Etudes to Improve Right Wrist Relaxation

[keymasher]

As this is my first post, a bit of background.  I was a fairly dedicated pianist through high school, but had to take a few years off while in college due to not having regular piano access.  Now, I have my old piano back with me, and am trying to once again learn substantial classical works.  Unfortunately, it seems my technique has degraded a bit over the years from not practicing, and I've been experiencing consistent flare ups in my right wrist after nearly every practice session.  I am actively searching for a new piano teacher to help me correct my technique if that is in fact the issue.  (If anyone knows someone who is accepting students in the Detroit area, let me know!)  I had gotten it looked at previously by a specialist, and there weren't any telltale signs of carpal tunnel, tendonitis, arthritis (only 28), or any of the other diagnoses pianists dread. 

I'm posting because I was curious about what other people found helpful to do if they experienced inflammation in just one hand/wrist.   I was considering starting work on either Chopin's op 10 no 2 etude, or op 25 no 6 as a method to focus my attention on my right wrist and try to reduce tension.  Does this seem like an okay idea to attempt in my effort to self-medicate before starting up with a professional instructor, or does this sounds like a recipe to make a bad situation worse?

Maybe I should play it safe and start on Prokofiev's 4th Piano Concerto until lessons start up again!  Any advice or insight into my situation is appreciated.

[visitor]

this at at 29:21 would make a good etude. fun too. the constant need to reset the handposition necessitates a state of relaxatin in the entire arm wrist and hand mechanism. if you tense up, not only does it sound like garbage but you'll tire out before the end of the piece in those syncapated shifting open fifths parts.

=29m21s

*goes to hide before the troll buster arrives

[keymasher]

Thank you for the response visitor.  Admittedly, I had done a bit of lurking here before becoming a member, and consistently appreciate your input on other topics.

[spenstar]

I think it may be a possibility that you are just trying to dive back into it too quickly. You said you are again trying to learn substantial classical works, so consider this: You are a great athlete. Unfortunately, you get a busy job that leaves no time for exercise. A few years later, you get promoted and have time to exercise again. You can't expect to run your 5 minute mile after a few years of not exercising. It could be the same thing for the piano. Make sure you're spending ample amount of time on those scales and arpeggios to regain that technique.

As for an etude to help out, there are several chopin ones that you could work on. You've already done your research on that, so you'd be fine with 10.2 or 25.6... Or you could learn feux follets, that one is quite an intense right hand exercise

[keymasher]

Thanks for the input spenstar.  I'm sure there's at least some truth about me trying to get back into it a bit too quickly, especially considering I've tried to do this without a teacher.  It can be kind of tough to fight the desire to try to pick up where you left off.  And, while I'm sure attempting Feux Follets would help get my right hand into shape, I would probably have to finish learning it after having been institutionalized.  Yikes!!

Have my first piano lesson in a handful of years scheduled today, so looking forward to what he has to say.  Thinking as opposed to the etudes, I might refocus some attention on Bach and Mozart.  Don't have the virtuosic flairs, but can't really conceal tension behind anything.

Trying to be a bit more self aware when playing has been helping.  I think a good amount of my tension is well beyond just the right wrist.  Yes, need to relax the wrist more, but getting worked up and pissed off every time I heard that faint "pop" from my wrist probably wasn't helping either.  I am getting it looked at again soon just incase.

[briansaddleback]

I'm posting because I was curious about what other people found helpful to do if they experienced inflammation in just one hand/wrist.   I was considering starting work on either Chopin's op 10 no 2 etude, or op 25 no 6 as a method to focus my attention on my right wrist and try to reduce tension

You have to be careful as wrist technique is foremost w 10-2 and 25-6 so focus on other more simple items first before heading into these. You can injure your appendages in certain ways permanently if you practice these and others without knowing what you are doing at every step of the way.

[bronnestam]

I'm posting because I was curious about what other people found helpful to do if they experienced inflammation in just one hand/wrist.   I was considering starting work on either Chopin's op 10 no 2 etude, or op 25 no 6 as a method to focus my attention on my right wrist and try to reduce tension.  Does this seem like an okay idea to attempt in my effort to self-medicate before starting up with a professional instructor, or does this sounds like a recipe to make a bad situation worse?

The same thing happened to me and I'm afraid the cure was the one you don't want to hear about: resting. I struggled with pain for quite a long while, tried to rest for a week and so on, but then summer came and it was too hot to practice, so I had nearly two months away from the piano. When I started to play again - the pain finally was gone. It did not come back.
So that is what I strongly recommend you to do, even though I know it sounds frustrating: rest. Rest for one month or even two. Then you can, hopefully, play for the rest of your life.

My friend made an instruction video on wrist movements which I love to recommend to everyone because this is really good stuff. I have applied the learnings from there and actually I have never been bothered by wrist pain ever since. It is not about cure for a sore wrist, but rather about proper playing technique. With that technique you can play in a relaxed way, then you will not get hurt again.

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/27507/115504807

The video is not for free but it isn't exactly expensive either. 

[keymasher]

I really appreciate all of the sincere and measured advice.  I'm certainly shelving the idea of either of the two Chopin etudes for the time being.  At this point, I really wouldn't trust myself to try and learn them without an instructor for fear of doing more harm than good.

I've made some mild adjustments to my hand position and warm up routine, and I feel as if that has been really helping.  When playing scales/arpeggios, I was noticing my right wrist had been creeping up and pinky curling.  Getting the wrist set back to where it should be and making sure each of my fingers not striking a note remained relaxed has seemed to help considerably. 

As frustrating as it is, I'd bet bronnestam is right.  I used to experience similar problems with my left hand, and then I broke my left wrist, and it sat in a cast for two months.  After the cast came off, it felt great!  While intentionally breaking my right wrist might be an extreme solution, I'm sure it could benefit from some additional rest.

[mjames]

***, instead of going hardcore with the chopin etudes how about trying out moskowskis petite etudes? Most of them are quite a few levels below the chopin etudes, but theyre extremely musical and fairly well written for the pianist. There are quite a few of them that focus on wrist movement, especially number 13 in c major.

[keymasher]

***, instead of going hardcore with the chopin etudes how about trying out moskowskis petite etudes? Most of them are quite a few levels below the chopin etudes, but theyre extremely musical and fairly well written for the pianist. There are quite a few of them that focus on wrist movement, especially number 13 in c major.

Thanks for pointing me to these.  I was completely unfamiliar with them, but checked a few out after your reply.  I like what I've listened to so far.  On first impressions, these do seem considerably more bite-sized than Chopin etudes, so certainly pieces to consider going forward.