How to Deal with an Injury as a Musician
As a pianist, I’ve never experienced anything close to an injury, but this school semester, I started having intense neck/shoulder pain due to twice-a-week 2-hr rehearsals for a musical.
I play classical piano, and gigged let’s say ONE time for a cafe this past summer. Considering these, it became clear to me that 1) my body is not used to playing keyboards/synthesizers, 2) I have incorrect posture at the keyboard when I play, and 3) suddenly increasing both the amount of hours you practice and hours you rehearse WILL increase likelihood for getting injured! No one likes getting an injury, especially when you have lots of music to practice. What a waste of time! What a pain (no pun intended)!
So, my lesson has been learned for this semester, and here are a few nuggets of my wisdom for how to deal with an injury as a musician.
1) Don’t physically practice intensely. Sometimes, musicians tend to overcompensate when they get injured or sick. Rest up! You might have a gig, a recital, a rehearsal, etc coming up. The best mode of action is to treat your body kindly and get some rest rather than making up practice time for when you were sick or injured, and possibly straining yourself further.
2) Practice mentally. Mental practice can be amazing, and sometimes we forget that practice is just as much brainwork as it is physical.
3) Watch videos of cute puppies. Or kittens. I literally mean it! Go Google some videos of adorable baby animals because they will warm the cockles of your heart. Getting an injury or being sick when you need to practice sucks. You want to sing, or play piano, or toot out a Coltrane lick on your saxophone but you can’t! Do something that will improve your mood and help you feel less depressed about not being able to play.
4) An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. There are many ways to be self-aware or mindful of how to avoid sickness or injury, but sometimes, we don’t know until it’s too late. Learn about your instrument and common injuries it may cause. Never push harder than you can play. Pain is always a sign of an underlying issue, and playing through pain is a no-no!
5) Phone up a professional. Schedule an appointment with your chiropractor, laryngitis, orthopedic doctor, or physical therapist. The professionals will know how to help you better than you can.
