Horvath, Janet: Playing (Less) Hurt - revised edition
An Injury Prevention Guide for Musicians
How can musicians express themselves and recreate the great masterworks with ease and expressivity and yet avoid injury in the process? Musicians face many challenges: a highly competitive environment, performance anxiety, demanding repertoire, years of solitary practice, and awkward postures. The hectic pace of rehearsals and performances when added to the mix often results in the very real risk of physical pain and injury.
“Playing (less) Hurt” is a readable and comprehensive guide and reference for all concerned with pain in musical work: professional and amateur musicians, teachers and students, doctors and therapists. This book is essential for all musicians. String, keyboard, percussion, harp, brass and wind players will play better and feel better.
Praise for Janet Horvath’s Playing (less) Hurt:
“As someone who has been teaching instrumental playing principles for well nigh seven decades, I find Ms. Horvath’s book rife with helpful, valuable, and entertaining data. The ground she covers is immense, written with knowledge, understanding, style, aplomb and humor. No reader can put it down without some beneficial learning.”
Janos Starker Distinguished Professor of Music Indiana University
PREFACE 12 CHAPTER I 14 MY STORY "No pain, no gain" CHAPTER II 19 YOU ARE NOT ALONE The prevalence of injuries among instrumental musicians CHAPTER III 22 WHY IT MAY HURT TO PLAY A definition of overuse CHAPTER IV 30 THE CONDUCTOR IS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT Risk factors and stressors particular to orchestral life 10 RISK FACTORS FOR ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS CHAPTER V 38 CAUSES OF OVERUSE INJURIES INJURY SUSCEPTIBILITY QUIZ 10 POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO OVERUSE CHAPTER VI 45 RISK FACTORS AND UNDERSTANDING DANGER SIGNALS This is your wake-up call 10 DANGER SIGNALS CHAPTER VII 49 STATIC LOADING, BACK AND DISC PROBLEMS A few suggestions for good posture CHAPTER VIII 57 MUSCLE AND TENDON DISORDERS OF THE ARMS AND SHOULDERS Muscle tendon disorders, tendinitis of the shoulder, bursitis, impingements, rotator cuff tears, frozen shoulder 10 ONSTAGE TRICKS THAT CAN BE DONE EVEN WHILE PLAYING CHAPTER IX 78 NERVE ENTRAPMENTS, AND HAND AND FOREARM PAIN Carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, De Quervain's tenosynovitis, reducing arm tension, thoracic outlet syndrome, Morton's neuroma 10 PREVENTION TIPS FOR AVOIDANCE OF NERVE ENTRAPMENTS AND OTHER OVERUSE INJURIES CHAPTER X 98 OTHER CONDITIONS Raynaud's disease, beta blockers and performance anxiety, ganglion cysts, focal dystonia, fibromyalgia, fibrositis or myofacial pain syndrome, TMJ, eye problems, arthritis CHAPTER XI 117 TOO MUCH, TOO SOON? Guidelines for parents and teachers, the teacher-student dynamic, lips, jaws, fingers, teeth, asthma, instrument size, joint laxity, larynx CHAPTER XII 131 STRETCHING AND STRENGTHENING 10 SHOWER STRETCHES 10 ONSTAGE STRETCHES CHAPTER XIII 150 CHAIR PROBLEMS 10 LOWER BACK TENSION RELIEVERS CHAPTER XIV 166 LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Outdoor concerts and other hazards THE MUSICIAN'S SURVIVAL TRAVEL KIT: 10 ESSENTIAL ITEMS CHAPTER XV 170 LOUDER AND LOUDER AND LOUDER! Musicians' hearing loss Tinnitus CHAPTER XVI 180 THE WORST CASE SCENARIO What to do when you're hurt CHAPTER XVII 187 HOW DO I START BACK? Rehabilitation and work-hardening CHAPTER XVIII 193 INSTRUMENT MODIFICATIONS Splints, slings, supports and orthotics CHAPTER XIX 222 PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE "No brain, no gain" A guide to sensible practicing, warming up and cooling down 10 BACKSTAGE STRETCHES 10 DO'S FOR INJURY PREVENTION 10 DON'TS FOR INJURY PREVENTION CHAPTER XX 244 EVERYONE IS A LOBBYIST Views for the future Work-hardening, rotation, balancing programs, scheduling concerts, onsite trainers 10 SUGGESTIONS FOR CONDUCTORS AND MANAGERS RESOURCE LIST 247 Books in print, organizations, Web sites, videos, products, clinics and practitioners INDEX OF INSTRUMENTS 293 INDEX OF IMAGES ORDER FORM 295
