Overcoming Back Pain When Practicing Piano - Josh Wright Piano TV
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2010
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This episode explains basic concepts of Alexander Technique and Yoga that help minimize back piano when practicing. www.joshwrightpiano.com
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My back hurts so much right now lol
Mine too :(
mine also
same :/
Me too :'(
LMFAO same today i did 6 hours
I got a piano today. There was no warning in the manual about back pain. God damn this hurts.
I got one four days ago. Sweet Mother of God.
I just started too. I'm feeling a lot in between my shoulder blades. But maybe this is simply bc I'm not used to using these little muscles? Do you have this?
C P I do. I’ve been playing for almost 14 years and I never had any pain until this year when I started at a music school. My shoulders and traps hurt so much after practicing that I have to stretch for an hour afterwards to limit it. I have good posture, so I don’t know what the problem is. I wish I could help you, honestly, but I can’t even help myself.
Don't try the bayan, then lol. I've played Piano since I was 7. Recently been playing with a bayan and your upper back between shoulders gets quite sore, but not really noticeable until you quit practicing and try to move.
That helped me tremendously. I hope it goes well. I find that maintaining the proper S curve in your spine at all times is some of the greatest advice I got from my Alexander technique teacher
Thank you Josh! It finally just clicked that my back pain started becoming more and more frequent after I stopped regular yoga practice. It makes so much sense now!
Jessica Jeppson So glad it helped Jessica. Have a great day!
Same here!
This is all true and also solved a lot of pain to me. Another very importent tip is leaning the bench forward. Your back will be straight right away with much less effort (Grygory Sokolov also does this...). Not many pianists realise this but steinway used to have benches leaning forward. Expensive benches usualy have a height regulators beneath the bench legs so if you raise the back regulators you get your bench leaning forward. You can also be creative and cut a wine stopper in two and put beneath the back legs of the bench (make sure they have the same sise). I also had pain in the ribs and this really helped a lot alongside side with Alenxander posture and some yoga positions. If the back huts too much just get a hot water bottle and put it in your back so you don't have to use any medicine like "pain killers". A lot of the pain in muscular not articulatory and hot will relax the toraxic back muscles.
This breathing things is no joke i tried and it relaxes me , back pain is gone and i can play better, thanks for the info man !
Thank you so much for making this video. I've been struggling with back pain for several months now, that I thought I had to just live with. It was to the point that I could only practice in about 40 minute segments and then have to lay on the floor to try and relieve myself of pain. My back started to hurt even when I wasn't playing piano and simply doing normal things like driving. It's started to moving down my lower back which hurts now when I run. Thank you for this, it was so helpful!
Omg I’m going through this now literally 40 mins segments
Thank you for taking time to help with this. It was great. Thank you!
Definitely going to try this. I have preexisting back pain, and I'm having trouble practicing for very long at all.
Great advice - been struggling with back pain from practising several hours a day to the point where i can't practice long and didn't put it down to the piano - but it really is all to do with tension - thanks Josh
Omg... I was actually practicing ocean etude, it’s crazy that he used that as an example
Just what I needed! Thanks
lol Nice video. I never would have thought anyone would upload a video on back pain while playing piano let alone thinking I was the only one who suffers from this. I used to always have pain in the lower and mid sections of my back because I used to arch my back but I corrected that by sitting with proper form but now I have pain in my upper back because I still have to arch my back slightly so that I can reach the keys as it seems my piano is lower and the pedals are really close so I have
I had trouble with disks in the neck after over-doing it on the piano. A physical therapist gave me exercises including running a ball up the wall as high as I could and pulling a bar down from the ceiling. It makes a big difference. I wish I had consulted with a physical therapist early on when I started having trouble with stiffness in my back after practicing back in my 20's. I also like a stool with adjustable height.
Thanks so much :) I will check it out!
I’m physiotherapist and pianist (as a hobby, I studied at the conservatory but never go to the professional level). Biomechanics is absolute in conclusions: is impossible to fully relax spine on the sitting position without back. Even on desktop chairs is advised to leave up every 50 minutes and walk for 10 minutes and stretch a little bit.
Of course yoga helps a lot, but if possible is recommended to avoid going to the point of pain if possible.
The problem of postural pain in many jobs, study time and instrument players is the inhibition of the muscle fatigue perception because intense concentration.
Brain adopts a preferred mode to receive acoustic and tactile information but don’t let the “alarm signals” from the muscles pass until its level is really high.
This is the reason to make systematic stops and interrupt the ischemic process on back and shoulder muscles.
