Western Massage for Musicians

Okay I said I would post about Western massage several posts ago. I got a bit distracted, but I am back on track! Here it is! I hope it is helpful. There are a number of places where you can try out a massage. Many malls have a chair massage station where there will be therapists that will give you a massage lasting from 10 to 30 minute. These are done without the oils and while the client is fully clothed. It is a good way to see if massage can help your condition without too much commitment. If someone has a specific condition, it is very important to find an experienced therapist who can work specifically with that condition.

Western Massage - Tradition and Practice
There are a number of physical and psychological effects that are obtained from Western styles of massage. Overworked, tense or strained muscles produce lactic acid. This and other waste products can accumulate in the muscles. This, in turn, can produce stiffness, soreness and even muscle spasms. Massage can improve the circulation in the area, increasing the removal of waste products from the muscles. Improvement in circulation also increases the flow of oxygen and other nutrients to the muscles, helping them heal faster. It also stimulates the lymphatic system, which is the body's waste removal system. This also causes waste matter to be removed more quickly. Massage also is useful in relaxing tight, constricted muscles. Muscles that are tight, constricted or in spasm, can restrict blood flow, or they may entrap nerves, causing a cycle of increasing pain. Nerve entrapment causes pain, which causes the muscles to constrict which causes more pain, creating a cycle of pain. Massage is very useful for this type of condition. There are also a number of psychological benefits associated with massage. Massage has been shown to reduce stress and tension in the client. Stress and tension are common problems among musicians and can exacerbate any physical condition that is affecting the ability to play. This, of course, is another cyclical problem. Stress causes muscle tension, which causes pain, which affects the ability to perform or practice, which in turn causes more stress, creating a cycle of increasing stress. Therefore, as a stress reducer, massage can be invaluable for the performer.
Western types of massage use specific manipulative techniques to move or affect the various muscles, the ligaments, the cardiovascular system and the lymphatic system. The most common type of Western massage is Swedish massage. This therapy was developed by a nineteenth century Swedish physician, Per Henrik Ling. He developed his technique using ideas based on gymnastics, physiology, and a study of techniques from Egypt, China, Greece and Rome. Swedish massage uses five different types of strokes. The first, efflurage, is a long gliding stroke done with the thumb or with the entire hand. Petrissage utilizes compression and kneading motions. Friction is a penetrating movement in which deep circles are made into the muscles of the recipient. The therapist uses the thumb or fingertips for this motion. Vibration uses rapid, very confined shaking movements, and tapotement is a series of "taps" performed very quickly in succession. All techniques may not be used in a session. The therapist will use those strokes that benefit the client. They will also communicate with the client and find which strokes they prefer.
Many times, massage is performed in conjunction with aromatherapy. The therapist will use a scented oil and/or there may be an oil diffuser present that scents the room. This is not simply for ambiance. Certain essential oils (derived from plants, not synthetics) have been shown to reduce or enhance brain-wave activity and even to have an analgesic effect.34 These include lavender, lemongrass, rosemary and juniper. The therapist will take into consideration the condition of the client, as well as their preferences when using particular oils.
Massage therapists do not usually diagnose a client. If the client is referred by another practitioner, then the therapist has a diagnosis that comes with the referral. If the client is self-referred, then the therapist will ask certain questions in order to understand what it is that the client is seeking. There are certain conditions which require particular forms of massage. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one such condition. This will be addressed later in this section. There are also certain conditions in which massage is contraindicated. Among these are a history of blood clots in the legs (phlebitis), fever, malignancy, or jaundice. Other conditions, such as varicose veins, bruises, burns and rashes or a recent injury require that direct massage over these areas be avoided. While massage is used as a stress reducer in patients with cancer, it should only be done with a referral from a physician and with a therapist who is familiar with this type of treatment. Massage can be very useful for stress reduction and pain relief during pregnancy and labor, but pregnant women should consult their doctor and make sure that they inform the massage therapist of their condition before receiving a massage. Massage has been known to cause contractions. From the above information, one can ascertain that it is very important to have a licensed massage therapist and that the client communicate fully with the massage therapist regarding any health issues.
