Wrist pains

[Eureka]

Hi everyone im new here!
when im practising scales on the piano, my teacher wants me to articulate the notes, but with no tension in my arms and wrists, i cant seem to do both at the same time, and after a while articulating i get wrist pain, the sort when i move it aches alot. any tips?

[Diabolos]

Hi there!

Your problem probably occurs because you get the power for playing articulated notes from your forearm. If that's you, you could try either playing it fingerstaccato or taking your power from your back, which means using your weight for articulation.

Nevertheless, it is hard to describe, but maybe you understand what I'm trying to say  

[Eureka]

hmmm, ok ill try that.
is this just the result of an uncorrected bad habit acquired when i started playing, or does anyone else get the same problem?

[Diabolos]

It doesn't necessarily have to be a bad habit aquired when you started playing - I remember having that kind of problem, too, mostly with Bach; it just shows the necessarity of improving one's technique, I guess.

[Beethoven3]

hi
i have wrist pains too, even though i have been playing for nine years, you would think ythat i would be used to them but mine go away and then just POP up out of no where. I would be the perfect piano player if only my wrists wouldn't hurt so

[ClassicalPiano2002]

i am going with Diabolos and saying if your wrist hurts than try a finger staccato then you dont have to move your wrist so much and it shouldnt hurt.

[Mandy]

I would try starting off very slowly-over articulate everything-but do it so incredibly slow that it's ridiculous-if you can do it like without it hurting and getting tired, then gradually increase your tempo until it gets fast enough to do simply the finger staccato.  You shouldn't be articulating every note in crazy fast scales anyway, you don't have time and your wrists will hurt!  (which they already do)

Also-you shouldn't be practicing this for very long-10 maybe 15 minutes a day.  Start gradually and make sure you stop as soon as there is any pain.  If this happens while you are practicing, again stop, stretch things out and take a 10-15 minute break.  

BE CAREFUL  You don't want to do any damage!

Hope this helps,
Mandy

[Eureka]

thanks everyone, your replies are greatly appreciated! Ill see if it helps through time, as the pains takes a while to go away completely.

[MikeThePianist]

I have had the same problems before.  For a great period of time I could not play passage work (scales, etc.) fast because of tension and pain in my rest.  Although I don't completely understand what your teacher is looking for, I would recommend a different approach from the others.  If you think of a "finger" staccato, you'll probably continue to be tense.  The majority of motions used to play involve your entire body, not just your fingers, or your back.  I would begin by first dropping your fingers into keys, one at a time.  Once you have landed, focus on relieving the tension.   This doesn't mean you have to move, but you might be "bearing down" on the keys, a term my teacher uses.  Anyway, I would begin with that.  Also, ask your teacher about the problem.  If it's been persisting, he/she probably should have noticed it in your playing, and if they haven't you might want to find a new teacher (it's hard, but I had to also).  Finally, I would also consult your doctor is it doesn't got away after all these different approaches.  For awhile I thought that I was just fine, and it turned out that I hard tendonitis.  

Anyway, good luck.  :-)

Mike

[rachfan]

One more theory:  When we play, we carry much of the melody in the 4th and 5th fingers of the right hand, as well as voicing chords, most often toward the "tops" when they integrate into a horizonal flow of melody.  That puts some pressure on the wrist.  Similarly, left hand octaves and chords are voiced as well, putting an additional demand there.  

Some of this can be alleviated in practice sessions.   Have a variety of pieces and styles in progress.  For example, counterbalance a heavy Rachmaninoff prelude with a light sonata by Mozart, such that the technical demands you are facing are quite different from one another.  Also, when you are practicing highly demanding sections, don't over practice them for too long a period, as doing so can lead to injury.  Use common sense!  Finally, if you feel a tightening in the hands, wrists, and forarms, stand up and let you arms hang like ropes while you shake them out.  Taking a break from the keyboard at that point can be beneficial too.  Take the score and study it sitting in a chair away from the piano.  You'll be amazed at what you discover doing that during your "break".