Customer Reviews

The athletic musician: A guide to playing without pain

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The author is a working physiotherapist who specializes in relieving the often chronic injuries that plague musicians. This comprehensive guide to understanding, relieving and curing various repetitive stress injuries includes many of the exercises that were prescribed for me when I was suffering from repetitive strain. I am now pain free and have learned to relate to my instrument (electric bass guitar) in such a way that I will have years of making music free from pain and chronic inflammation. The writing is not overly technical but provides a very good understanding of what might be causing problems and some guidelines as to what is simple fatigue versus a developing injury. While she focuses most often on violin, her advice can be applied to any instrument, although you may need to consult with someone who is familiar with how your instrument is best played to reduce the risk of injury. Her writing style is open and engaging. Highly recommended!

After a year of computer/instrument tendonitis, I FINALLY found this book, which really gave a lot of good, CURRENT information. Better yet, I made the pilgrimage to see Dr. Paull in Stouffville, Ontario. It was worth the 10-hour drive. She gave me a lot of important information that contradicted a lot of misinformation given to me by well-intentioned doctors, chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, pharmacists, etc. who seem to just perpetuate the status quo of repetitive strain injuries and rehabilitation without really researching new information about them. Read this book, consult Dr. Paull and start playing again. Christine Harrison, the musician who co-wrote the book, had a musician's horror story to tell and she is now playing professionally again after a FIVE YEAR UNNECESSARY hiatus. The book also has excellent information regarding stretches, posture, excercises and anatomy. READ THIS BOOK AND GET THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO START PLAYING AGAIN! I did. I guarantee you can, too, if you follow Dr. Paull and Christine Harrison's advice. Good luck.

P.S. Doing hand strengthing excercises to get better? STOP NOW. You are probably hurting yourself. The only thing you should use to strengthen your hands is your instrument.

Every musician who wants to avoid a playing injury or is recovering from such an injury should own this book. This is not a read-once book but a book to use and refer to until one has it memorized. It gives easy-to-follow instructions for safe warming up, exercises and stretches to do at home and even some for doing on stage, ways to avoid injury and means to stay healthy when one has recovered. The psycological and social aspects which confront injured musicians are sensitively dealt with in "The Athletic Musician". The title already tells us that this is a relevant approach to treating the subject of musician's health. Read it, it could save your career!