In a typical Western or Swedish massage, the client is fully or partially disrobed. The therapist will have communicated with the client before beginning the session regarding any injuries or conditions that the therapist may need to know about. Only the part of the body that is being massaged is exposed. The rest is covered with a towel. The therapist will continue to communicate with the client throughout the session, particularly the first session, in order to ascertain which strokes the client prefers and how hard the therapist can massage. The room should be warm, as this will help the client relax and make the muscles more receptive to the massage. The frequency of the treatment may vary. If the treatment has been prescribed by another professional for an acute condition, it may be as frequent as three times a week. If it is initiated by the client, the frequency may range from once or twice a week to once a month. Those interested in finding a licensed massage therapist in their area can contact the American Massage Therapy Association.
There is a vast amount of literature regarding massage and body work. The paper will review that which deals specifically with wind players, musicians and/or the specific problems which wind players may experience.
The article "How to Relieve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" in the Massage Therapy Journal is written mainly for the massage therapist. It gives the definition of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from the Merck Manual as "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by deposition of mucinous ground substance in the ligaments around the wrist and ankle, producing nerve compression".35 This definition may help the patient as may the description of how Carpal Tunnel Syndrome happens that follows. The author explains the physiological process of the condition and the treatment. He uses analogies that the layperson can understand, which is helpful, since some medical texts can be difficult to follow. The author then goes on to explain the system of massage for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Again, this is an article for massage therapists, so it is somewhat technical. Nevertheless, it is good for the patient to know what type of treatment they should be receiving. The massage treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome differs from that of other conditions in that it requires a light touch that moves the lymphatic fluid, rather than a heavier touch designed to relieve muscle spasm. The article also includes instruction for self-massage for the same condition, but again it may be somewhat technical in nature. The article is important in that it demonstrates the need for a correct diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, not just a guess. As these conditions can be difficult to diagnose, it is important that the patient be persistent in the search for a name for the condition from which they suffer. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is over diagnosed, according to many specialists, therefore the second opinion is of paramount importance. The thrust of the information in the article is that a massage for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome will not harm the patient even if the problem is ultimately diagnosed as something else. On the other hand, a massage that is performed on a patient who has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and is unaware of the condition or does not communicate this to the therapist, can have the opposite effect.
Massage is briefly mentioned in the book The Musician's Survival Manual: a Guide to Preventing and Treating Injuries in the Instrumentalist by Richard Norris, MD.. He states "Massage is useful in stimulating blood flow, reducing edema, and breaking up localized areas of muscle spasm known as trigger points. Massage is also helpful for general relaxation and reduction of overall tension."36
The book Head, Neck and Shoulders Massage: a step-by-step guide is written so that one can learn to massage others or oneself. It also includes visualization techniques that can be used with or without the massage. The author has included different visualization exercises for various ailments or areas of the body. There is a massage and visualization sequence that the author recommends for muscle problems, including Repetitive Strain Injury. The massage indicated would need to be performed by a second person, but the visualization could be used by the patient by themselves. There is also a sequence in the book that teaches the reader how to self-massage the neck, head and shoulders. The book is illustrated with excellent photographs showing the various strokes. The book also informs the reader of those situations in which massage would be contraindicated. Other problems that the book addresses include headaches, migraines, weight loss, circulatory problems and a host of other ailments.
The "Hands On!" website has different articles that discuss different aspects of flute playing. The article "Pain Management Using Massage Therapy" discusses several types of massage that can be used to relieve pain resulting from soft tissue injuries. One type is "cross fiber friction." Another is trigger point massage. The article also mentions the Alexander Technique and the Feldenkrais Method as avenues for the musician struggling with painful hands. Most importantly, the article suggests a team approach to therapy, utilizing physical therapists, a massage therapist as well as the two approaches mentioned above.

