By Jean Littman
|
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!
As a systems accountant consulting to small business, I spend most
hours of my working in front of a computer. Not surprisingly, this
has resulted in several serious repetitive motion injuries over
the years. In similar fashion to the approach of many guitarists
and musicians, I spent a long time trying to “ignore the pain and
push on”. It is only in recent years that I have discovered the
optimum program for managing the injuries and avoiding future
repeats, with regular chiropractic care well and truly established
at number one on my list of priorities.
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.
In the past, chiropractors traditionally had trouble gaining the
respect of medical doctors. Although basic philosophical
differences between medicine and chiropractic still exist,
chiropractic care is now considered mainstream and is routinely
recommended by members of the medical profession.
What Treatment Do Chiropractors Give?
Ever wondered what happens at the chiropractor? Perhaps you’ve
heard they’re just “bonecrackers, not doctors!”. Not so.
In the US and many other countries, the educational program for
chiropractors includes training in the basic medical sciences,
including anatomy with human dissection, physiology, and
biochemistry. Thorough training is also obtained in differential
diagnosis, radiology and therapeutic techniques. This means, a
doctor of chiropractic can both diagnose and treat patients. (This
separates them from non-physician status providers, like physical
therapists.)
As with all healthcare practitioners, chiropractors follow a
standard routine to secure the information needed for diagnosis
and treatment. When the source of pain involves musculoskeletal
structures, chiropractors manually manipulate or adjust the spinal
column. This typically requires the chiropractor to bend and twist
the patient into various positions, which may cause some patients
(myself included!) to tense up. Other more gentle methods, such as
the activator method, deliver a high-speed, gentle, thrust to the
vertebrae via a small rubber tip.
Atlas orthogonal chiropractors focus on the atlas bone (the first
bone that the spinal cord passes through). Using x-rays and
precision measuring equipment, the atlas bone is gently realigned
without using manipulation techniques. I can personally vouch for
this chiropractic specialty, which worked like magic on the most
recent and severe of my repetitive neck injuries.
Many chiropractors also use water, light, massage, ultrasound,
electric, and heat therapy and may apply supports such as straps,
taping and braces. They may also counsel patients about wellness
concepts such as nutrition, exercise, lifestyle changes, and
stress management, but do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery.
Some chiropractors also specialise in orthopedics, sports and
musician injuries, neurology, nutrition, internal disorders,
and/or diagnostic imaging.
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.
Chiropractic care is reportedly simple, yet it is profound in its
ability to help the body regain and maintain its health. Bob
Birch, Elton John’s bass player and background vocalist said his
chiropractor showed him pictures and told him “muscle stuff” that
no other doctors ever did. Certain things that he had wrong with
him, like the extensive pain in the left shoulder blade that shot
up the side of his head (which other doctors pooh-poohed) were
explained and put right with chiropractic adjustments.
Make no mistake about it, regular chiropractic care for guitarists
and musicians is the way to go. If you want to avoid musicians
repetitive strain injuries for good, go find a musician-friendly
chiropractor now!. Scores of famous musicians agree with me!
About the Author: Jean Littman is a sportswoman, systems professional and 20-year veteran of repetitive strain injuries. She is co-owner of the popular guitar resource site, GuitaroJam.com, and has written several articles on musicians repetitive strain injuries. Learn the essential keys to musicians health and injury prevention. Subscribe to your free newsletter by visiting: http://www.guitarojam.com
This article is free for reprint, provided the resource box above ("About the Author") is reproduced in full.