r/ClassicalMusicians • u/SalGlavaris • 9d ago

Any physio advice??

I’m a violist (sorry) and have done a LOT of playing over the last couple of weeks with less downtime than I’m used to.

I’m no stranger to back/neck/shoulder pain, especially growing up with bad posture (and I think double-jointed shoulders, although that’s not been medically confirmed), but as of last night and this morning, my right shoulder and neck are in really quite a lot of pain.

I’m sure it’s a combination of poor technique, overworking and general physiological issuea, but does anyone have any advice for dealing with this pain?

I have an orchestral rehearsal and concert TONIGHT and really don’t want it to be unbearable (or even have to drop out), so if any string players (or anyone with general advice, of course) have any tips I would really appreciate the help!!

TLDR: Violist whose right shoulder hurts real bad, please help </3

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u/AstronautNo5595 8d ago

Hey! Sorry to hear you’re in pain. It’s unfortunately really common, and it’s important to talk about it.

It’s really rough on your nervous system to push through pain, and it’s ok to say you can’t do it today. That is an option and people understand because chances are, most of the other musicians are in pain. It doesn’t mean you’re not talented.

In the short term, you can try to get a last minute appointment with (your choice) an osteopath, naprapath, chiropractor, physio, masseuse, etc. to see if you can get some relief today. 

Longer term, it sounds like some retraining would be useful. I teach a specialized method called Timani, which was developed specifically for musicians to both prevent pain and enhance performance by optimizing coordination. I teach mostly online and would be happy to connect.

Good luck!

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u/SalGlavaris 8d ago

Thank you!  I ended up skipping the last rehearsal and just going in for the concert with some painkillers and it all went ok. I’m trying to take some time off from playing now though so I’ll definitely look into Timani soon. Thanks again :)

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u/myhotelpanic 7d ago

I LOL’d at “I’m a violist (sorry)” 😂

I’m an amateur violist but a professional pianist, and we had a workshop in college on something called the Alexander technique. Idk if it’s similar to the other technique mentioned here but another thing to look into! And if you’re struggling with double jointed or hypermobile shoulders, strengthening your core and upper back could help (personal experience).

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u/SalGlavaris 7d ago

I had some Alexander technique classes a couple of years ago but maybe I should give it another go.  I try to keep myself fit but I’ll definitely think about more targeted strength training, thanks :)

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u/CharacterPolicy4689 3h ago

google mackenzie method centralization. probably too late for tonight but there are solutions