Yes It Took That Long!

Okay so it has been almost 3 months since the car accident, and it is only now that I am beginning to feel almost back to normal. Although it was a relatively minor accident, with less than $5000 damage, because I saw it coming and braced for the impact I actually was more injured than if I had not seen it coming. Here is a list of the therapies I have been getting: chiropractic care, (adjustments, TENS stimulation, heat and trigger point work) Neuro Modulation Technique (an amazing therapy that treats the emotional as well as the physical aspects of the pain), massage and acupuncture. I also was given supplements, Sequoia, to strengthen the legs and hip area, and Ribes Nigram to assist with adrenal depletion and build back emotional and physical strength and endurance. The other thing in my favor was that because it is summer, it is slow, I am not teaching a full schedule and there aren't as many gigs. I was able to rest more than I would have been if this had happened during "the season". The chiropractor is impressed and says I am doing better than most people my age who have an accident of this type. In the last two weeks I have finally been able to conduct a rehearsal without being in pain the next day, play a gig with out being in pain the next day and have a normal practice session where I didn't have to make sure that I stopped and changed position every 15 minutes! I feel so fortunate to have these wonderful therapists to work with. From the beginning, my goal was to get well, not "make money"! I didn't go to a lawyer, I picked the therapists that I knew would heal me rather than ones recommended by a legal professional. If you or someone you know is ever in an accident, healing is the prime point. In Florida, with no-fault insurance your company must pay for your therapies. I was also lucky because I pay a bit more (maybe $15?) to have extra coverage that pays for 100% of the cost of the therapy. It really paid off! Many musicians struggle with health insurance. We just have hospitalization, so I decided to pay the little extra for the full coverage on the car insurance. Everything was done and no one needed to wait for the other party to come through etc.. I am sure that this also made it easier for the therapists to decide to treat me.

As musicians, our bodies are at least 1/2 of the equation. If we hurt, then we cannot play our best. At the very least, the pain distracts us from really concentrating on the music. Accidents happen. Any musician who drives a lot, (that is most of us) runs the risk of this and most of the musicians I know have had some sort auto accident. Some of them never fully recover from these, even if they seem minor at the time. Alternative therapies can provide a wonderful option for traumatic injury. Even if there is a severe injury requiring hospitalization or surgery, alternative therapies can help to support the traditional therapies that may be needed. The interesting thing about alternative therapy is that even as they are treating the injury, other aspects of your health also benefit as they treat the person not just the injury. I strongly recommend them for any one who has had an accident of any kind that inhibits their daily activity. Good luck!

So you had a car accident..........

Okay so it happened, I had a car accident. Other guy's fault, he got the ticket, but it still REALLY impacted my life. Most important for this blog, is how it affected my playing. Well, it is my lower back that is affected and I am surprised at how much this can impact movement and comfort in the upper body. I can't sit for more than 30 minutes without discomfort, so playing 2 hour gigs is no fun. While standing I need to move a bit, to keep things lose. When I do sit, I have to sit in just one position, or the pain gets much worse. And carrying gear? Forget about it! Now you may think"Why would a flutist have to carry gear?" But if you work with a band as I do, there are amps, mic stands, music stands, chairs, all kinds of things that need to be moved. In spite of being 50 years old, I have been able to do all of this stuff with relative ease and without thinking about it. Now all of a sudden I have to really think about it. It has really impacted my teaching as well. In class, I can't move quickly to help a student. I actually got dizzy the other day playing in the upper register for a couple of latin tunes. Turning the head to either side works only for about 3 minutes before it is uncomfortable, so my position to see the conductor or to communicate with other members of the group is currently somewhat challenging.

So the question is, what am I doing about it? Well I am really fortunate to have wonderful practitioners of some amazing types of therapy. The first thing I did, while still on the freeway, was call my acupuncture physician and say I needed to see her asap. I got in to see her the next day, on a Sunday morning, bless her heart. She treated me with acupuncture to relieve the acute symptoms, and some light massage. I had a gig the Saturday night of the accident, 2 hours, and another the next afternoon, also 2 hours. By Monday morning I had had it. My body and my emotions melted down. I was in a lot of pain all through the back, but particularly the low back. Dr. Kaplan did some muscle testing and recommended that I see a chiropractor. Now here comes the interesting part! I called the chiropractor, whom I had never seen before, and started treatment. In the insurance universe, in order to continue seeing Dr. Kaplan, the practitioner who recommended the chiropractor, I had to get a referral from the chiropractor to see the acupuncture physician. Hmmmmmm. Fortunately the chiropractor is so far willing to work with me in this manner.

