How do I prevent my hands and wrists from getting sore when I play violin?!
Question: I am playing a very long, very fast piece, and my hands and wrists always cramp in the midde.
Answers: I am playing a very long, very fast piece, and my hands and wrists always cramp in the midde.
Generally, if you are feeling pain it is because your hand position is wrong or you are applying too much pressure. The first place I always look is at the thumb. Is it perpendicular to the neck,or is it pointing up to the peg box. The next place I look is the wrist. Is it up against the neck or in it's proper position? Are the fingers perpendicular (as much as possible) to the fingerboard or are they pointed down towards the bridge? Is the violin positioned along the cheekbone? Are you holding the instrument comfortably or are you cramping it up? Are you using a shoulder rest if you need one? Are you using your thumb as a guide or more like a vise-grip? I would ask myself these simple questions before you go and see a professional. I am not disparaging the idea of seeing a professional if you need one, but if they end up making these very basic corrections it could potentially be a little bit embarrassing. Best of luck and I hope you are soon pain free.
I'm sorry to hear you have that problem; I would see a doctor to see if you have arthritis or some other condition. It's not normal to have this happen and I have never heard of it before. Maybe warm water would help, but of course you can't stop and do that during a rehearsal or performance.
I had this problem when I was in high school, which eventually developed into tendonitis and caused me to need to stop playing for a period of time until it healed. In my case, I had some weaknesses in my technique that needed tending to which caused tension - especially in my hands and wrists. I had a wonderful teacher in college, who had studied with Ivan Galamian and Dorothy Delay, who re-taught me from scratch. If you are studying with a private teacher, ask for an honest evaluation of what areas that might need remediation. I would also ask for input from any other professional who will give you a few minutes to listen and watch you play. Don't be afraid to take a few weeks or even months to slow down and re-learn anything that needs work, as it will pay much greater dividends in the future.
Muscles cramp or spasm when our bodies are short on Potassium. Try eating more veggies and fruits (tomatoes and bananas) with Potassium or get a bottle of Potassium pills and take one a day. No more. That should help.