Upper back pain

[janice]

Hey, I have a question--does anybody have upper back pain.  The shoulder blades & the area in between.  I know that it's muscular, because I did have surgery on my lower back about 2 1/2 years ago (L5-S1 disc).  I almost definitely know that it has nothing to do with my spine or discs.  Any advice?  Does anybody have the same problem?  Thanks!

[Ludwig]

hi Janice, are you having these pains in your back when you're playing the piano? Or just normally. If this happens when you play, perhaps there's a problem with posture according to the stool you have? perhaps the height of the chair or the position of the chair isn't right... If its pretty serious, I suggest you go to the doctors to check it out.

[Scarbo]

Actually, I have the same problem-- a kind of dull pain, or a cramp, in the manner and location that you have described.  It starts after about 1 hour of practicing.  I'm not sure what's wrong about my posture, but if I take breaks to stretch out, it helps a lot...

[janice]

Hey guys, thanks for replying.  I appreciate it!  Yeah, getting up and moving around and stretching really has helped.  It's just that I seem to need to get up and stretch after every piece, it seems.  I'm gonna try to add a smiley face--hope it works!  Hold on a minute...

Oops!

[louellen]

Try putting quarter-inch lifts on the back legs of your bench.  That will change your posture enough to know whether you'll get relief.  I have a compressed vertebrae which makes my back weak, and it helps me a lot.  Good luck!

[ayahav]

I accompany plays at my school. The worst rehearsals are on performance week and the week before that. After sitting at the piano for a long time, anyone's back starts hurting; it is just that everyone's definition of long time is different...
While practising you should take frequent breaks, every 20 minutes or so, and stand up (stretch, maybe drink something cold) and then return to practising. It helps..

Amit

[dskim]

Hi, I'm totally new to the forum (joined an hour ago).  This is my first message, but I just had to say that I totally relate to people with back pain.  My back pain is chronic -- it never goes away, but it does go from a dull stiffness to a real nagging presence.  I've had physical therapy, acupunture, an MRI and a visit to a spine surgeon -- nothing has totally taken care of it, and I think that I mainly need to improve my posture -- both at the piano and away from it.  Also, I'm always cracking it, which provides temporary relief, but might not be the best idea.  I've had the problem since I was in high school.  Six and a half years later, it's just very slowly gotten worse.  Hmmmmm....  Tell me if any magic cures are discovered.

David

[MzrtMusic]

dskim,

My mother had the same problem with chronic back pain, until recently. She tried going to a massuse, and that has really helped her!!! Whenever she would get stressed, it would make her neck and back stiff, and over the years, it really built up, and she couldn't hardly move without pain. But the massage really helped her. It might be something that you would want to consider!

Love,

Sarah

[TaubmanTeach]

Dear Colleagues: I wanted to offer an alternate point of view from a trained Taubman Teacher. As a practitioner of Dorothy Taubmans methos for over 20 years we have seen many piano related habits cause back fatigue and pain. Although this may be complicated a general cause is a collapse of a fulcrum in the playing mechanism, such as the wrist for example. What happens biomechanically is that the muscles of the back tense to keep the pianist on the keyboard.
Correcting the playing apparatus relieves the back pain totally, in many instances. please feel free to write to me for any further information.

[Rosa]

Hi,
Here is a generic piece of advise for the pain you get after sitting at the piano and playing too long.

At home, after I have played for an hour or so. I take a break and so some light upper back exercises.  Stretching helps so do "fake" pushups. A  "fake" push up is where you do a push up with your hands on a surface like a counter top, instead of the floor. That position changes the muscles that are used and works the muscles in the upper back. Just a few to start with, so go easy.

That is what helps me.