Avoiding Injury, and maximizing ability.

[venik]

I just happened across this webiste, https://www.pianomap.com/injuries/conclusion.html, I just happened across it when looking for information on my favorite pianists' injuries. Really glad I came across it, as I have been doing carpal tunnel stretches and actually have looked for tips like this before to no avail. He tells us the most stressful movements and injury prone habits. I'm thinking about buying his book, and I figured I could maybe prevent anyone else from injury by posting this.

To summarize:
Having your finger's too curled creates a fight between your lower and upper arm, the lower forearm curls the fingers and the upper forearm flexes them in place for strength. When you do this, your muscles are playing tug of war with eachother with your tendon's as the rope, quite dangerous when you really think about it. To avoid this your fingers should be straighter, and you should use the weight of your forearm to play not your finger's strength.
Your wrist should not be twisted to either side or propped up and down, but level to avoid the tendons bending like a garden hose around the corner of your house.
Most piano benches are adjusted to sit too low, your elbows/forearms at rest should be horiztonal and level with the keys.

That's all I got i think, maybe I'll post more if I buy the book.

In the mean time anyone have more tips?

[slow_concert_pianist]

The temptation of paying beyond your physical ability is the reason injuries occur in the majority of cases, with the exception of minor strains which are usually the result of poor technique.

[faulty_damper]

Many students attempt to make music without attempting to learn how to use their body to play the instrument.  This is the reason they get injuries.  If you want to avoid injuries, learn how to use the body to play the instrument to make music.

This is the flow chart for mastering ANY instrument:
Learn how to use body > to learn how to play instrument > to make music.

Unfortunately, during the learning process it works in reverse:
Make music > learn how to play instrument > learn how to use body.

The difficulty is that students are unaware of these two distinctions between the learning process and the mastery process; they get stuck in the "make music" phase and suffer in the "learn how to play" phase, and never get to the "learn how to use body" phase which is essential for mastering the piano.


This is the flow chart for acquiring an injury:
Learn how to play instrument > to make music.

[thalbergmad]

The temptation of paying beyond your physical ability is the reason injuries occur in the majority of cases, with the exception of minor strains which are usually the result of poor technique.

You are a really funny man and you keep me happy.

I just love reading your posts and I guess it must be difficult typing with all of those injuries.

Thanks

Thal

[slow_concert_pianist]

You are a really funny man and you keep me happy.

I just love reading your posts and I guess it must be difficult typing with all of those injuries.

Thanks

Thal

Big claim Thal, please elaborate. Or you joining the Philistine chorus? Wrong notes or poor phrasing don't necessarily mean technical deficiencies. Conversely poor recording circumstances can play tricks on the ears. I'll tell you what, give me a detailed technical analysis of my last Audition Room Brahms Paganini Variations Book 1 Number 14 (its ....FORUM9.mp3). As you play technically so exquisitely yourself (sic), I am all ears

Oh, if you are unable to do that, why don't you hush up FOR GOOD, because I am getting really fed up of these jealousy inspired slurs from posters here. You contribute NOTHING to me or anyone who reads your guff. The listener can make their OWN decision as to the "quality" of a performance. I DO NOT ask usual for "advice", so (except with the above request) clear off with the comments about my HARD WORK!!!!!!

[april]

wow haven't been on here for quite a while. Now I know why. Instead of useful, professional advice and shared wisdom - I find children squabbling. Makes it so pleasant for the rest of us.

[lostinidlewonder]

If you are getting injured while you play you are either practicing with excessive brute force, that is repeating passages mindlessly until you play the right, or your technique does not match what is required from the score. Passages do not need to be repeated excessively over and over again and they do not have to be played with the volume dynamic that is written while you practice. If you play passages which are ffff you are foolish to do your repeats with this volume all the time.

I do not come across many people who have injuries from playing piano, it usually comes from other activities. I teach many students with physical problems, we have to deal with our abilities and not stress out ourselves. Each person needs to listen to their body and never practice when it starts to hurt.

[venik]

There are many ways to get injuries, it does not mean you are playing without proper technique. Some people are more prone to injury than others, some do have bad technique, some injure outside playing, etc. All these different ways of injuring yourself don't change the fact that curled fingers are more stressful on your tendons than extended fingers. Extend your finger, and move it up and down as if you're repeating a fast note, then curl your finger and try the same thing. It takes twice as much energy to do it with the curled finger. Also watch the players who can play fast, I haven't seen one that doesn't extend their fingers more in fast passages.

If you don't like this piece of anatomical information, or if you think you won't get injured or play fine without it, then say so.

I happen to be in the group of people who are prone to carpal tunnel syndrome, so this information is very useful. My technique is fine, I started taking lessons when I was 6. Most of my problem is probably from sitting at the computer. My carpal tunnel doesn't hurt when I play, it hurts when I forget to do my stretches once a day. If you want to assume things about me, all I ask is that you spend atleast a portion of your post talking about something else.

[go12_3]

I really don't know how anyone in their right mind get any kind of "injury" in playing the
piano      because it has and will be the MOST RELAXING activity that I can ever do
for my mind and body and well being.  I think people are getting into too much of technique
and how to play and etc, that it behooves anyone reading this thread will only complicate
and confuses the reader here.  Like me for instance   
Now, lets just enjoy piano playing for the sake of making wonderful music! 

[thinkgreenlovepiano]

Playing piano might not really take a lot of strength, but it can still cause injuries... You could be putting way too much pressure on the keys, or straining your hands for large chords , etc...
It's just like why they design ergonomic keyboards and mice and why companies have all those sessions on workplace/office safety.  Typing and clicking a mouse doesn't seem like much work, but it you do it repetitively for a long period of time, you will get hurt and it can get really bad, even need surgeries. There are musician's clinics out there just like there are sports clinics, for a reason.  I've been hurt playing the piano before, and it wasn't fun. Everything from my elbow down hurt. I was in pain to the point where I could not hold a pencil properly without my hands in pain and shaking. It took a few months to heal my hands, and it was agonizing not being able to play piano as much as I wanted, because it is really so enjoyable and relaxing unless you're in pain. Thankfully there was no permanent damage, and I'm young and heal fast.  
 I used  to work my hands to the limit, playing passages over and over (I'm a perfectionist!), straining for chords (I have small hands), putting too much pressure on the keys to hold down notes, not thinking anything could go wrong, since my repertoire wasn't even extremely advanced (around Grade 8 RCM).  

 I used to hear about people having painful lips from playing flute, or sore shoulders from violin, and thought, I'm lucky I play piano. But piano can hurt us too... Which is why I try to be more careful now and watch my technique. I want to enjoy piano and make wonderful music... for a lifetime!

I wasn't trying to make this thread more confusing... but I felt like I had to say that because piano injuries are not fun, and they are possible, and not even so uncommon. When I went to the physiotherapist's and the chiropractor, they knew personally ( friends and family) people with the same problem as me.

[ask_why]

It's frustrating to stop practicing for a day just because your fingers are starting to hurt -- happens to me sometimes after long periods of not playing or if I repeat a difficult section too many times.  I know from experience that it's very easy to underestimate the importance of keeping your wrists & forearms in mind.  I never had a good piano teacher so I had to learn the hard way...

Luckily I have very poor posture, so my back usually starts to hurt long before my fingers ever get sore now