About Thursday I noticed my right shoulder was really hurting. I assumed I slept on it wrong and it would go away. I managed rehearsal that night, we worked mainly on the Mozart Clarinet concerto and I didn’t have much playing to do. Friday morning my whole arm ached like crazy and I couldn’t even stir things in a pot on the hob with my right hand. I missed orchestra this morning, both because of the shoulder issues and because after last weekend’s intensive playing session I just wasn’t ready to dive back in.
Tonight I picked up my cello, and couldn’t play. For a minute it would be okay, but I’d get out to the tip of the bow and my shoulder would seize up. I had to put it down. I cancelled my lesson tomorrow, but he’s still coming out to do Christopher’s.
Frustrating.
Guanaco
24 February 2008 at 6:17 am
Ow, indeed.
I sure hope this gets better. Must be frustrating for you.
Erin
24 February 2008 at 1:40 pm
Yes, it’s a real pain because I took a couple days off after our weekend of playing, and then found I couldn’t practise at all. It’s getting better, I will try and play tonight and see how I am.
iona
24 February 2008 at 7:29 pm
I must suggest getting that checked out properly.It sounds quite similar to a problem I had for ages, which turned out to be a tendon(or something) trapped/pinched under the shoulder blade. I could barely iron. (My excuse anyway). It finally sorted itself out,(actually it ‘pinged out in the middle of the night) but it could have been alleviated much sooner with proper treatment.
Have it looked at.
Erin
25 February 2008 at 11:50 am
Iona that sounds really uncomfortable. I was thinking about getting it checked out, but it’s been getting better significantly each day, so I was going to give practising a go tonight. If it’s okay, I’ll leave it. I put a fair amount of stress on it by two and a half days straight playing (plus hauling cellos and suitcases on trains there and back), and then a thorough massage. So it’s not surprising something went weird.
I’ve managed to isolate it to not so much my shoulder, but a small muscle between my tricep and bicep in my right arm. Or tendon, could be a tendon.
It’s much better today so I’m thinking it will probably be okay. Thanks for the advice though, and if I still can’t play I’ll definitely go get it looked at.
Zee
25 February 2008 at 4:28 pm
Eek – sorry about your arm/shoulder!! I had issues like that in college and it was awful not to be able to play.
You might think about getting in to see a chiropractor: he/she would make sure your body was aligned properly, for starters, and likely could get you going on some good massage therapy.
Muscle work, though often painful at the time, really helps with any kinks and weirdness I have. Definitely makes a huge difference.