Ouch! Does it seem like every note you play on your guitar or musical instrument results in pain? Maybe it’s a nagging ache in your neck and shoulder. Perhaps you’ve had long rehearsals for that important gig or recital, and now you notice severe pain and loss of strength in your elbow and wrist. Or maybe you are trying to cope with hands that are increasingly numb and clumsy. Well it’s all part of being a serious musician, right? You’ve got to keep practicing – too much depends on it! Sound familiar?
Ouch! Does it seem like every note you play on your guitar or musical instrument results in pain? Maybe it’s a nagging ache in your neck and shoulder. Perhaps you’ve had long rehearsals for that important gig or recital, and now you notice severe pain and loss of strength in your elbow and wrist. Or maybe you are trying to cope with hands that are increasingly numb and clumsy. Well it’s all part of being a serious musician, right? You’ve got to keep practicing – too much depends on it! Sound familiar?
Guitarists and instrumental musicians are a special risk group for repetitive strain injuries, with sizable percentages of them developing physical problems directly related to playing their instruments. In fact, “RSI” or repetitive strain injury in musicians was around centuries before the term was recently coined for computer injuries. Incorrect posture, overuse, stress, insufficient rest, excessive force and incorrect ergonomic technique all contribute to chronic pain and injuries that spell the end to careers. For many musicians, repetitive movement injuries are more feared than stage fright or an unresponsive audience. If they are also heavy computer users (my category of experience!), their risks are further compounded.
Doctors and therapists have long known that musicians are notoriously hard to convince that playing should be reduced or stopped to allow time for injuries to heal. Many guitarists and musicians are afraid to find out they might have a severe injury, and much prefer the head-in-sand approach of ignoring the pain and pushing on. This is a disastrous policy for a musician – if it hurts, it should be checked out!
Recommended solution – Chiropractic.
WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC?
Meaning “done by hand”, chiropractic is a method of restoring good health through adjustments of the spine. The basic chiropractic premise is that the spine and nervous system control the body completely. Any interference to nerve function by spine misalignments can therefore result in poor organ function, resulting in any number of seemingly unrelated diseases and ailments. Chiropractors generally subscribe to the theory that technically, they don’t ‘cure’ anybody, but simply help the body to heal itself. Chiropractic care is now considered mainstream and is routinely recommended by members of the medical profession.
HOW CAN MUSICIANS BENEFIT FROM CHIROPRACTIC CARE?
The benefits of chiropractic care for guitarists and musicians are widespread and numerous. Chiropractors can help with relief of specific pain being experienced at the moment, or as part of an overall wellness program, which also includes exercise, proper nutrition and rest. Many musicians understand that the position they assume while playing stresses their body, and are seeking to offset this stress and prevent further problems from developing.
Chiropractors evaluate and analyse the spine with an understanding of physics and how gravity and distorted postures can stress areas of the spine, ribs, neck, shoulders and hips. Specific adjustments are used to offset these distortions.
Chiropractors who specialise in helping musicians repetitive injury problems usually examine the musician patient and the instrument together. By thoroughly analysing their patient's posture, movement patterns and range of motion with the instrument, the chiropractor can detect areas of dysfunction in and around the spine. They also make recommendations as to what guitarists can do, both while playing and before and after playing, to keep the stress from returning. They teach their musician clients exercises to offset the repetitive stress placed on certain joints while playing a particular instrument.
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