Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Interesting article on tendonitis

In today's NY Times, there was an interesting article entitled "When it\'s okay to run hurt" . It was directed at athletes but may have implications for musicians. The main point of the article is that the view of many physicians is changing regarding whether absolute rest is necessary in cases of mild sprains or tendonitis. They cite some research showing that gentle exercise of the injured area actually speeds up recovery, and they're now recommending simply scaling back on the exercise and icing the injured part down before and after using it.

Anyway, I'd love to hear the medical professionals here take on this. I personally would be delighted to have a justification for continuing to play despite pain.

This is a bit amusing. Every athlete I have known seems to know this empirically. Perhaps they're just the "driven" personality type, but the good athletes I have known don't simply stop cold because of overuse injuries. What's amusing is that the aggressive attitudes of youth may actually prove to be the best physician advice now.

Interesting, as I've had problems, on and off, with tendonitis in my hands for years. And my doctor has told me much the same things as that article states: ice, anti-inflammatory drugs, and as long as the pain doesn't get worse or there isn't visible redness or excessive swelling, do as much as you feel like doing. I find I don't notice it too much playing piano (unless I've already aggravatd it), but typing on the keyboard and over-using the mouse will make it flare up.

Actually, physicians who treat a lot of high caliber athletes have been doing this for many years.

I had a severe othopedic injury more than 20 years ago (I was in a car accident and broke all three bones in my arm and had numerous minor fractures in my wrist bones). I ended up being treated by some physicians who were doing re-attaching limbs (yikes).

I was never completely casted (I had a removeable plaster splint) and began range of motion exercises within a day or two of having my bones set. I have complete range of motion today, although I am probably the only right handed person in the universe who has better finger independence in the left hand.

For many years, when pain flares (which is actually rare) I do exactly what the article says - I pop an ibubrofen and use ice.

I did switch to a left hand keyboard mouse when I started playing piano.

I've been nervous about starting some sort of technical exercises (Hanon, Schott or the like) because of this, but my hand doc says as long as I don't do too many reps keep the time short I should be OK. I suspect I will not have trouble following that advice