture, a lack of stretching, tension, and prolonged periods of repetitive motion, all of which I'm making an effort to correct.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Clarino20
Date: 2005-04-16 13:11
There is a great warmup and reset routine developed by the Institute of Human and Health Performance. It is specifically geared to prevent ailments such as yours and help heal them. Their is a exercising gadget called the Musicians WOW, I have ganglion cysts in both of my wrists and after about a month of working with the WOW I have found that I have less pain. There is also a book by Janet Horvath who helped invent the WOW called Playing Less Hurt. Both wonderful things that have helped me an my injuries a great deal.
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Author: VermontJM
Date: 2005-04-16 13:32
I have the Kooiman Thumbrest and still have wrist issues- Pain, fatigue, the whole nine yards. I have been battling this all year and thought that the new thumbrest would help, but it really hasn't. Instead of geting rid of the pain, it just transferred it elsewhere...
I like the thumbrest (And I had to look away while the drilling was being done- I felt physically ILL) but not for removing discomfort- I like the position it puts my hand in- My hand position is SO much better and my fingers remain curved. (And thus, FASTER!)
good luck
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