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As a 2-month newbie aspiring non-classical pianist, I'm looking for some wisdom-

I'm advised to practice 30 minutes every day. By 20 minutes or so, I begin to feel a slight soreness in my left wrist. I'm confident that I am using good hand posture and attribute the soreness to lack of conditioning in the wrist muscles, joints, etc.

What should my strategy be for this- stop playing when this happens? Make the practices shorter? Do multiple short sessions? Just keep going? The soreness is very mild but I have read horror stories of serious and permanent injury.

I don't want to let my enthusiasm do me in!

You are doing the right thing by paying attention to discomfort.

Multiple short sessions is probably the best option.

Certainly, not the KEEP GOING option !!

It would not hurt to take a day or two off just to give your wrist a chance to recover.

I once let my enthusiasm override my common sense and I ended up not touching the piano for about 4 months.

It is difficult to determine whether the soreness is being caused by the muscles, as they learn a new skill and build the strength to perform it. I will not rule out the possibility. However, more often than not it is a sign of tension, and any tension maintained for a long enough period of time will cause injury to such a small mechanism as the hands/fingers.

Any chance you can post a video of you playing and also practicing something? Might be revealing..

I'm going to second the call on this being tension even if you are confident about hand position. It's taken me two years plus to (mostly) get rid of mine under the watchful eye of a teacher. And my left hand (I'm right handed) is worse for that than my right.

Thanks all for the responses, all good points and well taken. Unfortunately, I am not able to make a video as suggested by Derulux. I will proceed cautiously as advised and expect in a month or so to begin lessons (For the second time- just dropped out of lessons that were designed to sell me an electric piano); we have recently acquired a vintage Mason B to replace an old and untunable family instrument.

Slowpoke: another suggestion is to break up your practice into two 15 minute sessions so you can take a break in between. Resting for a few minutes will probably help with the pain/tension issue.

I break up an hour practice into 4 15 minute sessions, everyday. I take 5 or ten minutes in between just to relax (like right now! LOL) and then go back and refocus. I find it really helps me keep relaxed and has reduced many issues I had with my back and wrist pain from tension.

Definately watch out not to overdo things, especially if you're already a bit *ahum* older . Since I passed the 35 year mark, I have to watch out for what I do. If I sport too fanatically, my body will pay for it ! I've learnt to listen to my body the hard way ...

I wonder how heavy or stiff the key action is on a vintage Mason B? Sometimes a lighter action, even if it is obtained via a digital, can be a stepping stone towards longer practice for those who have hand problems.

I think that with proper technique, heaviness or lightness of the action shouldn't be an issue. It's even possible for lighter actions (as on a computer keyboard) to lead to more hand problems, as people may be encouraged to use more isolated finger motions instead of hand and arm together.

Thank you- this is the approach I have started as of today.

Your welcome!

Let us know if it's working for you!

Well, Stefaan... I passed the 35 year mark also... 30 years ago! But, I'm fit, active, and as a result of a career spent in the construction trades, I still have (most) of my "oomph".

Actually, I've been practicing on the old piano, which has a feather-light action. The Mason will arrive in a few days.

Will do. It's nice to get some feedback from others to my little corner of the world, and I'll keep everyone posted.

No problem. In that case, keep in mind a few things:

1. Do not "press down" the key after you have played it. Use just enough weight to keep it down, without forcing.

2. Do not "stretch" your fingers out. (Press your fingers together so they are all touching. Then, spread them out as wide as you can so none of them touch. This spread out form is "stretching" and can cause tension.)

3. Do not "lock" your fingers, hands, wrists, or arms in any one position. Each must move throughout the playing, whether it's a simple trill or a complex passage. If they're "locked", it's tension.


These are probably the top three easiest "tension checkers," though I'm sure others may have more ideas for you. I hope it helps.

As a secondary comment, you might also consider some stretching before you practice. I am not a health professional, but some gentle stretching before your practice may also help if you have some muscle tightness.

One site I found is

http://www.musicianshealth.com/stretches.htm

Stay mindful of Hands Separate practice and be sure to alternate hands. Working on pieces, my right hand gets tired quite often, so I give it a little rest while the left works on something, which is not the same piece.

Are you studying with a teacher? Be sure to mention this to them so they can study how you're playing. Soreness usually is the result of 1) Overuse 2) Abuse (poor technique) or 3) Both.

In order to help troubleshoot the issue, stop playing immediately when you first experience signs of fatigue. The fatigue happens before the soreness, so it's important that you catch this early. That may mean after 10 minutes. Keep in mind that two 10-minute sessions is the same as one 20-minute session, so don't feel lik you will be practicing less. Be sure you give yourself enough time to rest in between sessions.

If, however in your second session you feel the fatigue or soreness coming on, then stop. This may indicate that the issue is not a matter of "strength" but a matter of technical issues that need to be addressed by someone who knows how to spot these things and deal with them. If your teacher is unable to help you, perhaps they can recommend someone you can consult with for a little while to resolve it.

Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions. Although I do not currently have a teacher, I am looking for one and practicing on my own in the meantime. I get the idea that it is common to have these symptoms when starting out and that I should not ignore them. I will be mindful of any pain or stiffness until I get some professional instruction.

Where do you live? There may be members in here who can help you find a good teacher. I may be able to help. And there is the teacher's sub-forum you can post in.