How to find therapist/teacher specializing in piano

[jeani]

Hi, I've been searching to help my daughter find an occuptional therapist or teacher who specializes in piano playing.  She has been having burning and pain due to scalene muscle and nerve tension and has been having therapy for a couple of months now.  Since it is her regular job, she can't stop playing entirely, but has to limit herself and is causing a lot of difficulties.  The therapy is helping, but in order to develop better technique to avoid this problem from flaring up again, I think it would be wise to find a teacher who can help specifically in piano.  It would be best if it could be covered by her insurance, which the occupational therapist is.  She has tried all the colleges and universities and teachers in the area, but hasn't found anyone local.  Any suggestions?

[jayeckz]

Is the cause of her pain due to tension when she plays piano?

[jeani]

The problem began when she overpracticed 4 months ago and suffered a lot of pain. it is partly postural as her shoulders are somewhat pulled forward. Through occupational therapy and some rest, she has improved, but the pain reoccurs when she has to play for long periods of time and certain pieces.   

[keyboardclass]

In the UK we have BAPAM and ISSTIP.  In the US PAMA.  She wants to try the shoulder roll exercise from this vid:

[jeani]

Thank you for the video and the association sites.  I am surprised that there are not more piano teachers who specialize in training the pianist to avoid or to recover from physical stress injury from playing the piano.  There seem to be so many different kinds of stress injuries that can happen, and therefore should be many techniques to use to avoid them or heal them once they occur.  I think posture, exercises, shoulder, arm and hand position and use could be noticed by a specialist and training given to relearn techniques.  I checked the US site you gave.  There are a few widely spaced in the US.  I think there must be more if I can find them. 

[49410enrique]

i knew a professor who used the taubman technique for her playing and isntruction, she was incredible and i only heard good things from her students, i've already heard and read it can really help with prevening some overuse injuries, might be worth checking out.

https://www.taubman-institute.com/html/home.html

“The body is capable of fulfilling all pianistic demands without a violation of its nature if the most efficient ways are used; pain, insecurity, and lack of technical control are symptoms of incoordination rather than a lack of practice, intelligence, or talent.”

— Dorothy Taubman, Music Director/The Taubman Institute

[jmanpno]

Where are you located?  There are several folks who could be of very real help to your daughter.  Feel free to Private Message me for more info...

[keyboardclass]

Thank you for the video and the association sites.  I am surprised that there are not more piano teachers who specialize in training the pianist to avoid or to recover from physical stress injury from playing the piano.  There seem to be so many different kinds of stress injuries that can happen, and therefore should be many techniques to use to avoid them or heal them once they occur.

The real problem is that players only take it seriously after they've been injured - this is mostly the fault of teaching though.  All my students start day one without stress - the problems I have are always with transfer students.

[jeani]

I am grateful to all of you who have given helpful suggestions.  I surely plan to pass them on and am hoping that we will see a happy and positive outcome with all the help that my daughter is getting from her occupational therapy as well as the help she will, hopefully, get from some sources you have suggested.  It's a relief to know that there are places which do offer hope for solutions to these problems.  Thanks again!

[keyboardclass]

Get her a copy of Freeing the Caged Bird.  I don't go along with it 100% but it's money well spent.

[jeani]

Here is an update on my daughter's injury.
She contacted a teacher in the Taubman approach and has taken several series of lessons and has overcome her injury.  It took nearly a year and cost quite a bit including time, travel expenses and lessons, but she is very grateful that she can play without injury and pain or fear that the problem will resurface. She has learned the tools needed to play for long periods of time without causing a stress injury.  Thanks to all who gave encouragement and advise in this. 

[jeani]

Hi, I would like to give an update on my post regarding severe repetitive stress injury.

I wrote several years ago about my daughter's injury from repetitive stress while practicing for her piano playing job.  The injury caused her severe pain and threatened to end her career.  I got advice to recommend that she take classes from a Taubman technique teacher, so we all sacrificed to find the time and money for her to study by long distance travel with Robert Durso, one of the teachers of this approach.  After a year or so, she was happy to see that the stress injury had disappeared and she has been working steadily at her piano job to achieve even better quality playing with no pain. It has been several years now and with daily piano playing, she is delighted to  be able to play continuously with enjoyment and improvement in her career.  Thank you, Piano Street, and caring fellow pianists, for the interest and recommendations that made such a positive difference for us!