Joint flexibility allows for greater agility, which musicians find helpful and others use to impress their friends. Excessive joint flexibility, however, strains the joint muscle tendon system which can lead to pain, weakness and instability. A distinction between a flexible joint and having hypermobility includes other considerations. According to the Ehlers Danlos Society, hypermobility spectrum…

Feeling aches, fatigue, pain, and you don’t know if you should apply heat or ice? Try a contrast bath. A contrast bath is a form of therapy that alternates between hot and cold water. The benefit is to cause constriction and relaxation from the temperature changes to pump out swelling and bring blood flow in. A contrast…

Wonder how to release pain or tension? Try an isometric muscle contraction through the area seeking your attention. Often muscles send signals of pain, fatigue, weakness and tightness, causing confusion as to how to provide relief. Isometric contractions are brief muscle contractions while keeping the muscle and adjacent joint in a fixed position. For sensations…

Returning to anything we have left behind after an injury or extended time away presents new challenges to the healing or deconditioned tissues. Drs. Norris and Fry created a return to play schedule that we’ve adapted for musicians, establishing a healthy work to rest ratio in returning to their instrument. Shorter workloads to longer rests…