With the chiropractor, I am getting heat therapy, electro stimulation for the back muscles and of course adjustments. The acupuncture physician is giving me massage acupuncture and she is also using Neuro Modulation Technique. This amazing technique helps support the body's healing process. She has, through this process, eliminated negative emotions stemming from the accident and helped the body get rid of toxins and infectious agents that flared up due to low immunity stemming from the accident. She has used the technique to help the various systems (muscular, nervous, fascial etc.) start to return to their normal state. According to the chiropractor, I am healing very quickly! I credit the use of the different modalities, massage, chiropractic, heat therapy, acupuncture and NMT with this. Finding the right doctor is of crucial importance. It is imperative to find one who will look for what YOU need, not what they do. I will let you all know how it goes!

"Why Improvise?"

Not too long ago, I showed up to a gig that was supposed to be a trio gig for four hours. The other two musicians I was going to be working with worked together a lot. I had bags of music, but when I pulled it out, they both peered at it and muttering things about the light and their glasses, proceeded to name a piece I had never heard of and start to play. With no music. The evening continued in this manner. They played songs that, for the most part I was not familiar with, with no parts, by ear. As a classically trained flutist, there was a time when I would have been totally lost. Now, though, I was able to keep up and play along with what they were doing. The four hours passed relatively quickly and while I was working harder than if I had been reading trio parts, I enjoyed the challenge. We were even complimented several times on our playing!

When I mentioned this job to a friend of mine who plays classical music, she looked at me and said “I could never have done that!” Unfortunately this attitude is all too common among classically trained payers. How did this happen? There was a time when improvisation was not considered out of the ordinary. Indeed in the Classical and Baroque periods, it was just something that musicians did. Now it has become the territory of the jazz or pop player, and classical musicians are frequently too afraid to try or they are not interested in the technique.

That last word is important. Technique. Improvisation is not some amazing talent that one is just born with, although of course there are people who may have more of an aptitude than others. Nevertheless, improvisation is a skill, a technique that can be learned and cultivated. Let’s compare music to language. For that is what it is at it’s heart, a language used to communicate. And what is it that music excels in communicating? Well not facts and figures. It is emotions that music communicates best. Music can communicate feelings and ideas that spoken or written language have difficulty in expressing. And how does it do that? With the elements or components of music, rhythm, pitch, harmony etc..

When a musician reads a piece of music, it is the same in many ways, as an actor reading from a script. The idea (script/piece) originated with the author/composer. All the emotional content is added by the actor. An actor can read a script deadpan, with just the words, or they can add their interpretation of the words to create a unique, individual performance. This is what most classical musicians do. They create a unique, individual work of art by adding their interpretation of the content. In many cases, though, this emotional content has been prescribed to be a certain way for so long, due to “ accepted performance practices” that the opportunity for true creative expression is somewhat limited. Ever since the Romantic period, when composers started notating every nuance of a piece, the opportunity for individual creativity for the classical musician has been somewhat restricted. Even in Baroque and Classical music, where improvisation was an accepted practice in those periods, improvisation is not expected. In many cases, the desire to perform the piece as correct for the period has made it almost impossible to improvise. It is time to incorporate improvisation back into the musical curriculum for ALL music students.

Why is it important to improvise? Let’s revisit the idea that music is a language. If the only way that someone can speak a language is to read it from a prepared script, no one would consider that person fluent in the language. Yet this is accepted by many musicians as standard practice. While it is not necessary that all musicians be able to improvise in the jazz or pop style, the ability to be expressive on one’s instrument with one’s own ideas should be a goal of every musician. An actor may never improvise on stage, yet they “improvise” every day when they talk to people. Perhaps a classically trained musician may never improvise in public, but to be able to just play ideas that come into his/her own head in the privacy of a practice room, or when sitting with other likeminded musicians will only improve one’s ability to be expressive with other types of music. Conversely, there are jazz musicians who do not read music and are stumped when they are given a part. The same case can be made for learning to read music. To be able to read and understand another musician’s musical ideas is also an arguably necessary component of musical fluency! On a purely practical note, musicians who improvise are less likely to encounter PRI’s (Playing Related Injuries) caused by physical tension. Improvisation is recommended as preventive to PRI’s and is also used as a therapy for some PRI’s .

