By prdp - 05/06/2013 16:33 - United States
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prdp
7
Thanks for your nice comments! I kind of knew it would come eventually, because 3 generations of my family have consistently had carpal tunnel, but it was intensified by my piano playing (and especially the fast music I tend to choose to compensate for my inability to reach larger chords) and made the symptoms appear at a much earlier age than any of my relatives. Luckily, I'm not JUST a pianist! I'm also an extremely avid concert and marching brass player (a female brass player? Who knew they exist?) who plans to audition for drum corps in the very near future. Classical (though I also play some jazz) piano and band are my true loves, and I know I won't stop playing piano anytime soon, nor will I stop my other instruments. :)
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Hey, I get carpal tunnel too. A great way to alleviate the pain and prevent further injury is to soak your wrists in warm (but not too hot) water for 5-15 minutes. It really helps me! :) don't give up!
It's pretty common to develop carpal tunnel from piano playing. I've had a couple friends get half way through their piano performance degree in college only to have to start all over with another degree because of the pain in their hands. Good luck to you in your musical endeavors!
prdp
7
Thanks! I've heard of a few pianists (and woodwind players) with carpal tunnel too, that had to ease up. My piano teacher got tennis elbow from piano!
Never give up....
You're 14 OP, you're just now starting to come into your man body. Men can grow till their 25. Don't give up, maybe just ease up till your body catches up
Female. She's female. Says that in her comment :)
... Can you Post pics?
prdp
7
To show how small my hands are? I'm not sure pictures really can. How I usually describe it to my musician friends is that I can barely reach an octave on piano. Another way to describe it- with my fingers together and my hand flat, it's a bit smaller than an iPhone 4! (No deformities or anything that we know of, just really tiny hands. I'll admit I'm short too, but they're still disproportionately small).
Don't give up
As a fellow musician (woodwinds and pianist) who struggles with carpal tunnel, I send my sincerest condolences. Try mastering something else. You're only 14. I wouldn't suggest strings (especially violin/viola, as the wrist positions for those are KILLER on carpal tunnel and tendonitis), but why not a woodwind or brass? Possibly even percussion. I, to this day, as a woodwind specalist, wish I'd had stuck with percussion. With your piano background, you'd be amazing!
prdp
7
Thanks for the advice! I play brass (mostly horn and mellophone) almost as avidly as I do piano, so I'm not fully dependent on piano! This summer I'm actually focusing on horn a bit more than piano because I'd like to make all-state orchestra again, and march drum corps next year on mellophone.
FlawlessSin
5
Hey man, don't let that get you down. There's plenty of ways past Carpal Tunnel (coming from a computer programmer) and hey, if it doesn't work out, do something else you love, write songs for the piano, do something else artist. Find something you love ^_^
FYL! 14 and Carpal Tunnel Syndrom, now you will never get to learn the beauty of **** Hub.
omg sweetheart, that's terrible! D: I pray that your carpal tunnel lessens and you get a freaking growth spurt! :)
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Well if it's any consolation, you write well for a 14 year-old! :o
Being a musician can be painful. Take it from a guitarist.