Do Musicians need to Exercise?

In the same manner that you fine tune your musical instrument, you must also fine tune your body.

As I have shared before, we are all athletes, and participating in an activity means your body has to take a toll since we weren’t designed to practice sports or playing  musical instruments more than the body can handle. Of course, if you want to become better at what you do, you have to practice. Treatment depends on what you want – do you want to be the best at what you do, or do you just want to optimize the health of your body? the choice is yours, but longevity should be a part of your fitness program. Missing out on the benefits of a corrective exercise program could shorten one’s career.

Musicians are Athletes

Of the few live musical events that I have been to, I have always been astounded by the incredible skill that the musicians display. The physical requirements are tremendous for musicians, most obviously the repetitive stress. More than 50% of adult classical musicians deal with orthopedic pain during their careers, and some of these lead onto more staggering injuries that end their promising careers.

Some of the common injuries are:

• Arthritis
• Tendinitis
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
• Neck, low back, shoulder pain

What to do as a Musician?

So are you just going to give up on your dream? Obviously not. Playing an instrument is physically demanding to the body, and you must properly balance your body to optimize your health and performance.

All musicians should perform a specific routine that is individualized to their activity and body. This should include a warm up, specific postural strengthening exercises that are designed to optimize your ability to play the instrument for the desired time each day. Myofascial stretching, and ELDOA Exercises are wonderful to improving the health of your body to prevent injuries. Spending a few minutes a day can may save your musical career!

Learn More

If you are a musician that is suffering from pain and wish to come up with an individualized plan to optimize the longevity of your career, contact us for more information at 510-292-9177 or info@fchlc.com