So how does a musician who has never improvised find a way to do so? Well, the first thing is to rethink how we look at our art. Again, returning to the language idea, if we look at how people learn language, we see that children are quite fluent in their language long before they start to understand the structure of it. And children may come to school with certain language “habits” that may need to be corrected in the academic setting, but they are still usually able to communicate effectively even with these “habits”. How does this happen? Well of course, they have been listening to people talk since they first had ears. Musicians listen to music of course, but many of us, especially in the classical world, listen academically, analyzing, looking for mistakes, comparing one performance to another or to our own. Of course it is necessary to do this on one level, but in doing this we may miss the communicative aspect of a performance. As children learn a language, they just mimic what they hear, they don’t analyze. It is only after they mature that they develop their own voice and make conscious choices regarding their way of communicating. As adults we can’t return to this really, but sometimes it is good for us to just sit down and try to mimic someone’s playing. Then try to respond to it! Pick a performance that you like, preferably NOT on your own instrument, and try to copy what they do. Then listen to that same performance over and over, and start trying to respond to the performance. If jazz or popular music doesn’t interest you, then pick a slow movement in a concerto, (again not on YOUR instrument), and try to play the melody with the soloist. Try NOT to use the music. You may be surprised at how much of the melody you may be able anticipate, because if it is a classical or baroque concerto, the melody and harmony follow well-established rules of progression. After you feel comfortable playing the melody, or a section of the melody, try playing something OTHER than the melody. Try to play in the rests, or to do a “call and response” pattern with the melody. You will be surprised at how many ideas come to mind. All classical musicians have a huge “vocabulary” of musical ideas available to them, stored in their memory.

If one is interested in learning to improvise pop or jazz, there are many different methods and books, cds, videos, etc., to help one to learn to do this. But in spite of all these, the best way to learn is to listen, emulate then create. Whether you start out listening and trying to learn Miles Davis solos or Coltrane solos, the idea is the same: listen, copy then create. Many classical musicians rely on their eyes to tell them if they are playing correctly, and in the classical music world this is a necessary and valuable skill. If one is playing a 20th or 21st century piece that does not follow traditional methods of melody and harmony, you have to rely on your eyes because what you hear is so different. In improvisation, the opposite is true. We need to rely on our ears to tell us where to go. When you watch jazz players play, you may see that they close their eyes as they improvise. I know that in my case when I do this, it is to shut out the visual input so I can really concentrate on what I am hearing. Human beings are very visual. When we are trained as classical/orchestral musicians, we learn to rely on the visual at least as much as we rely on the auditory sense. When we improvise, we need to trust/improve our auditory skills so that we can use them not just for the details of the performance (i.e. tuning, dynamics etc.) but for directing the performance itself.

If you are an instructor and you want to help your students learn to improvise, first you must be able to do it yourself of course. After that, it is easy to introduce young students to improvisation. They are not as self conscious as older students might be. One easy way is to initiate a “conversation” with the student. Just play something, a simple phrase and ask them to copy it. Once they are able to do this with ease, have them “answer” your musical idea. They can answer with one note! Then try to get them to “answer” in longer more complex phrases. Anther way is to get them to play something and the instructor copies and then “answers”. By doing this the students develop a musical vocabulary which they can access without having to read. These simple techniques can help a student become confident in their ability to express themselves on their instrument. This will help students overcome their fear of playing without a part.

A class setting can be more challenging, as the students will frequently feel inhibited in front of their peers. In one setting with a flute choir, I was able to get every student to improvise by having all the other students playing the harmony. This was at the college level, so I was able to direct the students to play the root, third, fifth or 7th of the chord that was written, give them a rhythmic pattern to repeat, and then each student had 8 bars to improvise. We went around the room, and even the most reluctant student was able to come up with something to “say” for those 8 bars. For most of these students, this was the first time they had ever improvised. The fact that their peers were busy concentrating on the chord and the pattern made them less self-conscious. Working through the chords also gave the students practice in learning the harmonic progression.

After one has started to improvise, one may naturally become interested in the theory and all the technical aspects of the skill. If someone wants to pursue improvisation as a technique to be used in performance, it becomes necessary to expand the “vocabulary” and other technical aspects of the technique. There are many different ways to do this. But even if one never plans to improvise in public, the practice of improvisation in private will only enhance one’s expressive abilities in any other form of music.

Why Do We Play?

