Thursday, February 12, 2015

Harmful Effects Of Improper Violin Wrist Position

By Beryl Dalton


One of the most elegant yet difficult instrument to play is the violin. It is often part of an orchestra as it sounds dramatic. Violinists place it under their chin, along the shoulders, and held tightly by their hands. They use an arc or bow to make the strings sound and they certainly need to get their fingers and hands all coordinated to perform at their best.

Proper playing techniques contribute to making musical performances better. In addition, if the wrists are not properly positioned, there could be harmful health effects. Violin wrist position is an integral part of violin playing. Some violinists are at risk to carpal tunnel syndrome, which affects finger and hand movements necessary for playing instruments.

The wrist is composed of ligaments, bones, and muscles necessary for the movement and flex of the hands. Playing the violin requires a lot of hand activity, which is one of the triggers of this condition. If no proper medication is taken, it is possible that the person suffering this will have a permanent wrist injury. Some symptoms include numbness and loss of feeling of the fingers and hand, and hand muscle pains that occur mostly during night time.

Carpal tunnel is the space between carpal bones where the flex tendons and median nerves travel. The fingers are properly flexed by the flex tendons and the median nerves let the fingers feel. Playing instruments need a lot of finger and hand movements that is why these two need to function well.

Wrong posture, incorrect wrist position, and also wrong gripping techniques may also trigger this deficiency. The left part of the body of the violinist, including the left shoulders and hands, must be properly positioned as other parts the body may also be strained. It is necessary that instrumentalists take extra care of their physical health as they need to be fit in gripping the instrument and showing extra movements to entertain their spectators.

There are positions that need to be avoided. The collapsed position, for instance, must be corrected. This position allows the wrist to be bent and the fingers uncomfortably positioned. The proper way is to straighten the wrists instead with the fingers slightly bent nicely.

Violinists who perform on stage are visibly entertaining since they make violin playing look as simple as it seems. They look graceful indeed, but they do exert an amount of strength in order to perfect their performance. They also need to dance a little bit depending on the tempo of the music, which may stain some muscles of different parts of their body.

In order to avoid harmful effects to the body, proper positioning of the violin, balanced posture, and reduced tension need to be practiced. It is also important to exercise the hands and wrists as a warm up before starting to play. Aspiring and amateur violinists need to be coached by experienced music instructors for proper guidance.

Good physical health helps the mind and the soul to relax and consequently become healthy as well. Along with the motivation to become better at playing the violin, violinists need also to be determined in monitoring their health. Permanent damages to their hands and wrists can be possible if they will not take extra precaution. Thus, it is important to note that the most marvelous music is played by the healthiest of heart, mind, and body.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment