Ongoing Wrist Injury

[moysture]

Hello pianostreet community first I'd like to thank you for checking out my post. Ok so I hurt my right wrist in mid December. I'm 90% sure it was from practicing too intensely but more so not relaxing when I play. At the time I was working on a song with big stretches (octave + 1) and my wrist got swollen. The problem is it has still not completely healed. I've tried icing it, taking ibuprofen and I even stopped piano for 2 weeks while I was on vacation. Nothing has seemed to get it back to full strength. It does not hurt all the time but days that I play a decent amount it will and the next day too. I do not have a teacher right now, so I've come to you. Is this worth seeing a doctor for? Do you think my normal doctor be able or should I check out a physical therapist?

Any help is appreciated, this thing has been a pain in my butt for 2 months now!

[iansinclair]

Might start with your normal doctor first, but I wouldn't be surprised if he or she recommended a physical therapist.  And you surely should see one or the other!  These things often do not heal themselves.

[hardy_practice]

You may be stretching for too long when reaching for your octave + 1.  You really want to be relaxed just before and right after reaching out.

[moysture]

thanks for the responses guys. I am going to schedule a doctor's appointment tomorrow.

[kriatina]

Hello, moysture,

I would go to a specialist to find out more about this from a medical point of view.

I also would go to a reliable medical health shop
(where they also sell medical supplies for medical providers)
and buy a medical wrist support to wear, especially whilst sleeping during the night
to keep the wrist supported at all times.
These wrist supports keep the wrist in a resting position and protect it
from further aggravation & distress, to give it a chance to heal up again.

Good luck and all the best from Kristina.

[louispodesta]

moysture:

I am a student of Dr. Thomas Mark who is the author of "What Every Pianist Needs To Know About The Body."  His website is https://www.pianomap.com.

Thomas is a former Taubman coach, and one of his specialties is fixing injuries.  First, however, he gives a four hour Octave Workshop, where he delves into the mechanics of playing an octave with the natural design of the hand, wrist, and arm.

You are playing your octaves improperly and if you don't learn how to do it correctly, you will permanently injure your wrist, and possibly also the nerves in the rest of your hand.

My advice to you, (and I don't get paid for this!) is to go to his website, which is one of the best technical treatises out there.  Next, email him, and you may use me as a reference, and see what you can work out.   He lives in Portland, OR.

Finally, find yourself a chiropractor that practices laserpuncture, and laser therapy.  Believe it or not, this stuff works, and it does so in a relatively short period of time.

I have a small portable laser pointer that I use daily if I start to feel a twinge here or there.

Good luck to you, and in the meantime don't play until you get well.  And whatever happens, don't let any hand specialist tell you that you have carpel tunnel syndrome and that you need surgery.