Here is something else I would like to know if anyone has tried? Ti Chi? I
have found it to be a very good, but not aggressive, exercise that stretches
more than taxes joints and muscles.
Vance Wood.
----- Original Message -----
From: "guy_and_liz Smith" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2006 12:10 PM
Subject: [LUTE] Re: Body pain (was Re: lute straps)
> Another possible contributing factor to shoulder pain is strength (or lack
> thereof). The shoulder joint depends in a big way on the muscles of the
> rotator cuff to hold everything together. I had problems with shoulder
pain
> several years ago (computers again ...). The orthopedist eventually
> determined that the root cause was the simple fact that years of sitting
at
> a computer for many hours a day and getting most of my exercise on a
bicycle
> had left my shoulder muscles too weak to properly support the joint. A few
> months carefully working with weights to strengthen those muscles largely
> eliminated the problem. Not necessarily the solution to every shoulder
> problem, but it's something that you should consider.
>
> Guy
>
>
> >From: Eric Liefeld <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >To: "Stephen Arndt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >CC: <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
> >Subject: [LUTE] Body pain (was Re: lute straps)
> >Date: Wed, 3 May 2006 20:09:24 -0600
> >
> >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]
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
