Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Sciatic Nerve versus hard piano bench--Ouch!

This thread may only be of interest to those over the age of 55 or so. But perhaps it might be useful to you young-ins in the future. :rolleyes:

Being a woman in her "intermediate old age," I've had numerous problems with my spine that have resulted in several surgeries to remove bone spur growths.

The latest in this never-ending saga of "what's going to hurt today?" is that nerve situated right in what the English called "the bum." And what a bummer it is because it doesn't allow me to play any longer than an hour before my right leg goes number and pain in that area is quite uncomfortable.

Needless to say, my practice time has been cut quite drastically. It doesn't do any go to quit and then go back several hours later, since the pain is there to stay for the whole day or even for a few days.

I've tried sitting on pillows, but it doesn't help. I know there are exercises out there that do help strengthen the muscle around this area, but I have forgotten what they are. However, it is not the muscle that is giving me the problem but that nerve that is either being pinched or irritated. My doctor has suggested surgery, but I do not want to go under the knife for the 5th time if there is another solution out there.

I thank you for any suggestions you might have. I am thinking of sitting on a heating pad but wonder if this could be dangerous if sat upon too long.



Kathleen

Hi Kathleen,

Have you considered ditching the bench for a very nice office task chair when practicing? Something ergonomically friendly where the back is contoured can be adjusted to your comfort level, tilted in the most comfortable way for you and the seat is usually contured & adjustable also. My thought is to try and provide body support for you that a bench just doesn't allow.

My practice time is usually limited for a different reason. After about 45 minutes my right shoulder blade and wrist are screaming. I haven't figure out the answer to this one yet. I just take breaks when I start to feel the pain.

My best to you,

Debbie

Hi Debbie:

So nice of you to respond, and I hope you can find the answer to your pain problem. Strange, but I know my technique is non-existent, yet I have never had any pain in the areas you mentioned. With just one exception. Last year, I learned a level 8 piece that sent me to a physical therapist for a month. It was all tension in my shoulders. The piece was practically all huge chords and my fingers had a hard time enclosing them; thus, the tension.

I did buy one of those office chairs of which you speak. And I used it for about a week. However, since it was on the rug, I found it difficult to move to either end of the keyboard(the seat being much smaller than a bench). Plus, and I know this is silly, but it looked terrible in my lovely living room next to my beautiful black grand. I would have used it permanently, but I just found it cumbersome.

Regards,
Kathleen

Kathleen,

It's not silly. I knew the concept of an office chair shudders against the idea of a beautiful piano. It would look icky to me too:), if only there were a way to hide it away somewhere use it just for practice. I failed to mention you do need one of those heavy plastic things under them to move at all, something else to have to hide away. Ya - bad plan:)

I hesitated to leap on the heating pad idea because I work with man who accidently fell asleep while he had one on his back. He got major skin burns. However if you were very careful...maybe? If you are practicing there would be no chance of leaving it under you too long.

A level 8 piece...I'll never get there:)

Hopefully you'll have some real nice suggestions soon.

Debbie

Hi Again Debbie:

I thought of one of the exotic screens to put in front of the bench area, which would hide the chair and that (ugh) plastic floor thing. I just may do that if I can find a screen that blends into my decor.

I always keep my heating pad on low, but still....

Thanks again.
Kathleen

I sympathize with you. I have low back pain, and pain between my shoulders due to a slipped disc in my neck. I started a thread a year ago called "ergonomic piano bench" If you search it, it is near the top. When you use a standard bench you slump. If you sit on a slanted bench with your knees slighlty lower, you re-align you spine. The Lanzanni bench forces you to sit in a more anatomic position. You can search google with "ergonomic piano bench" and you will get some of the anatomic rationale for the bench. The problem is the bench is not readily available in the US, and with the euro higher than the dollar it is pretty expensive. A short term solution is to place blocks under the back two legs of your bench in order to angle the seating surface. You will have to block it up aabou 1 1/2 inches to get any affect. You can try an angle seating pad that you can get on line at Relax the Back, but I did not find this solution worked that well for me. A less expensive ergonomic bench is also available from Bondy piano in NY city. This is made by Disciatti, and is pretty good. I have sat on it myself , and if I had not purchased the Lanzanni bench I probably would have bought this one. Peter Bondy is very nice, and will ship it anywhere. Good luck.

Kathleen,
I just happened to have a conversation today with an older woman (mid-70s) who told me she was taking this for her back pain; obviously I don't know if this is appropriate for you, but maybe you can ask your Dr. about it?

She said it worked quite well for her... so it's just a suggestion. I sympathize with you!

Thank you so much, ark. You certainly have given me so much information, and I appreciate all the time and effort involved. I don't think any of the possible solutions you listed would help because my pain in not in my back, so much as in the S-1 region (sciatic nerve) and caused by spurs (arthritis). But I am sincerely grateful, just the same. I can also sympathize with you about neck pain. I've had two surgeries in this area, one involving a titanium plate to hold my head up. I hope you find permanent relief and soon. My best to you.

