| As someone who has lived through 3 incredibly painful | | | | how to play the piano the correct way. I realized, after |
| bouts of tendonitis, both in my left arm and right arm, I | | | | visiting the musician’s clinic, that I had the completely |
| thought it important to pass on some information that | | | | wrong approach to playing piano. Specifically, I was too |
| has helped me deal with this in the past. | | | | close to the keyboard, I had the wrong wrist position, |
| It is important to understand that playing the piano can | | | | the wrong finger position and I didn’t understand the |
| cause serious injuries such as tendonitis and carpel | | | | concept of leverage. |
| tunnel syndrome. Both these ailments are known as | | | | Leverage means to use the entire body to create |
| repetitive strain injuries. The constant up and down, | | | | volume on the piano. I was trying to create volume by |
| side to side movement of the arms and fingers when | | | | forcing the keys down with forearm strength instead |
| playing piano for long periods of time is what causes | | | | of using the entire body. Therefore, my arm muscles |
| these injuries. | | | | and joints suffered from the strain of trying to play too |
| This is common among piano players. In fact, it is so | | | | loud. What I eventually realized, with the help of the |
| common that there is a special clinic in Hamilton, | | | | musician’s clinic doctor was that, I needed to create |
| Ontario called the Musician’s Clinics of Canada that | | | | velocity as opposed to force. Once the key reached |
| deals with the prevention and rehabilitation of musician | | | | the bottom of its natural movement it can go no |
| injuries. Naturally their patients include other | | | | further. Yet, I was trying to force the note passed its |
| instrumentalists like violin and guitar but, pianist injuries | | | | end without even realizing it. |
| are certainly among the most common. | | | | The correct way is to drive the note down with extra |
| What can be done when a pianist gets tendonitis or | | | | velocity using the back, shoulders, biceps, arms, wrists |
| carpel tunnel syndrome? Well, certainly there are | | | | and fingers and then release at the exact moment the |
| conventional methods of dealing with the inflammation | | | | key reaches its lowest point. Therefore, it’s the |
| and pain. Unfortunately these types of treatments | | | | velocity of the hammer hitting the string that creates |
| such as; anti-inflammatories, pain medications and | | | | volume. Knowing when to let up is very important in |
| physio therapy are designed to treat the symptoms. | | | | the fight to prevent injury. |
| Therefore, once the pianist goes back to playing the | | | | In terms of moving the piano bench back, I had to learn |
| piano without being completely healed the injuries can | | | | also to sit with better upright posture and to generate |
| re-occur and in the end be quite difficult to get rid of. | | | | leverage using my entire body. It’s easier to do this |
| It is not uncommon for tendonitis to stick around for | | | | with the right foot (pedal foot) forward and the left |
| very long periods of time. In my case, I once had a | | | | foot back under the bench. Then as you pivot forward |
| problem with my right arm that took almost 3 years to | | | | and backward on the bench you have more balance |
| get better. The problem is of course that, as a | | | | and leverage. |
| professional I can’t possibly just stop playing the | | | | Once last point I should mention; exercise is very |
| piano. I can take breaks in between concerts but | | | | important. I started weight training several years ago |
| usually I can only take up to a month’s rest at a | | | | because, I find that the extra muscle helps a great deal |
| time. | | | | in preventing injury. Be careful however, to consult a |
| So, how can these injuries be cured while still continuing | | | | professional when starting weight training. You must do |
| to play? It’s important to understand that not every | | | | it the correct way in order for it to be beneficial. |
| case is the same but, for me, I actually had to re-learn | | | | |