How-To Prevent Music Related Injury: Small Muscle Athlete Edition
One of my earliest and most vivid memories is of when I was four years old, and about 12 minutes into my first ever violin lesson. I remember the room, I remember my wonderfully bubbly teacher, I remember my mother frantically taking notes - and I remember the pain.
Yikes! Right?
Poor little four-year-old me, willing my tiny muscles to hold up a 16th-size violin (for reference, they’re MAYBE 10” long), and feeling my arms start to shake, back begin to spasm, and knees start to buckle. I was overcome with confusion - my own body was betraying me! Bewildered that my muscles couldn’t manage to hold the instrument for more than 20 seconds, I wasn’t sure I could ever get strong enough to hold it for a whole song.
Now, as a professional violinist and with students of my own, I see them struggle the same exact way I did. Although the instrument is small and weighs next to nothing, holding your arms up for that long is no joke - I still sometimes feel my arms getting tired from playing. That’s because playing the violin, and all instruments for that matter, is an incredibly physical endeavor. (If you don’t believe me, go ahead and hold both your arms straight out to your sides for as long as you can. See how long you last...)
Believe it or not, musicians are athletes - Small-muscle athletes.
We rely on our body to respond with speed, precision, flexibility, and consistency. We train, practice, study, repeat - until we’ve perfected a technique to such a degree that we simply can’t get it wrong. We ask our bodies to execute any kind of acrobatic episode, from up-bow staccato, to triple-tonguing, to playing the upright bass (which is an athletic event all on its own).
But no one warns you about this side of musicianship - the physicality of musical instruments is rarely taken into account, let alone recognized by non-musician folk.
So, just like traditional athletes, musicians face the risk of injuries - but we hardly ever take them as seriously as we should. If an Olympic sprinter develops tendonitis, they are immediately treated by medical professionals; However, if a violist develops carpal tunnel, they likely won’t even take a day off from practicing. The multitude of times I’ve heard a colleague say they’ll just “power through” would make your head spin. And why? For what?
Common types of injuries musicians fall victim to can range from tendonitis and carpal tunnel, to pinched and inflamed nerves; muscle tension and strains, any kind of back pain, headaches, and various others. Most injuries occur in (but are not reserved to) the neck, arms, wrists, and fingers. Once these types of injuries develop, it takes time, dedication, and discipline to treat them. If the proper steps aren’t taken, you run the risk of causing permanent damage.
I, personally, have battled with tendonitis (in both wrists) and muscle strains in my forearms since I was 17; Therefore, I have spent years experimenting with posture, warm up/cool down routines, stretching and injury prevention practices, and exercise regimes that all serve to maintain a healthy body. Below I’ve outlined some of the more important practices I’ve developed in order to keep my injuries under control. (Although the following is mostly in reference to chin instruments, there’s lots of overlap with other instruments, so read on for some potentially helpful ideas!)
STRETCHING.
(Yes, all caps, reflecting how incredibly important it is.)
Stretching is no joke. And you don’t have to do 90 minutes of yoga a day - 10 minutes of passive, intentional stretching, that not only targets the area of the body most used for your particular instrument, but also the muscles that serve to support those most-used muscles. (Violinists, instead of just stretching arms and neck, spend some time warming up the low back and legs also - they’re the support system for your entire upper body.)
Starting with wrists rolls, then lightly massaging the forearms can help increase blood flow to the area. Rolling out the shoulders, then neck (try dropping your chin to your chest, then circling your head both clockwise and counterclockwise, but be aware of your limits - this can be an extreme stretch if you already have neck problems).
One of my favorite stretches is the doorway pectoral stretch, where you stand in a doorway with each arm reaching out to either side of the doorway. Slowly lean/step forward until your arms are stretched out slightly behind you. This can also be done one arm at a time, and is a super intense stretch that opens up the front side of the body.
2. Instrument set-up and posture.
No amount of warm up stretches can counteract the effects of poor posture or instrument set-up. First of all, make sure you’re using a comfortable shoulder rest and chin rest that accommodate your own body. As no neck is created the same, what might be comfortable for me may not be comfortable for you. (i.e If you have a particularly long neck, you’ll want to make sure your set-up accommodates that. Lauren mentions this in the very first video of module 1, ‘How to hold the violin,’ - definitely check it out!)
If you prefer to practice while sitting down, it’s important to make sure your perch is the correct height. Ideally, you’ll want your hips situated higher than your knees (legs at a 110 degree angle, instead of a 90 degree), so I prefer to sit on a tall stool. This also prevents any kind of slouching, which in turn, protects your back and neck.
If you prefer to stand, keeping a slight bend in the knees is imperative. If you have problems with slouching, try practicing with your back against a wall - maintaining contact with the wall with both your shoulder blades and booty.
3. Warm up/cool down.
I never unpack the instrument and immediately jump into practicing the Tchaikovsky violin concerto. No! No no, no. At least 15 minutes of scales, slow trills, and bow exercises precede any kind of repertoire work. This ensures that my muscles won’t be shocked or strained, which would be an expressway to tendonitis. Any time I’ve ever rushed into difficult repertoire work before sufficient warming up, I’ve always ended up in pain.
Cooling down is commonly overlooked, and I’ve only ever seen woodwind/brass instrumentalists really placing any importance on this. However, they’re right - even just a scale or a few stretches is also a great way to take care of your body.
4. Exercise.
Having a strong, healthy body is something we all strive for, regardless of our career or hobby. For musicians, strong muscles and endurance can make a huge difference when it comes to withstanding long jam sessions and rehearsals. Whether you practice yoga, prefer the gym (home gym, I guess, nowadays…), or rather a speedy walk around the neighborhood, keeping your body happy and healthy does wonders for your playing. (Again, everything in moderation. Crossfit probably isn’t the best form of exercise to pursue if you’re looking to improve your playing….)
Now, let’s say you’re a devout stretcher, always warm up and cool down, have stellar posture and a perfect set-up, you’re in great shape and you eat only organic - and you still have pain due to your instrument.
*You’re not alone.*
The best thing you can do is reach out to teachers and experts on your instrument, because they will invariably have ideas for what you could do. JamWithLauren is a fantastic resource for you, and if you think you would benefit from a private lesson, feel free to write [email protected].
(In the time of Covid-19, virtual lessons have become the new norm and are, thank goodness, still quite effective for students. Having a video lesson specifically on posture and injury prevention could just be your saving grace!)
Luckily, nowadays, it’s not too difficult to find individuals in the medical field who specialize in musician wellness - physical therapists, massage therapists, acupuncturists, etc., all well versed in musicians’ needs and the difficulties we face. If you’re looking at pursuing any of the afore-mentioned treatments, make sure you inform the provider that you’re a musician, so that they can cater their treatment towards your needs.
Whether you’re a beginner, hobbyist, or professional musician, you are inherently a small-muscle athlete. So, it’s important that you treat your body the same way an Olympic athlete would treat theirs. Injuries are common, but the avenues for prevention and healing are abundant. Speak to any musician you know, I’ll bet money that they’ve struggled with this exact problem - so don’t be afraid to pick their brain, and try out new ideas!
For such a broad and important subject, I hope this maybe, sorta, kinda helps - if you have any questions or are looking for more guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out to Lauren!
As always, happy practicing!
-CB
*many thanks to Perry Bennet Photography for the fabulous cover photo