If you are reading this, it probably means you that are a musician or performer of some kind. It may also mean that something has happened that negatively affects your ability to practice your art. Or maybe you are reading this proactively, before something happens. Either way, you are searching for the way to be able to perform your art in the most comfortable and productive way possible. Before you read any further, you need to consider “Why do I have to continue to perform? What is it about music/performance and my life that makes it inconceivable to quit, even if it is causes me physical and/or mental/spiritual pain?” If you have an answer to this question, great! If not, this is something that you should consider very carefully, as the answer can greatly impact the success of any treatment for any condition that you may be experiencing.


There are many reasons why people play music or are performers. Most start because they love the art and feel like they have a form of self-expression open to them. If someone is pursuing music or performance as a career and it is the primary or a significant part of their earning power, there can be many outside forces that can interfere with these pleasurable and positive aspects of the art. It is very important that you continue to find joy and fulfillment in your art. If performing or playing music has become painful in all aspects, mental, spiritual and physical, then it may be time to reassess why you continue.

Music making and/or performing involves a healthy amount of ego. You must be convinced that your contribution, whether as a soloist or in a group, is integral to the performance. If too much ego is involved then a musician/performer will suffer and make others around him or her suffer as well. Too little ego and the person is consumed with fear every time he or she has to perform. This can also lead to obsessive practice which in turn can lead to physical problems. It can also lead to “self-medicating”, using legal or illegal substances, to help “calm the nerves”. Either one of these can be destructive for the performer.

If a person’s’ sole purpose in life is to be the “best” at their art, this too can lead to negative consequences. While wanting to be the best is great in many ways, if it is the sole purpose, it will be a difficult goal to achieve. There will be people who are better than you at various points throughout your career!

As in any career, the music “business” and the “business” of performing any art, can be cut-throat. Competition is built into the system and thick skin and healthy self-esteem are necessary tools for survival. Knowing this and being prepared for it will help performers make decisions about their careers. Maintaining high personal standards of conduct may seem, in some instances, impossible. Nevertheless, by maintaining one’s own personal code of conduct and not being pressured into uncomfortable situations, a performer will be better able to maintain a healthy approach to his/her art form.

The healthiest approach is to be the best that you can be, both as an individual performer and in the way you interact within a group. Be confident in your contribution, but be open to growth, both as a performer and as a human being. By always being open to growth and change, you will be able to approach music in an exciting and creative way that will allow you to perform for the entirety of your life. Know that music and other types of performance are incredibly powerful forces in many people’s lives. A performance, musical or otherwise, can move people to action, for good or ill. It can rally the troops, soothe the soul, calm the baby and incite a riot. My favorite teacher had a plaque in his studio which read “The aim and final reason for all music should be nothing less than the glory of God and the recreation of the spirit” - Johann Sebastian Bach. A Japanese philosopher once said “Art is a weapon for realizing peace. It is also an expression of supreme victory in life. Every drop of sweat shed for the sake of art adds to the river of human peace and culture” – Daisaku Ikeda. By striving to create value with one’s performance, the artist can be proud of his or her contribution to society and achieve a mental and spiritual satisfaction with that contribution. And these two things are key to maintaining one’s physical health and the ability to perform unencumbered.

Why this Blog, Why Now?

Today I want to introduce myself and give you a bit of background into why I set up this blog. I have been playing flute for forty years. In my late teens and twenties I was involved in a series of car accidents. (I have at this point been involved in almost 20 major or minor collisions!) By the time I was 34, I was experiencing pain every time I picked up the instrument, throughout the upper body, the back and in my wrists and hands. At times, it hurt just to breathe. I tried every allopathic treatment available at the time, ultra-sound, hot packs, pain medication that made my stomach bleed, physical therapy, and even at one point visualization. The latter worked but it was time-consuming and required a discipline that I did not have at the time. Out of desperation I started seeing a chiropractor, Dr. Seplow. He asked me if I wanted to just get some pain relief or if I wanted to fix the problem. I said I wanted to fix the problem. It took a while but now I play and practice every day, usually pain-free. And if I do experience pain, I know how to work on myself or who to call to fix the problem. I have worked with some amazing healers, who have shown me amazing results from therapies that I would never have considered trying before this. I have worked with acupuncturists, massage therapists, chiropractors, NMT and NAET practitioners, Bach Flower therapists, herbalists and those trained in homeopathy. All of them have had wonderful things to contribute to the healing process. Each person I worked with was patient with me and my seemingly endless questions. When the time came to do my doctoral work on alternative therapies and wind players, several of them graciously volunteered to be interviewed for my research. My own journey in healing and my observations of the struggles that other performers go through, has inspired me to put this blog together. I hope that it is a useful addition, and that those who read it find hope and useful information in the it.

