Author: harmons

Self Care for Musicians

Habits of a Healthy Musician
Increase playing time gradually
Limit repetition
Regulate hand intensive tasks
Manage your workload
Warm up/cool down
Minimize tension
Take breaks
Recognize warning signs
Take charge of anxiety
Keep fit and strong

Be your own advocate towards becoming a healthy musician. Being proactive with healthy habits is key for successful injury prevention!

Helpful resources:
Klickstein, G. The musician’s way a guild to practice, performance, and wellness. Oxford University Press. 2009.
Athletes and the Arts at
http://athletesandthearts.com/
Randall DW et. al. Athletes and the Arts– The Role of Sports Medicine in the Performing Arts. Current Sports Medicine Reports; 12(6): 2013.

The physical demands of a musician are very similar to that of an athlete. Therefore, such similarities title musicians as small muscle athletes. Just like athletes, musicians :
Practice or perform almost every day
Play through pain
Compete in challenging environments
Experience little “off season”
Face extreme competition
Challenge their physical limits
Face real risk of career threatening injury.
Injury prevention requires individuals to be active in self care habits. Understanding your limits as an individual in regards to excessive practicing and identifying a practice routine that meets your needs is essential.

Don’t push yourself until you are unable to play further. Implementing short breaks into your practice routine will allow for you to practice for longer overall. At minimum, try to takes a 5 minute break for every 30 minutes you practice. You may even find it beneficial to take brakes of 2-3 minutes every 15 minutes.
3 types of breaks:
Active breaks - Involves resting your instrument but staying engaged with your music.
Diverting breaks - Involves leaving the room and taking your mind off of what you are doing.
Restorative breaks - Involves resting or doing restorative movements such as arm circles, arms overhead, forward bend, etc.

Self Care Tips

Superficial Cold vs Heat Application

Primary uses: decrease pain
decrease inflammation
Apply cold pack immediately after injury and during the acute inflammatory phase of healing to help control bleeding, edema, and pain to accelerate recovery.
Ideal time of application is 15-20 minutes. Avoid place ice directly on the skin; use of a towel is recommended. Can be repeated as needed every 1-2 hours.

Primary uses: decrease pain
Increase range of motion
Decrease joint stiffness
Ideal time of application is 20 minutes. Avoid placing the hot pack directly on the skin; use of dry towels (6-8 layers) is recommended.

What is a Trigger Point?
Localized area within muscle tissue that is highly sensitive to pain when compressed. Pressure on these points can send referred pain to other parts of the body.
A cause of most joint pain, as a direct result from an injured muscle or overuse.
As a musician, you may not be able to avoid the developing active trigger points. However, they can be easily managed by stretching, massage, and ice/heat.
Trigger point release can relieve muscular aches and pain. It allows for redevelopment of muscles and restoration of motion to joints.
Commonly used equipment:
- Theracane, pressure pointer,
reflex balls, back knobbers,
pencil erasers, and your own
hands!

Self Massage
Every musician should know some basic massage techniques to help manage pain.
Some benefits of massage…..
- Relieves stress
- Encourages relaxation
- Improves posture
- Improves circulation
- Promotes deeper and easier breathing
- Improves flexibility and range of motion
Common body locations that benefit from massage in musicians include :
- hand, forearm, shoulder, neck/upper back,
jaw
Helpful equipment
- reflex balls, handheld knobbers,
foam rollers, and your own two hands!

Other options:
Taping - Can be performed on the wrist, hand, arm, shoulder, neck, and back to relieve pain, increase range of motion, and enhance stability of a joint.
Night bracing - helps to control pain during the night hours. Commonly used for carpal tunnel associated symptoms such as numbness, tingling, and pain.
Back braces - Can be worn for multiple purposes including immobilization, postural support, symptom control and injury prevention.
If you feel that taping or bracing is an option for you, seek a physical therapist for recommendations today!

Clarkson University Physical Therapy