And of course I mis-typed the link, try:
http://www.triggerpointbook.com
Sorry for the clutter.
Eric
On May 3, 2006, at 8:09 PM, Eric Liefeld wrote:
> Dear Stephen,
>
> I was going to reply privately, but I'll broadcast here in the
> hope this can help others. I too suffer from a variety of pain
> issues in the neck and back, in my case likely caused by
> playing the violin for many years from childhood (in the
> modern school), and exacerbated by computer use. I have
> had frequent severe migraines for at least 35 years. I too
> have been through the gamut of treatments you list (plus
> a few) and I eventually resorted to just taking lots of pain
> medications... not an altogether healthy thing.
>
> In a rather desperate search for help about nine months
> ago I stumbled across a wonderful and well-written book
> ("The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook") that has literally
> saved my life. You can find it at http://www.trigerpointbook.com,
> and even get a discount when ordering through their site.
> I think its also widely available at the local Barnes and Noble.
>
> The author, Clair Davies, is a former piano tuner, and he
> has some insights into musician's injuries and issues. He
> basically takes you through every muscle in the body and
> teaches you how to work on them yourself with a few simple
> tools. This may sound strange at first, but I have been
> able to bring about *much* more improvement in my pain
> situation by working on myself than with any other method.
>
> Unlike lots of "treatments" that require a belief system of sorts,
> trigger points are very tangible, easy to find, and based on
> published medical literature. Trigger points are basically
> small contractions in muscle that tend to refer pain in predictable
> patterns that are described and illustrated in the book. Once
> you can understand, isolate, and work on the muscles that
> are causing your pain, I have no doubt that you can resolve
> it quickly. In my own case, I am almost completely off the
> pain meds and I can once again move like a human.
>
> I have also found this book particularly helpful with the
> typical repetitive strain issues encountered when playing
> instruments.
>
> Feel free to contact me off-line if you want more information.
>
> Best,
>
> Eric
>
> ps - The knife was in my *left* shoulder blade...
>
> On May 3, 2006, at 7:08 PM, Stephen Arndt wrote:
>
>> Dear Lute List,
>>
>> A long-time reader though infrequent contributor to this list, I
>> was on the
>> verge of posting a related topic when Katherine initiated the
>> thread on lute
>> straps, a thread that I have followed with great interest.
>>
>> Primarily from using a computer keyboard and mouse, I had
>> developed under my
>> right shoulder blade a "knot" that felt like a knife stabbing me
>> in the
>> back. The problem seemed to be exacerbated by reaching around the
>> lute,
>> which is a rather deep-bodied instrument. From my shoulder the
>> pain seemed
>> to radiate all the way down my arm, inflaming the ulnar nerve and
>> my wrist,
>> and numbing the ring and little finger of my right hand.
>>
>> I made several adjustments to my computer equipment (raising the
>> monitor,
>> switching the mouse to my left hand, etc.) and underwent chiropractic
>> treatment, acupuncture, massage, and medication therapy (muscle
>> relaxers and
>> pain pills). Yet, the problem was still so bad that I worried that
>> I would
>> have to give up the lute.
>>
>> Originally, I held the lute more or less in the classical guitar
>> style,
>> i.e., on my left thigh and using a footstool. Once my physical
>> problems
>> developed, I tried using a strap in the "traditional" manner,
>> i.e., tying it
>> to the first peg, wrapping it around my shoulder, and tucking it
>> in under my
>> right thigh, on which I now rested the body of the lute. Doing so
>> helped but
>> did not really solve the problem. In desperation I drove to the
>> nearest
>> "luthier" (a maker of violins, violas, and cellos, but not of
>> lutes), who
>> was two and a half hours away, and had him put two strap buttons
>> on my
>> instrument, since I was afraid of doing so myself and cracking my
>> instrument. I have since used both a regular, guitar-style strap,
>> attached
>> to the first peg and the clasp button, and the "slider-strap"
>> recently
>> mentioned on this list and attached to the clasp button and
>> another button
>> just below the neck. Doing so seems to have improved my tone since
>> I am able
>> to hold the lute higher, so that my forearm is more closely
>> parallel to the
>> strings, and has also alleviated the pain somewhat. At this point,
>> however,
>> I am merely managing the pain but have not been relieved of it.
>>
>> I would like to ask whether any other members of the lute list have
>> experienced similar physical problems and, if so, how they solved
>> them. I
>> would be very appreciative of any help anyone could give me.
>>
>> Thank you in advance,
>>
>> Stephen Arndt
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Katherine Davies" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> To: <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
>> Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 10:08 AM
>> Subject: [LUTE] Re: lute straps
>>
>>
>>> There are lots of renaissance pictures of people
>>> playing lutes while standing up without any sign of a
>>> strap. Does anyone do this? Any ideas on how - or if -
>>> it could be done?
>>>
>>> I'm not having a go at strap-users; I'm just a bit
>>> puzzled - I have enough trouble keeping the thing in
>>> place when I'm sitting down.
>>>
>>> thanks,
>>> Katherine Davies
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> To get on or off this list see list information at
>>> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>>
>>
>>
>
> ---------------
> Eric Liefeld
> (505) 526-1230
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
>
