Hello and welcome back to Musician’s Maintenance where it’s my job to help you understand the injuries that musicians can end up with, and point you in the direction of what you can do to treat or prevent them.
Here’s what I’ve got this week 1) Tendinitis or Tendinopathy? 2) A wrist mobility routine 3) Exercises for cranky forearms and elbows.
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Let’s go!
1) Tendinitis or Tendinopathy?
One of the biggest injury misconceptions I come across is the difference between tendinitis and tendinopathy. It’s just a few letters at the end of the word, but it makes a huge difference in terms of which treatment strategy you choose.
Here’s a brief, accessible article that goes through the differences between the two. The short version is…if the problem has been gradually increasing for a while, you probably have tendinopathy, which requires a very different treatment approach than tendinitis.
Read: Understanding Tendinopathy | Healthline
Sponsor: Forearm Pain Digital Rehab Program
Pain and stiffness in the forearms is one of the most common sites of injury for musicians. Here’s an exercise program by Tom Walters, DPT of Rehab Science that was put together to address forearm pain. It’s a self-directed, very affordable (only $14.99) program that would be a great first step towards improving that elbow pain and stiffness before it becomes a serious problem.
Tennis Elbow Digital Rehab Program | Rehab Science (Affiliate: If you buy through this link, I get a small portion of the sale at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the Musician’s Maintenance mission!)
2) Wrist Mobility Routine
Wrists and hands are some of the most important areas for musicians to take care of. Here’s a nice routine from Austin Pancner of The Functional Musician that can help you do just that. They are easy, feel good exercises and are great to do right before practicing, or the evening after a long day of practicing.
Exercises: Wrist Mobility | The Functional Musician
3) Exercises for Cranky Forearms and Elbows
If you are not ready to pay for a more comprehensive program, but still have cranky forearms and elbows, here’s a nice Instagram post from Leada Malek, DPT with a few simple stretches and strength exercises that you can try.
She presents five exercises that are a combination of stretching, light strengthening, and self massage. I especially like how she offers ideas on how to get a good stretch in the forearm without too much compression at the wrist.
Exercises: Exercises for Cranky Forearms and Elbows | Leada Malek, DPT via Instagram