How to Avoid Injury as a Violinist
Violinists are notoriously bad at two things: sitting up straight and knowing their limits. We all hear stories about people who practice six, eight, even ten hours in a row, no breaks, no rehydrating, just pure practice. While it does take a lot of practice to become a good violinist, if you practice too long without taking a break, you might seriously injure yourself before you get to the concert hall. This article offers easy tips on avoiding injury as a violinist.
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Instructions
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Stretch. It's not just athletes that need to limber up before they practice their craft; musicians also need full use of their entire body before they begin to play, and stretching for a few minutes before every rehearsal can make you a more nimble violinist.
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Sit up straight. Every violinist knows this tip, but so few of them follow it, especially when rehearsing alone. Violinists have to create their own good posture by sitting on the middle or edge of a chair and keeping their backs straight. You cannot lean into your chair, since this actually exaggerates bad posture, so sit up on the edge of your chair, legs not tensed but springy and responsive beneath you and try to always make a straight line with your spine.
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Use a shoulder pad. Some violinists prefer not to use a shoulder pad, either because they don't want to scuff their instruments or because they find the pad too bulky, but in today's market their are so many shoulder pads available that one can be found to suit every taste. However, if you truly cannot find one you like, simply insert an inch-thick layer of sponge between your neck and the instrument; this will keep your neck elevated (instead of scrunched down directly on the instrument) and your face pointing down the length of the instrument.
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Keep your right wrist loose. No matter how dramatic a passage of music is, you should be able to play it with a loose wrist in combination with the movement of your lower arm. Here's a hint: if you're moving anything above your right elbow, your wrist is too tight. This can cause an aching feeling in your hand and can eventually lead to joint or bone problems. Practice moving your wrist and lower arm without holding the bow but as though you were: watch the range of motion you can get without ever moving your elbow.
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Grip the bow the lightly. A forceful grip encourages tightness of the wrist, can make your fingers and upper arm ache, and makes moving the bow unnecessarily difficult. When you hold the bow, it should be able to subtly pivot if you bounce it in your hand.
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Rest the the neck of the instrument lightly in the crook of your left hand. Remember: the instrument is being held up entirely by the force between your neck and shoulder, so there is no reason to add support at the neck. The fingers of your left hand are there to depress the strings, not to put a death grip up by the scroll. Your left hand should be light as a feather, and it can cramp if it cannot move about with 100 percent freedom.
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Play with your music at eye level. Some violinists prefer to stand when they rehearse alone, but if you're music stand cannot be raised to eye level, you'll have to take a seat (remembering always to use good posture). When your music is below eye level, you'll find that you're contorting your back in order to see it properly, but your back should always be a straight line.
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Know your limits. Playing the violin, as you suspect, should not hurt. It's all right to work up a sweat and to feel a muscular burn, but if you experience anything you would call "pain," it's time to take a breather. Even if you're an experienced violinist with excellent muscle tone, it's important to take a break of several minutes at least every two hours to let your muscles move in a more natural way again. Additionally, taking a break can let you know about any unusual tenseness or strain that you may have just been playing through.
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Tips & Warnings
Good posture can be the difference between a lifetime of back pain or showing up in the hospital thinking you're having a heart attack (a condition called intercostal chondritis). If you absolutely cannot keep good posture, ask a friend to move your back as you are playing. If nothing else, you will become so annoyed that you'll get good posture just so they'll stop touching you. If that fails, seriously consider a back brace. Playing the violin is no joke when it comes to injuring yourself.
Stay in shape in general. Musicians who also maintain a healthy lifestyle will find they can play more and more satisfactorily.
Bad posture can lead to serious conditions of the back, neck and rib cage.
Don't make wrenching motions when you're in violin posture. If necessary, turn your whole body to someone who's trying to get your attention, as any discordant, wrenching movement can throw your back or neck out with no warning.
