Violin playing uses the wrist in a position of continuous, sometimes severe exertion. Such activity can obviously cause injury over time, and so violinist sometimes wear a violin wrist aid to protect their arm and assist their playing.
A repetitive strain injury (RSI) is not uncommon among musicians, and happens to players of practically any instrument. It happens when the same specific motion is repeated many times through a sustained period of time, such as weeks or even months. The accumulated effect on the area in use is that the soft tissue (ligaments, tendons and muscles) becomes swollen and painful, and loses movement ability.
However, an RSI is difficult to determine before its acute stage. There are no symptoms before it becomes serious. The sudden manifestation of pain, swelling or hardening and reduced movement do not have prior warning and the musician is not going to realize that they are causing the injury. Once it has reached the acute stage, it takes a long time for an RSI to recover. Practise and performance then become much more difficult or even impossible.
The wrist is especially susceptible to RSI. Explaining this statement requires a brief description of the wrist's internal structure. The hand's palm is formed by bones known as the metacarpals. These are joined on one end to the carpals, or bones of the wrist, which are in turn connected to the two long forearm bones. The carpals are small, block-like bones that are massed together and connected securely by inflexible ligaments.
This configuration enables the larger range of movement that the wrist has. But overuse can result in injury to the connecting ligaments of the carpals, such as where the hand is always used for the same motion for hours on end. The ligaments swell and cause pain, and the hand cannot move as widely as it used to.
It is not surprising that the continuously exerted position displayed by the violinist's wrist during playing of the instrument is a serious risk factor for RSI. A ligament cannot change its shape or length, unlike muscles or tendons. It is therefore prone to injury through repetitive strain. It also takes much longer than other tissue types to heal because, structurally, it is so dense and strong, and also because its circulation is so limited. Where a tendon is inflamed and hard, the condition is known as tendinitis, and this is also a common problem among musicians, not only on the violin.
An injured musician cannot play to their usual ability. Their hand cannot move as it usually does, and the instrument's use is accompanied by pain.
Devoted musicians may argue that they should continue playing, regardless of pain or discomfort. But this is not as laudable as it may sound. An RSI becomes worse through continued performance of the original problematic exercise. It needs time to heal, and if it has no opportunity to do so, it may become more serious or even result in permanent damage to the affected tissue. In other words, the musician may never recover entirely. Those carrying such injuries should therefore consult a medical practitioner without hesitation and organize a rest interval in their practise routine.
A repetitive strain injury (RSI) is not uncommon among musicians, and happens to players of practically any instrument. It happens when the same specific motion is repeated many times through a sustained period of time, such as weeks or even months. The accumulated effect on the area in use is that the soft tissue (ligaments, tendons and muscles) becomes swollen and painful, and loses movement ability.
However, an RSI is difficult to determine before its acute stage. There are no symptoms before it becomes serious. The sudden manifestation of pain, swelling or hardening and reduced movement do not have prior warning and the musician is not going to realize that they are causing the injury. Once it has reached the acute stage, it takes a long time for an RSI to recover. Practise and performance then become much more difficult or even impossible.
The wrist is especially susceptible to RSI. Explaining this statement requires a brief description of the wrist's internal structure. The hand's palm is formed by bones known as the metacarpals. These are joined on one end to the carpals, or bones of the wrist, which are in turn connected to the two long forearm bones. The carpals are small, block-like bones that are massed together and connected securely by inflexible ligaments.
This configuration enables the larger range of movement that the wrist has. But overuse can result in injury to the connecting ligaments of the carpals, such as where the hand is always used for the same motion for hours on end. The ligaments swell and cause pain, and the hand cannot move as widely as it used to.
It is not surprising that the continuously exerted position displayed by the violinist's wrist during playing of the instrument is a serious risk factor for RSI. A ligament cannot change its shape or length, unlike muscles or tendons. It is therefore prone to injury through repetitive strain. It also takes much longer than other tissue types to heal because, structurally, it is so dense and strong, and also because its circulation is so limited. Where a tendon is inflamed and hard, the condition is known as tendinitis, and this is also a common problem among musicians, not only on the violin.
An injured musician cannot play to their usual ability. Their hand cannot move as it usually does, and the instrument's use is accompanied by pain.
Devoted musicians may argue that they should continue playing, regardless of pain or discomfort. But this is not as laudable as it may sound. An RSI becomes worse through continued performance of the original problematic exercise. It needs time to heal, and if it has no opportunity to do so, it may become more serious or even result in permanent damage to the affected tissue. In other words, the musician may never recover entirely. Those carrying such injuries should therefore consult a medical practitioner without hesitation and organize a rest interval in their practise routine.
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