| As someone who has lived through 3 incredibly | | | | had to re-learn how to play the piano the correct |
| painful bouts of tendonitis, both in my left arm and | | | | way. I realized, after visiting the musician's clinic, that |
| right arm, I thought it important to pass on some | | | | I had the completely wrong approach to playing |
| information that has helped me deal with this in the | | | | piano. Specifically, I was too close to the keyboard, I |
| past. | | | | had the wrong wrist position, the wrong finger |
| It is important to understand that playing the piano | | | | position and I didn't understand the concept of |
| can cause serious injuries such as tendonitis and | | | | leverage. |
| carpel tunnel syndrome. Both these ailments are | | | | Leverage means to use the entire body to create |
| known as repetitive strain injuries. The constant up | | | | volume on the piano. I was trying to create volume |
| and down, side to side movement of the arms and | | | | by forcing the keys down with forearm strength |
| fingers when playing piano for long periods of time is | | | | instead of using the entire body. Therefore, my arm |
| what causes these injuries. | | | | muscles and joints suffered from the strain of trying |
| This is common among piano players. In fact, it is so | | | | to play too loud. What I eventually realized, with the |
| common that there is a special clinic in Hamilton, | | | | help of the musician's clinic doctor was that, I needed |
| Ontario called the Musician's Clinics of Canada that | | | | to create velocity as opposed to force. Once the |
| deals with the prevention and rehabilitation of | | | | key reached the bottom of its natural movement it |
| musician injuries. Naturally their patients include other | | | | can go no further. Yet, I was trying to force the |
| instrumentalists like violin and guitar but, pianist injuries | | | | note passed its end without even realizing it. |
| are certainly among the most common. | | | | The correct way is to drive the note down with |
| What can be done when a pianist gets tendonitis or | | | | extra velocity using the back, shoulders, biceps, arms, |
| carpel tunnel syndrome? Well, certainly there are | | | | wrists and fingers and then release at the exact |
| conventional methods of dealing with the | | | | moment the key reaches its lowest point. Therefore, |
| inflammation and pain. Unfortunately these types of | | | | it's the velocity of the hammer hitting the string that |
| treatments such as; anti-inflammatories, pain | | | | creates volume. Knowing when to let up is very |
| medications and physio therapy are designed to treat | | | | important in the fight to prevent injury. |
| the symptoms. Therefore, once the pianist goes | | | | In terms of moving the piano bench back, I had to |
| back to playing the piano without being completely | | | | learn also to sit with better upright posture and to |
| healed the injuries can re-occur and in the end be | | | | generate leverage using my entire body. It's easier to |
| quite difficult to get rid of. | | | | do this with the right foot (pedal foot) forward and |
| It is not uncommon for tendonitis to stick around for | | | | the left foot back under the bench. Then as you |
| very long periods of time. In my case, I once had a | | | | pivot forward and backward on the bench you have |
| problem with my right arm that took almost 3 years | | | | more balance and leverage. |
| to get better. The problem is of course that, as a | | | | Once last point I should mention; exercise is very |
| professional I can't possibly just stop playing the | | | | important. I started weight training several years ago |
| piano. I can take breaks in between concerts but | | | | because, I find that the extra muscle helps a great |
| usually I can only take up to a month's rest at a time. | | | | deal in preventing injury. Be careful however, to |
| So, how can these injuries be cured while still | | | | consult a professional when starting weight training. |
| continuing to play? It's important to understand that | | | | You must do it the correct way in order for it to be |
| not every case is the same but, for me, I actually | | | | beneficial. |