PRMD – Playing Related Musculoskeletal Disorders – Musician Pain
What is PRMD? PRMD stands for “Playing-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders” among musicians. Researchers asked a large cohort of musicians about their experience with PRMD’s and the results were significant: Lifetime history of injuries averaged out to 68%. Previous 12-month history of PRMD’s was 46% 7 Day history of PRMD’s was 23% Most respondents reported multiple PRMD’s. Upper body PRMD’s were most common by region. Wrists (25%) and low back (24%) were the most common body “parts” affected. PRMD’s occur most often in musicians who practice or play many hours each week. There were 173,300 professional musicians in the United States in 2014 according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. In recent surveys, nearly three-fourths of professional musicians reported past injuries and pain that affected their playing. The Musical “athlete” Professional musicians are like athletes. Practice, practice, practice, perform. Repetition of fine and gross motor movements slowly accumulates stress and strain over time, leading to the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back. This tends to happen faster in musicians who fail to do the following: Warm-up and cool down. Seek help at the first sign of a problem. Recognize that symptoms have a cause. Stop playing when problems arise....
read moreWrist Pain From Guitar. Guitarist Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in The Guitarist Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common repetitive strain injury in musicians. Guitarists’ fingers and wrists move a lot, creating friction and inflammation in the carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel is a tight band of ligament that crosses over the wrist, like a bridge across the wrist, and the nerves going to the hand. When the nerves are under too much pressure, numbness, tingling, weakness, and poor coordination and healing often arise. Diagnosis People often “diagnose” themselves with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), but are too often wrong. With the guidance and expertise of a doctor, CTS can be easily diagnosed and recommendations for care made, via telemedicine video calls. Specific tests and patterns of symptoms will lead to an accurate diagnosis and strategic treatment. The problem with poor self “diagnosis” is that the efficacy of treatment will be compromised, potentially leading to a drawn-out worsening of the problem. For a serious musician, this could be career-altering…in a bad way. Other Factors of Vulnerability Other lifestyle factors like hobbies, sports, sleep position, previous injuries, and previous episodes may also alter the “normalcy” of your CTS, complicating treatment, even diagnosis. These additional factors may make traditional...
read moreUpright Bass & Shoulder Pain. Double Base Shoulder Pain.
Pain in the shoulder – Upright Bass Whether you are playing slap style bass, bowing, using pizzicato techniques, or other extended techniques, the double bass has been known to be the cause of shoulder injuries. Shoulder impingement is one of the more common injuries. Form is critical, of course, but sometimes a history involving stress on the shoulder, either shoulder, will predispose you to an injury while playing. Below is a synopsis of shoulder impingement, and solutions for quick, strategic healing for bass players. Shoulder impingement and the bad news. Shoulder impingement syndrome is typically a repetitive stress injury. This would be more common in the shoulder of the upper hand, because of the position and constant tension on the upper shoulder. Even with a relaxed shoulder and proper form, your shoulder is still engaged in a compromised position. Your shoulder moves as your hand navigates the neck of the bass. The constant engagement along with the up and down, Is repetitive stress. Friction and inflammation in the tendons connecting the supraspinatus muscle and your arm, reduces space underneath the shoulder blade and above the ball of your shoulder joint. When the shoulder is compressed through rotation, twisting, or...
read moreCOVID-19 Parent – Help Juggling the Juggling.
Are you a COVID Parent? Like living through a natural disaster or another major generational event, being a “COVID MOM” during this time will be something that you’ll never forget. Raising kids is challenging enough under normal circumstances. But the degree to which you must juggle responsibilities now is for many, unparalleled. Do you remember a time when things were “easy?” One of the biggest obstacles to taking care of oneself is time. We all recognize the value of time, how we don’t get it back, and how COVID-19 has changed our use of time. Our office is acutely aware of time. We make sure that your care is efficient. No long waits, and only the necessary time for your care. No more, no less. We process your insurance for you to save you time. We have quick effective ways of scheduling and communicating with our office. We have flexible hours to make your visits most convenient for you. Your day, your life is why you come to us, we want to make sure that you enjoy as much of it as possible. It’s not about your back pain, neck pain, or headaches. It’s about your life! Taking care...
read morePregnant during COVID-19 times. DO THESE THINGS!
The last place you want to be during pregnancy is in a facility that cares for sick people. According to a study published in MMWR, pregnant women with COVIID-19 are more likely to be hospitalized and are at increased risk of admission to the ICU for mechanical ventilation, than non-pregnant women. The moral of the story? Don’t get COVID-19 while pregnant. When you are pregnant, you are not only caring for yourself and your family but for the baby on the way. The consequence of COVID-19 on pregnancy is not yet fully understood. Maybe your kids are back in school and run the risk of bringing home COVID? CDC Back To School Decision Making Help For Parents and Guardians. How do you limit your risk of contracting COVID-19 while pregnant? It’s nothing you haven’t heard before. PROBIOTIC – Supplement with probiotics. They help build your immune system. MASK UP – Always wear a mask in public. AVOID SICK CLINICS – Unless unavoidable, avoid clinics that see sick people. If your back hurts, before going to the ER, Urgent Care, or Convenient MD, consider going to a chiropractic office with a controlled environment, that doesn’t work with sick people. What are...
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