Of course the better the technique the less the muscle sufferance, but it will arrive soon or late. Genetic factors are also part of the thing, not all people experience pain at same level with equal stimulus.
Well trained spine will also provide higher resistance and resilience of the muscles, exercise is fundamental!
Josh you always have a relevant video for me when I'm looking for something and it's amazing. Sometimes it feels like you're reading my mind. I played Ocean for the first time in public recently and quickly realized how tense I was, barely got through it thinking I would have to stop in the middle because of how much pain i was in. So when you started playing it in this video it felt cathartic ! I think it had a lot to do with breathing. You could mention that humming also helps in knowing what notes you want to "sing", i hear a lot of concert pianists do this, it gets you a sense of the melody and harmony and might help memorize pieces so it's really a double win !
The shoulder roll is great, I did something similar while learning Ocean etude where I would roll my arms from the front to the back, sort of "pinching" shoulder blades and this would bring a lot of freedom to my arms, however I find it very difficult to maintain this position throughout the whole etude.
I also have those back pain issues and recently took an alexander technique class but sadly it was a bit short and I don't think i grasped the whole concept.
Anywho I'm curious if you have any more takes 13 years after this video, and also since you picked up working out (as far as I know) has this helped and do you target specific back exercises to facilitate long practice sessions ?
You might also touch on sitting posture, closedness to the piano etc. The Alexander technique teacher said I should be closer to the piano, and a little bit higher in order to really bring my back into it. However it feels like my arms are very limited in their movement when i'm this close.
Anyways thanks for all you're doing and much appreciation from France.
My back burns after 10 minutes of playing..,😧😧😧😧😧😧
Me too, I think it's because we are so focused on playing correctly we forget to breathe thus tension in the back... He says to try humming I guess it could help
I just started too. I'm feeling a lot in between my shoulder blades. But maybe this is simply bc I'm not used to using these little muscles? Do you have this?
@@Codiggity369 yeah I have this problem, you're not alone
@@montya5627 mine has been getting better! Just keep playing (with proper form of course)
@@Codiggity369 cool, thank you for the hope!
hello, Thanks !
this video help me a lot, i practice piano daily, so I have the pain, and It hurts my brain, and somehow I feel dizzy and sleep.
but I follow your guide along with another yoga practice, It did help me a lot . Thankss
I find that to
Thank you!
Tai chi is also good for releasing tension. It helps me with breath control posture and being in a relaxed yet controlled state when playing piano and singing. And when all else fails I take a day off and rest. I also use CBD oil to help with pain.
thats really helpful because i always get back pain!!!
No problem Brook :) I took a yoga class one summer and also found that those little foam cylinders used in working out and in yoga help a lot for immediate pain relief, then as you get more flexible and hold yourself in a more healthy way while sitting at the piano, the real cure will come about
It helps me a lots
Thanks!
thank you, i will try what you said.
mostafa hany Great! Let me know if you have any questions. Have a nice day!
I get so much pain and stiffness in the top of my back after I finish practicing
I just started too. I'm feeling a lot in between my shoulder blades. But maybe this is simply bc I'm not used to using these little muscles? Do you have this?
C P nah it doesn’t just happen for people who recently started playing. I’ve been playing for a few years and I still get back pain (probably because of my bad posture)
Same, a sharp pain in the top left next to my spine. Might be the mole there though.
For me different chairs/benches have dramatically different effects.
In particular angle, height, evenness and hardness of the seat.
Posture is super important but a good seat will help to maintain correct balanced posture
+
Great video! I stumbled onto this by accident while doing some work on my website DefeatingBackPain... my name is Josh too. I'm not a piano player, but I do play the drums which shares a lot of the same seated posture and muscular imbalance issues that can cause occasional back pain at first, changing to chronic if not treated properly & corrected. Take the good advice here, don't wait like I did & learn a healthy back lifestyle the hard way after ten years and 2 failed back surgeries!
My baaaaaaack!!!!
This is SO important for people to get into, of any instrument. I have chronic tendonitis in my right forearm due to over practice of crazy fast pieces back in high school and early college. Totally wiped me out and ruined my dreams of being a 'great' pianist. Unable to fully let my need to play go, though, I began seeking out knowledge on technique which lead me to alexander technique and andover educators. I bought the book "what every pianist needs to know about the body" by Thomas Mark and "what every musician needs to know about the body" by Barbara Conable. Both great books. I'm still not the best with this stuff, but it has definitely helped immensely as far as how I approach playing the piano. In practice, I'm ALWAYS seeking out the most efficient (for me) and 'balanced' way of moving from note to note. The tendonitis is chronic and still flares up (and I'll probably never be able to play certain pieces, or replay some that I played back in the day) but I do believe I've prevented it from getting any worse and I do enjoy daily work and play at the piano.