One of the main reasons for this blog is that most information about musicians/performer’s health is presented by practitioners of a particular type of healing system, i.e. acupuncture, chiropractic care or allopathic doctors. These tend to represent the practitioner’s particular practice as the one that will cure most if not all ills. Every human being is different and what works for one person may not work for another. There will be nothing in the blog that has not had success with someone somewhere. So at the very least there is what is called anecdotal evidence for newer or lesser-known therapies. Also, in spite of the fact that musicians have been getting injured for over at least hundred years (think Robert Schumann!) traditional therapies are not always as effective as one might hope. Traditional physicians are generally not attuned to the special needs of the performing artist. Although this is changing somewhat, rest, immobilization, steroids, injections, pain killers and surgery are usually the options that are offered by allopathic physicians. And there is evidence that these are not always effective or even an option for the musician. Worker’s compensation, retraining or new technology like voice-recognition soft-ware may help the computer programmer, but these are usually not options for the musician or performer either. However, there are a lot of other options available through alternative therapies. I will present these option and how they can help musicians ( and of course anyone else!). Please let me know if any of these have worked (or not worked!) for you. And remember, every person is unique. What works for one person may not work for another. The important thing to remember is that there are lots of options. It may take a while, but if you are struggling with a condition that limits the expression of your art, it is worth it to keep trying until you find what works for you. Every musician/artist is unique and has a wonderful contribution to make. Just never give up! The world needs our contribution!

Wrist/Arm/Hand/Neck/Back Pain?

Okay, so the gig is over and your wrist and hands are aching. You go to bed and think, "It will be better after a good night's sleep". You wake up in the morning and your wrists feel swollen and and you can't hold a cup of coffee without pain. Panic sets in as your imagination runs wild........ No need to panic! First of all this has probably been building up over time. A little stiffness, a little aching, we take some Tylenol and forget about it. This may make the symptoms go away, but it will not solve the underlying cause of the problem. More likely than not, the problem is Repetitive Stress Injury. Even if the symptoms seem to resemble Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, the underlying cause may still be Repetitive Stress Injury, which can cause knots in the muscle that can pinch the nerve, causing symptoms that are almost identical to CTS. Repetitive Stress Injury is caused by repeated motion over time that is confined to a particular muscle group. Hmmm, sounds like just what we musicians do! Now here's the deal: because musicians work with pretty much all the muscles in the upper body, some of these muscle groups, (like in the hands or even the wrist and arms) are composed of relatively small muscles. This makes them even more susceptible to this type of injury. A large muscle, like the thigh muscle, may take quite a bit of punishment before it develops RSI (Repetitive Stress Injury) but smaller muscle groups can develop this condition relatively quickly.

Okay so next is what to do about it. There are a number of options available that can help with this. We will start with the least invasive and most readily available option. If at all possible, get yourself a really good professional massage. This is the first line of defense against this type of injury. Just as sports teams have their massage therapists for all those big muscles groups they use, musicians should have massage therapists for those pesky small muscle groups we use over and over. If you are a student on a college campus, the college health center may offer massage for a reasonable fee. If you live near a massage school, this is a great way to get a massage for a good price. Sometimes, a certain amount of massage therapy will be covered by insurance, you just have to check with your company.
So what is massage?
Massage is used by traditional and alternative practitioners. The practice of massage is one of the oldest forms of therapies for which there is a record. Massage is mentioned in Chinese texts written as early as 2700 BC. The Greeks and Egyptians also show massage in their artwork. Hippocrates referred to massage in his writings in the fifth century BC. Currently, many doctors and physical therapists are beginning to recommend massage as an adjunct to their therapy. It has been recommended for conditions as varied as joint injuries, neck and back pain, arthritis and migraines. Many athletic teams have massage therapists on staff, as do many professional dance companies. Because massage therapists are trained in massage, not medicine, many of them refer to their patients as clients rather than patients. This helps prevent any misunderstanding as to the relationship between the therapist and the client. The Western and Eastern traditions have developed different theories and techniques of massage. The first type of massage that will be addressed in the next post is the Western tradition of massage.