I’ve been playing my flute for over four years, then all of a sudden I’m starting to get these weird pains in my left wrist. They started around August and the pains are getting worse.
I was also part of a pit band playing piano in October, and I think it somehow worsened the pain.
I don’t really think it’s the “dead grip”, can it just be overplaying or something like that?
Thanks > <!
Could be. Certainly sounds like an RSI, but are you doing anything else that could be contributing to it? I am currently intermittently suffering from pains in my upper arms, especially the left one, including night-time cramps as well as general discomfort and sometimes restricted movement, that are (I think) chiefly caused by the driving posture I have to adopt in my current main vehicle - and I drive for a living. I have had other RSI type pains over the years from different vehicles, especially if they have, say, a problem with the steering developing, or one of those ridiculous off-set steering wheels that force one into an asymmetrical posture. My current problem is intermittently affecting and/or being exacerbated by my flute playing.
I’ve suffered from carpal tunnel for about three years.
I must sleep in wrist braces every night, and I use one on my left wrist when I play. My pain was initially caused by computer use, and then gardening. Actually, my pain has lessened in the last four months, since I laid off the gardening. That was easy with our miserably hot summer this year.
If you wake up with tingling in your wrists, you probably are tucking your hands and wrists up under your pillow–an almost sure way to end up with carpal tunnel issues. Try using wrist braces for a while. They can help.
Jeanie
I also started getting pain after about four years. As with Jeanie, mine was probably caused by computer use (I’ve started mousing with my left hand), but also along with trying out some larger flutes. I’ve gotten rid of my low flutes (which really sucks, I loved them) and larger-holed flutes and haven’t had any pain for some time.
i see clients weekly with similar problems, and specialize in soft tissue release therapy treatments.
read the article on carpel tunnel. this stuff might help:
http://www.mrtherapy.com/store/cart.cgi?action=search&category=Videos/DVDs
i’ll also add …check into ‘active isolated stretching’, arron mattes.
Hiya
This isn’t something to sort out on the internet.
Certainly sounds like a RSI (repetitive strain injury) … you don’t give enough details for anyone to be able to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome, which is another cause of wrist/hand problems.
See a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) or a suitably experienced doctor as you will need them to examine you and take a detailed history.
Take your instrument to the appointment (demonstrating your grip helps the non-musical therapist understand what you might be straining)
Don’t play through the injury.
Boyd
you’re right boyd, talk to a doctor (if you want a doctor’s opinion)…
…or start a thread on the flute forum if you are just wanting our opinions and a discussion amongst ourselves, which i believe is all we are doing here. i may be wrong. no diagnosis.
you see as musicians, it’s helpful to discuss common health related conditions and possible solutions whether they be medical, theraputic, self care or anythig else. repetitive strain/ carpel tunnel syndrome, posture, etc. affect many musicians. people have varied experiences, info to share, helpful tips, varying points of view etc. we can be and should really be a resourceful flute forum to discuss issues like these. everybody decides for themselves. nobody’s diagnosing, and advice is taken with a grain of salt. we do a fairly good at it. it’s just a discussion. now comes the punchline… and besides it’s not like doctor’s are saviors in this regard.
in fact i had no luck with traditional medicine in usa for my neck problem, from fluteplaying. pretty much seemed misdiagnosed. was offered a brace, drugs, surgery. that is why i had to stop playing flute a few years ago. then, when i went the theraputic route, i found a solution to my problem. i can play the flute again, pretty much pain free. subsequently became a therapist myself. you see why i am writing this.
if you are like me, you might not have to wear a brace, take meds, and get surgery even though the doctor and (alleged)specialist say so. i want folks to know and understand this. don’t feel trapped or stuck, by anyone, doctor or not. but if you are confident with your doctor’s opinion, and it is working for you, or perhaps you simply don’t care, then of course stick with it. i certainly don’t want to interfere there. just letting you know about options for freedom from pain that worked for me.
disclaimer:
anyone who really wants a doctor’s opinion, should really go and ask a doctor. it’s really that simple, kinda a no brainer.
i’ll get off the soapbox now.
You’re absolutely right, rama – doctors should be in the loop, but there’s a world of things you can do that will help, or better, long before surgery, steroids, or wrist/elbow braces.
I’ve had major tendonitis in both elbows for several years (many years after playing pain-free, so it’s not always something you’re doing wrong - mostly caused by typing (why I don’t contribute here as much anymore), but the fallout lands on instrument playing. The highly paid sports injury ‘specialist’ didn’t help a bit. Physical therapy did - ice, stretching exercises, overall posture and exercises, etc. See a good P.T. - recommended by your GP - and take it easy on your playing, lifting, typing - anything that might be aggravating your tendons.
Enough typing for now… 
Everybody’s right- as usual there’s a grain of truth in all of our words. I object not to tentative suggestions based on person experience but rather to assertive recommendations that come around every so often. I don’t hold doctors’ words to be sacred text and I know Boyd doesn’t either. I also know that R.L. Ding-Dong is very good at what he does.
My 2¢ is-- do preventive therapy while you feel good and that way there’s a good chance you won’t feel bad. Do your yoga, push-ups, squats (deep knee bends), and pull-ups and you’ll be stronger and much less likely to develop RSI.
Now you have the advice of a doctor, a certified therapist and a certified trainer. Who you gonna believe?
Hey, I found that my wrists can take playing the flute, but they can’t take playing the flute + heavy computer use. So I bought a vertical mouse, and now my problem is gone. Just a suggestion.
some more interesting/related reading. although written by a pianist for pianist’s, you can obviously see relevancy to fluteplaying:
A worthwhile read! Basically, substitute flute for piano, and the article hits home.
Thank you!
Great article, rama!
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OK Youth. Yr on. Take yr vitamins. See you in a few months.
Get Rama-lama-ding-dong to join us as well.
Youse Yanks are a scary/worrisome bunch! If it’s not rampaging religiosity, it’s masochistic physical jerks and gratuitous violence!
Thanks for reminding me of why I stopped reading and participating here, much obliged.
Loren
Loren, that was/this is not a personal attack! It was flippant, tongue-in-cheek, and I thought obviously so! There is perhaps an under-current of truthful observation, or the (attempted) humour wouldn’t be possible, but I am not anti-American! What’s that old cliche about Americans not getting irony?
Seriously (which really belongs in another forum - I wouldn’t normally make such a point here in a serious/non-humourous way as I know it doesn’t belong), I personally don’t get the gym-culture thing - not my personal cup-of-tea - and I am non-religious and mildly anti-religious, so I find both cultures rather baffling and unattractive, but I am not closed-minded or mean-spirited about it. And if I poke fun based on exhibiting my own prejudices, I consider myself reciprocally fair game!
Jem was jes’ bein’ funny, eh… 