Consult the Taubman approach ... It deals with the arm, wrist, hand and fingers moving as one unit.
Rachel Starritt how do I go about learning these things. Do I get books and read, or are there people that you can physically consult to help??
to compensate that with sitting further back so I have proper pedalling form. Maybe I will try your stretching techniques to see if that helps as I am sure I am breathing right. Again, nice video, thanks for this.
Actual content begins at 3:20.
Ichiro Fakename wrong. It starts when you press play. Very informative
Thanks, lol
Thank you so much. Did not read this until I wanted to post this.
What the fuck does Carl k ow about pianos
James Finn
It may be rude but he’s right
Hey josh I think you should re-record some of your older videos so it’s in a higher quality format!
Gracias amigo
This video is old but very useful!
4 hours!!??? My back hurts after 30 minutes! Thank you for the tips - I'll try it. ...or maybe a beer or two might work too.
Did it worked
I Play the piano on a drummer stool is that alright? the seat is only a little soft so ii cant lean TO hard, nothing super far. but i had even worse back pain when i used a chair with blankets stacked up super high
Do you (or anyone else reading the comments) have an opinion about using the "Disc'O'Sit" product or something similar while playing piano. It's an unstable inflatable cushion, and sitting on it is billed as helping build strength in muscles and reducing back pain.
@Josh Wright - I just started. I'm feeling a lot of muscle fatigue in between my shoulder blades. But maybe this is simply bc I'm not used to using these little muscles? Is this normal? Do I just power through and let my muscles build stamina or is it a posture thing?
Hi, did you find a fix ? Can u share some tips please ?
I can't spend any time at the piano without my back hurting. This is really depressing.
45 minutes to an hour.. Wow, i can't go for more than 10 minutes without feeling like I wanna lie down for an eternity to rest this back.
Would be awesome to have the same video 10 years later and listen what do you think about this topic right now. :-)
You should tell some band directors about Alexander technique. That's the position you need to get the air you need to play.
I like the thread the needle pose in yoga and camel pose in yoga. They are great for opening shoulders and relaxing the lower back.
Josh, I've been told taller people should sit towards end of bench with weight on the forward part of the hips (in front of sit bones). Do you agree, or should it just be on the sit bones?
Michael Sweany Hi Michael - I've never really thought of that before. I know that the few Alexander Technique lessons I took had me sitting more on my sit bones. I'm about 5'11''. I don't know if that helps at all haha
Thanks. I have a hard time with positioning in general. Like knowing how high above the keys the wrist should be when hitting the notes. Also, I haven't completely grasped the Alexander technique. It looks very helpful, but I still struggle with freeing the neck and posture. I'll have to keep working on it!
Josh Wright Do you know if there are places in Australia where you can learn Alexander technique?? I’ve looked around but I can’t seem to find anything.
I don't know if this has anything to do with my height but, I'm 6'3, and its very uncomfortable for me to play...I can't even play 30 minutes without my back hurting and feeling too tired to hold me...My teacher always urges me to stand up straight but it's so hard. I just think it would be weird for me to join a yoga class when I'm 17 haha, i have such a bad back...
Ramsin Are you Scoliosis diagnosed?
The first time I tried the ball position and raising arms, my tension was instantly relieved, it was amazing. Unfortunately, readjusting myself closer to the piano made the pain come back again. Every other attempt of these exercises did not do anything, except make my spine confused as to where it should be. I really dont know what to do...
@@MildSatire Nope, I still have back pain after 30 minutes of piano. Slouching relieves the pain for me. Turns out I have hyperlordosis and sitting up straight makes the pain worse.
right now i cannot stand because my back is killing me ahhhhhh
I have both back and shoulder pain ;-;
i blame the cusion on the bench
Anybody else having a burn kinda feel In your upper back after 15-20 Minutes practice? It is so annoying. I have to lay down every 15 minutes for a rest from the pain playing piano.
Yup
@@lucaslucas191202 I actually fixed the problem. I am a tall person and my chair was not adjusted to my height and I was sitting to close to the piano. Pay attention to how you sit in front of the piano. Try diffrent things until you don't feel that burn.
@@op-th1yx
Hmm I tried raising the height of my piano but after a while the burn came back. I'll try different position though. Thanks for sharing tips