Below, you will find a listing of various prevention methods that can help prevent musculoskeletal performance-based injuries. Each section includes an active link to help you learn more and a brief description of the prevention method.
Dr. Cody Weisbach - Musician’s Injury Prevention Program: Here is a very basic start to an injury prevention program. The exercises below address the areas I think musicians will get the most benefit from. To get started, you can either do all of the exercises during a session, or scroll all the way down for a program recommendation that splits the exercises into two different workouts that can each be done 2-3 times per week. This program is just meant to be a starting point that is free and accessible. You’ll get more ideas from the weekly newsletter on ways to progress or regress the exercises to meet your needs, as well as other variations and approaches that musicians can use take to care for their body. Most importantly, don’t just watch the videos. Pick a time during the day where you have the time and energy and try to do the program for 30 days in a row to make maintaining your body a habit. https://musiciansmaintenance.com/musicians-injury-prevention-program/
Physical Warm-Ups: Physical warm-ups directly before practicing your instrument can be a great way to prevent injury, especially if done consistently! Physical warm-ups help to increase blood flow and elevate your heart rate before playing. For a great example of a physical warm-up routine for musicians, check out Dr. Cody Weisbach’s video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiDgLOxbFvU
Alexander Technique: The Alexander Technique is a method of learning to carry your body in a natural way without tension while playing your instrument or singing. A lot of what Alexander Technique involves is unlearning bad habits you have developed throughout your pedagogy pertaining to posture, hand position, etc. as well as learning to free held tension in your body during your everyday life. For more information, visit https://www.alexandertechnique.com/at.htm
Body Mapping: Similar to Alexander Technique, Body Mapping is "the term given by William and Barbara Conable to the process of constructively applying an understanding of anatomy to improving how we move" (https://www.alexandertechnique.com/articles/bodymap/). It is a method to correct and refine your "body map" in efforts to produce efficient, graceful, and coordinated movement. Your body map constitutes your self-representation in your brain and your assumptions or conception of what your body is like, whether it is in whole or part. For more information, visit http://bodymap.org/main/
Feldenkrais Method: The Feldenkrais Method is a method to become more aware of your habits and any tension held in your body while performing daily tasks in order to develop new, healthier ways of moving in your everyday life. Practicing the Feldenkrais Method regularly can not only benefit your instrumental playing but can also help to regulate your emotions, increase your range of bodily motion, heighten your overall thought-process, improve your flexibility, and most importantly prevent musculoskeletal injury. For more information, visit https://www.feldenkrais.com/
Taking Practice Breaks and Changing Your Self-Talk: Taking practice breaks and listening to your body is absolutely essential in preventing injury. Too often, we "play through the pain" in hopes to improve as much as possible in our practicing. While this may seem like the hard work you are expected to be putting in, you are likely overworking your muscles and body. It is important to respect to your body's needs and rest when you need to. At first, this will seem “unproductive” (trust me - I am the queen of productivity and this was very hard for me at first), but as you become more comfortable with taking breaks you will find it may be easier to become more efficient in the time you are practicing. For example, assign 20-30 minutes to learning one page of your concerto very well, with great attention to detail, phrasing, the shaping of each note, etc. Once this time is up, move onto the next task on your practice to-do list and repeat. Practicing in shorter intervals with great concentration can help you keep on track and get a lot more work done.
For examples of efficient practicing strategies, check out my Efficient Practicing Template or the work of Dr. Noa Kageyama or Dr. Molly Gebrian.
Taking breaks is sometimes unrealistic in performances and rehearsals, but any time you are not playing, take a microbreak. Here is a great video about the benefits of musicians taking microbreaks in regards to injury prevention by Dr. Cody Weisbach: https://youtu.be/iGJ8wEHb9so.
You may also consider simply dangling your arms by your sides during breaks in rehearsals. According to Janet Horvath's book Playing (Less) Hurt, which is another awesome resource with tons of info on injury prevention, dangling your arms by your sides for just one minute can restore and rejuvinate your muscles up to 80%.
Another beneficial method of learning to be kinder to yourself, take care of yourself, and take the breaks your body needs, you may begin to become aware of the way in which you talk to yourself both in the practice room and in your daily life. Do you talk to yourself the way you would talk to your best friend or a loved one? If not, consider implementing neutral self-talk at first (mindfully and non-judgementally labeling your thoughts or the situation at hand). Eventually, negative self-talk may be countered by a positive statement or thought. Affirmations can be helpful to some. Check out my Practice Room Affirmations for more ideas!