Dd1 has been learning the piano since 5. She is 9 this year. Teacher had given her a grade 7-equivalent piece - Turkish March - to play for her piano concert. She has been practising diligently, together with her exam pieces and other songs. Recently, she experienced lower arm pain after practising. She is medium-built and has small hands so the expanding of her palms to reach octaves tend to stretch her muscles/tendons.
This pain is just at its beginning stage. I am wondering whether there are any other ways of preventing or alleviating it, besides massaging and shorter practice sessions. According to her T, piano players will go thru this.
I am not sure whether to post this under Health but thought parents of piano players here might be able to advise better.
Thanks!
Piano Playing: Lower Arm Pain
Re: Piano Playing: Lower Arm Pain
I am never good enough to suffer lower arm pain but I did suffered a swollen pinky on my right hand when I was practising arpeggios a few years back. TCM fixed the problem.
Erm, based on your dd's piano teacher's definition, does that qualify me as a piano player? Keke.
Erm, based on your dd's piano teacher's definition, does that qualify me as a piano player? Keke.
Re: Piano Playing: Lower Arm Pain
Oh yes, TCM comes to my mind when I read your post. Tuina or something?
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Re: Piano Playing: Lower Arm Pain
I hate to say this, but if you play piano you should never experience pain in wrist or arms. Occassional pain fingertips will happen from time to time but there should never be pain in the arms. This is the result of fundamental technique flaw and normally result from build up of tension caused by overly tense hand and arms. I am sorry that whatever teacher that said all piano players will go through this are pure bollocks. I have played piano seriously for 11 years inclusive of full time study and playing advanced repertoire and never did I experience any arm or wrist pain. If the root of tha pain is not addressed, your kid may risk permanent injury.
Re: Piano Playing: Lower Arm Pain
Children don't usually experience pain, leh. Maybe she is too tensed up and didn't relax her arm subconsciously? Maybe she is somewhat nervous and wants to practise it well that's why.E3 wrote:Dd1 has been learning the piano since 5. She is 9 this year. Teacher had given her a grade 7-equivalent piece - Turkish March - to play for her piano concert. She has been practising diligently, together with her exam pieces and other songs. Recently, she experienced lower arm pain after practising. She is medium-built and has small hands so the expanding of her palms to reach octaves tend to stretch her muscles/tendons.
Can you guide her in consciously relaxing that portion of her arm as she plays? Observe how her arm is when she plays. See whether it looks tight.
Re: Piano Playing: Lower Arm Pain
Thanks for all your answers. She had never experienced lower arm soreness before till recently when she started playing long pieces that require her to reach octaves at many parts. She can barely reach 1 octave yet. She is not tense when she plays the songs, she enjoys playing them but she'll try to stretch her palms bet thumb n little finger quite laboriously. She plays the octaves well if the notes are separated but if the octave notes are to be played harmoniously, she will have to stretch, resulting in the soreness. Could it be her hands have not grown in for playing certain songs, got to wait for her fingers to grow longer?