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] > > >