Postitioning/Technique/Injuries?

[tadhg]

Well, i've been playing piano for a fairly long time (around 10 years) and i've just taken on learning the winter wind etude by chopin.
Being such a difficult piece, it obviously takes alot of practice, repeating and then speeding up and than playing again. So it's the first real piece that's required any stamina/speed for me.
Now since i've started playing piano, i've never really been told the proper "postion" for my hands and arms , i've always just played. After reading around here, i've become worried about getting injuries. Especially after starting this piece. Lately, my right wrist has gotten noticibly "tired" and has started clicking when i twist it. Now tbh, this (i hope) is because im in my final school year and i've had to write so many essay's etc and my hands been lying on tables writing for hours! But anyway, i don't want to end up with a bandy wrist so i want to make sure im not setting my self up for injuries at the piano. So anyway, what can i do to prevent injuries, whats the correct positioning for arms and hands (hopefully i do it already!) and what are the signs that you might have done something?

[xvimbi]

This goes far beyond the written word. It has to be explained and demonstrated by an experienced teacher who can see you play. If you want to read something about this vast topic, I'd recommend the standard literature, e.g. the books by Sandor and Fink, to name only two, and particularly Thomas Mark's book "What every pianist needs to know about the body." Then still, you need to consult a teacher. There is simply no other way.

[Glyptodont]

I really don't know that I am going to be very helpful.  But I have had some pain in my right wrist after practicing.

I am playing the Myra Hess version of "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring."  It has pretty much a forest of tri-chords in the right hand that, for most of the piece, have to be played very fast.   The left hand is pretty much all octives in patterns.

When I get up to speed, or at least as fast as I probably will ever play it, I am bouncing away with my right hand playing a multitude of these tri-chords.

Last evening, I had a very strong pain in my right wrist.  I had to stop.  That isn't the first time either.  The other gentleman's advice, that we need a piano teacher who is about half orthopedist, is not very realistic either.  I mean, my piano teacher is fine, but I suspect she does not have a diploma in physical therapy.  Savvy?

The only good part, after a night's sleep, my wrist is fine.  I was back at it again today.

I don't know if there's real "danger" to playing these pieces, but I am sure we are putting a lot of stress on our wrists.  I am 64 years old.  If you are quite a bit younger, your wrists will probably bounce back.   LOL

[ted]

I agree with xvimbi. We can't advise about such a specialised movement without actually seeing what you are doing. That particular piece is very demanding on one movement however you decide to approach it. Worse still, good players make contradictory statements about it in respect of how much finger work, how much wrist, when to connect and when to jump. If I were you I'd be inclined to have a one-off lesson from somebody who can play it really well to get rid of any gross errors before you start to speed it up. Even then, you'll still have to carefully work out your own fingering and physical approach.