The Red Hot Chili Peppers announced a slight setback to their upcoming U.S. tour yesterday – the kick-off gig, originally scheduled for January 20th in Florida, has been postponed until March due to frontman Anthony Kiedis’ recent surgery to remove a crushed sesamoid bone and correct a detached tendon in his foot. Kiedis has been suffering from foot problems since 2007’s Stadium Arcadium tour, after he jumped off a bass drum and broke several bones in his foot. The rescheduled calendar of shows can be viewed on the band’s website.
Even if you’re not jumping around on stage, musicians of all kinds are prone to injuries. Especially if you’re a beginner, it’s important to know how to play your instrument properly in order to avoid injuring yourself over time.
In order to protect yourself, consider these important tips for musicians to prevent injuries:
Assess Your Instrument: Is your instrument the right size, shape, weight and height for you? Would an adjustable chair, footstool, strap or cushion make you more comfortable?
Know Your Body: Choose pieces that are reasonable for your body to play. If you have small fingers, playing repertoire that requires you to stretch beyond your finger span is a recipe for disaster. However, if you really want to learn a particular piece (or you need to learn it), make adjustments to make it easier to play. If you are a student, let your teacher know right away whether a piece or technical exercise is causing you pain.
Appraise Your Playing Technique: Is your body relaxed? Are your hands, arms, neck, head and core positioned to allow for fluid and comfortable playing or singing? Are you moving with the music? Are you using excess movements? Is your fingering logical and comfortable? Videotaping yourself is a valuable method to assess your playing technique.
Evaluate Your Non-Musical Activities: Desk and computer work, sports, dancing, carrying heavy objects and hobbies can adversely affect your body.
Do Warm-Up Exercises and Stretches: Musicians are sometimes called “small muscle athletes.” Stretching exercises and gentle warm-ups result in increased range of motion, strength, coordination and flexibility.
Take Breaks: One’s muscles, ears and vocal cords need regular breaks to return to their relaxed state. Not doing so tricks the body into thinking that “tense” is the “relaxed state,” resulting in chronic pain and stress.
Engage in Active Sitting: Most musicians remain in a seated position for extended periods of time. Active seating helps ease chronic back pain, promotes correct posture and maintains general health.
Overall lesson here? Music should be fun, not painful! Take care of yourself to ensure many musical years to come.
Image courtesy of Rollingstone.com
Suzy S.