Can Alexander Technique help musicians with back pain?
Whether you’re a guitarist, pianist or flautist, chances are you’ve experienced back pain at least once – if not chronically. Unfortunately, holding a musical instrument can cause an awful lot of stress and strain for the body. But the good news is that Alexander Technique can help relieve musician’s injuries, in both the short and long term.
Musicians and back pain
There’s a variety of reasons why musicians suffer back pain. For guitarists and pianists, causes include sitting on too high or too hard a seat, or forgetting to take breaks. For flautists, back pain often occurs between the shoulders – because holding a flute causes tension in this area. Meanwhile, drummers, who sit for long periods, frequently complain of lower back pain. Some musicians find that back pain leads to further complications, like headaches.
How can Alexander Technique help musicians with back pain?
Alexander Technique can bring relief from back pain in a number of ways. First of all, musicians learn to improve their posture and poise, by sitting up straight, still holding their instrument appropriately, but without putting pressure on, or overusing, their muscles.
Secondly, musicians learn to be acutely aware of their bodies and to look out for indications of tension, compression and pain. This is a god-send, because it allows you to stop before too much damage is done. After all, long-term problems generally occur because warning signs are ignored.
Listen & attend to the whispers of your body & you’ll never hear the screams.
One-on-one lessons – an ideal way forward
Most musicians learn Alexander Technique is one-on-one tuition. In that way, it’s a bit like learning an instrument. Rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach, students are given the undivided attention and care of a private teacher. The Alexander Technique teacher assesses the nature and causes of the musician’s particular problems, analyses how and why their practice is causing difficulties, and devises a tailor-made treatment & education plan. After all, even though there are commonalities across musicians, each and every individual is different. Where one person might be causing problems during rehearsals, another might suffer pain due to performance-related stress.
BodyTune workshop – our unique approach for Musicians
We have created a unique approach for musicians learning Alexander Technique, the BodyTune workshops. We combine Alexander Technique with body mapping, applied anatomy and some important coaching and planning for change. These small workshops are wonderfully intensive and practical.
Learning Alexander Technique; either in a one -on-one sessions or at a BodyTune workshop is learning that will relieve musicians’ aches and pains. Let us help you rediscover your joy in playing.