"Life inside the music box ain't easy..."

Music has long been a form of expression, a way to vocalize feelings and events that cannot be contained to simple, dry words. At its most primal, it is the extension of one’s own heart, mind, and soul, and has been an integral part of humanity since the first rocks and sticks clanged together.

For musicians, the instruments they play become an extension of their very being. As such, they provide the comforting sounds, intricate chords, and sweet melodies that we hear every day. However, spending so much time creating music takes a physical toll on musicians, as well.

There are a slew of physical ailments that plague musicians, ranging from annoying tinges that can be stretched away to lasting pains that could lead to surgery down the road. The most overwhelmingly common complaint from musicians can be traced to pain caused by tendonitis. For many musicians, the development of tendonitis is viewed as a near certainty at some point. This annoying (and sometimes debilitating) condition is something that I have had some personal experience with—my hands, wrists, and elbows have all been affected in some way from playing music over time.

["Luna," my newest ukulele and current musical infatuation.]

*Regina Spektor - "Music Box"

"I can't let it bother me..."

Tendonitis is an inflammatory condition, often occurring at the wrist, knee, or elbow.¹ It is caused by the tearing of a tendon due to overwork or high muscle stress from repeated, controlled movements. It is common among “typists, carpenters, assembly line workers”¹…and of course, musicians. The repeated movements of a pianist’s fingers along the keys, or the constant strumming of a guitarist’s right wrist, make them susceptible to developing some form of tendonitis in their time playing music.

[Years of strumming has strained Zac's wrists.]

[The constant stretch and positioning of fingers on guitar frets causes Caitlin's hands and wrists strain in the long run.]

Carpal tunnel syndrome and “tennis elbow” are off-shoots of tendonitis. Carpal tunnel syndrome is characterized by a burning pain in the hand and wrist, following up the fingers. Tennis elbow presents as an ache around, you guessed it, the elbow, and despite its name, it is not limited to tennis players.² It may begin as a gradual pain, or as a sudden onset when lifting a heavy object, such as an instrument case or amplifier.

[Zac's guitar case and amplifier are heavy and difficult to tote around.]

My first experience with tendonitis was much like any other musician’s—it began as a small burning pain in my wrists and hands whenever I played the piano for too long. The pain would fade eventually once I stopped playing, but tended to return once I sat down to play some more. Tendonitis is pesky because of its habit of persistence, and can cause some serious damage if left untreated. It could manifest as a minor, mostly tolerable annoyance (like it does for me), or it could develop into intense pain that may render a musician unable to play.

[Over time, the fingers and wrist can be damaged by playing piano.]

Guitarists and other musicians who play with picks on fretted instruments are especially prone to tendonitis.¹ Gripping the pick too tightly can strain your thumb muscles, as well as gripping the instrument’s neck too hard with your left hand.

[Ukulele frets are considerably narrower than a guitar’s, and can be easier to stretch to form chords.]

*Jimmy Eat World - "Pain"

"You gotta be cool, relax..."

Something musicians need to keep in mind is that just because you play for so long, it doesn’t mean you’re destined to develop tendonitis. I always assumed there was nothing I could do to prevent developing carpal tunnel syndrome, but there really are some easy methods to keeping your hands and wrists protected.

[Warming up for just a few minutes can make a world of difference down the road.]

The first thing to keep in mind is to warm up before you play. Just like an athlete would stretch his muscles and warm up to prepare his body for a work out, musicians should stretch their tendons and muscles before playing. All you need is a simple stress ball to squeeze, or to knead some silly putty. Practicing this for ten minutes or so every day can help build and maintain muscle strength for playing music.¹

In an article on VoyageRecords.com, Phil and Vision Williams suggest this simple exercise for keeping your hands relaxed and ready to play:

“Grab a condensed soup can with your fingers, with the back of your hand up, and raise and lower it about 20 times a day using only your wrist. Do arm strengthening weight lifting with fairly light weights….Just a few repeats of these exercises each day gradually builds the muscles and helps prevent playing problems.”

The Williams’ warn against doing too many repetitions of the exercise, as it can lead to the exact pains you are trying to prevent.


Another way to help prevent (or ease) tendonitis is to simply stretch your fingers out from your hand.¹ The repetition of stretching and relaxing your hand, fingers, arms, and shoulders, is something you can do throughout the day (and you probably already do, without realizing it) and it helps keep your muscles relaxed.

Don't forget to take breaks while playing. This is something I can personally attest to, because after sitting at a piano for an hour or more, I can definitely feel the strain on my fingers, wrists, neck, shoulders…my entire upper body, really. Taking a short (5-10 minute) break every now and then can really help ease the stress of playing for hours on end. It sounds so simple that it shouldn’t even be worth mentioning, but anyone who’s ever gotten lost in their music could tell you that sometimes, stopping just isn’t an option.

[Caitlin's wrists have paid the price of long hours of playing.]

*Queen - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"

"Can I have some remedy? Remedy for me, please..."

Treating tendonitis can be as simple as taking an anti-inflammatory medication, like aspirin. Another very simple at-home treatment is to grab some ice (or a bag of peas) out of the freezer and apply it for a few minutes at a time wherever the pain is. The ice will help relieve inflammation and ease pain.

[Some common over-the-counter pain medication.]

Splints are a common vehicle for relief sought by many musicians. Almost every musician I know has an Ace bandage kept near their instrument case. A brace or splint immobilizes the strained muscle and helps to ease some pain.

[Caitlin is not a fan of her wrist brace.]

Surgery and cortisone shots are a last resort, reserved for treating severe pain from tendonitis. Nowadays, carpal tunnel corrective surgery is performed as an out-patient procedure, but it is still traumatizing for the tendons in the wrist, and should be taken very seriously. Steroid injections are helpful in treating mild to moderate tennis elbow, but recovery is a slow process that works best when any symptom-causing action is halted for up to six weeks.² This is stressful in its own right—I have had to give up my guitar for a time after developing pains, and it is hard to stay away.

*The Black Crowes - "Remedy"

"Have heart, my dear..."

Tendonitis is extremely pervasive within the musical community, but it doesn’t necessarily spell doom for a music career (or beloved hobby). I feel comfortable speaking for myself and my friends in saying that no pain would stop us from picking up any of our favorite instruments. Pain may slow us down, but throw an ice pack on it, and we’ll be back tomorrow. Or maybe in an hour…it doesn’t hurt so bad right now, anyway…

[A little (or even a lot of) pain won't keep Zac from playing.]

*Snow Patrol - "Run"

Works Cited

¹  Williams, Phil, and Vision Williams. "Tendinitis Problems Of Musicians - Identification, Prevention, Treatment - Voyager Recordings and Publications: Old Time Fiddle Music." Voyager Recordings & Publications. Web. 18 Apr. 2011. <http://www.voyagerrecords.com/artend.htm>

²  Winspur, Ian, and Parry C. B. Wynn. The Musician's Hand: A Clinical Study. London: Martin, Dunitz, 1998. Print


*All photos taken by Hannah Alzugaray