Hi Chardonnay: You do get around. I read the article about the medication, and I will ask my doctor about it. Many thanks for the suggestion. Fondly, Kathleen

Hi Kathleen,

I'm 51 and haven't had a problem like this ...yet. but my mom who's 77 has been going to an osteotherapist for this exact problem (although she doesn't play piano). She goes every two weeks and has been given a set of exercises that seem to help. She'd gone through acupuncture, different drugs, chiropracter, etc.. and the osteotherapist seems to be the best of them all.

A physical therapist told me that if you lie flat and bring your knee(s) up to your chest and do a long streach and repeat it a few times, it will help sciatic.

Hey Kathleen,


We've a friend (probably in her 60's), who started using Noni juice or the capsules with great success for similar things you're dealing with. Made a believer out of others that I know, too.

Googling Noni juice should bring up plenty of details.

Hope it gets better ....

Hi Kathleen,

Try a chiropactor. These guys can do many good things about your complaints.

I have since 1998 a whiplash and some back problems. Visited painclinnics, neurologists etc....took a lot of pills against the pains.

Every six week from 2000 I visit a chiropractor and heve less problems.

My age?.....55

Best regards,
Johan B

i had some issues that were resolved by changing the foot i chose to pedal with.

it is uncomfortable to pedal with my left foot but it solves the back problem when it occurs.

I've been using an ergonomic (kneeling) chair for the computer for years now and it really helps my back a lot. I've never tried it on the piano but the ergonomic bench sounds wonderful.

Hi Kathleen!
Ouch, that really hurts...Just an idea, but maybe a so called saddle chair can reduce the problem. Obviously the exterior can't beat a nice (baroque?) pianobench, but playing with less or no pain can be worth it.
You can check it out on www dot beautelle dot co dot uk (ergonomic seating)
and www dot saddlechair dot eu
(Remove the blanks/inserts (orwatevertheyarecalled..)and use a real . instead of dot.)

Greetings
from Chaplin

Thank you all so much. All good suggestions. I think I'll follow Johan's advice and go back to my chiropactor. He did help me a few years back with another problem. Funny, I never even thought of him with this current malady. :rolleyes:

You are so kind in responding to my call for help. I wish you all the very best of health ...and happiness.

Kathleen

Kathleen,

I have had tremendous success with acupuncture. Finding one with an Oriental medical approach rather than a chiropractor would be my recommendation. It helped me with hip, knee, shoulder, foot and back pain all related to my golf swing. They are great for "inflammations" of any kind. That is their realm. Let me know if you need help finding one locally.

I don't know if this would be helpful (and it would certainly look very different from the normal bench, but:

I'm 67, I have back pain that makes it difficult to practice for any length of time, seems that I don't get the pain if I have something that I can lean back on (at least part of the time).

I will also make mention that appearance is not as much a factor for me, since I do not have a nice grand (I'd love to, but both financial and space considerations get in the way). I play classical piano pieces on my Kurzweil PC3X digital synthesizer. I also play piano, organ, and bass in several different ensembles that play in public (church praise band, country-gospel group doing several gigs a month, college jazz ensemble).

After posting my problem on a forum that is populated mostly with professional keyboard players (all sorts of different genres), I got the suggestion that I try a Pearl drum thorne with back, see web site: http://www.pearldrum.com/D2000-BR.htm

The height is adjustable, the throne absolutely does not move around while playing. Most important for your sciatica problem is the seat design (quote from web site below)

1. Two Position Seat: One side provides an angled front for free leg movement and a small recessed cavity toward the back to alleviate spinal compression. Rotate it 180 degrees and the other side offers firm frontal support with a central cutaway.

2. Backrest: The D-2000BR comes with a fully height and fore/aft adjustable lumbar back-support offering added relief from fatigue associated with long gigs or recording sessions. The slim tear-drop shape of the backrest gives outstanding support where needed and eliminates the chance of contact between the backrest and the player's elbows.

end quoted material.

After a short period of getting used to the difference, and that I cannot slide from one side of a bench to the other, I have found this seat to be quite beneficial. I realize that it is unorthodox, but the ability to practice more in relative comfort makes it well worth it to me.

Jim Cason

Hi Kathleen,

I have a friend who just a few weeks ago came down with sciatic nerve problems,and she's one of those holistic types who goes to an Asian Doctor who practices holistic medicine and acupuncture.

I personally witnessed this outcome from day 1 because we walk together everyday at lunch time.

She went to see her doctor who diagnosed Sciatic nerve problem and then he did acupuncture on her. He then placed these little pinch things on her outer ear (they looked like earrings) and she had to pinch every one of them for a some seconds (15 I think) about 4 times a day. It hurt like heck according to her but within 4 days her sciatic nerve problem went away. Completely.

I've had sciatic nerve problems for about 2 years now and I'm making an appt. to see this doctor.

Thank you Joan (great to hear from you again). I have tried acupuncture a few year back, and I believe it was from the approach that you mentioned. However. he wanted me to have 60 sessions and my insurance would not pay for it. So, sadly, it is out of the question. But I am glad that it has helped you.

Jim: That chair looks interesting, but I couldn't find anywhere on the site that would give me more information, such as where I would get one and the price.

Kathleen