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Poise and Posture in Playing

© Cristina Stine

Without going into the intricacies of it all, playing the guitar (or any instrument for that matter) is a complex array of repeated, controlled, and exact muscular movements. The fact that these movements are repetitive makes us suceptible to muscle and tendon strains. Ranging from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome to Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, to others, there are various repetitive strain injuries (RSI) that can occur from guitar playing. Instead of allowing these hazards to become a deterrent, I have gathered some information that, if heeded, will be of assistance in preventing such injuries or alleviating their resulting pain.

One of the primary means of prevention and relief is stretching. In addition to improving your accuracy and fluidity, stretching strengthens your body, improves your range of motion, and relaxes both body and mind. Before playing, during breaks, and after playing, it is important to do stretches and perform self-massage to your arms and hands. You can find informative books on this at your local book store. A 15-minute break after an hour of playing is strongly suggested and I have found this to be of great benefit to my performance quality, in addition to alleviating tightness and discomfort in my arm and shoulder.

Numerous musicians have also found success with the Alexander Technique and the Feldenkrais Method which focus on improving movement and reducing stress in the body.

Read up on and experiment with these and other methodologies to see which your body responds to best. Regardless of which method of bodywork you choose, performing stretches will remain of utmost importance.

In addition to the strains of playing, if you mainly play sitting, this puts an additional strain on your spine. A well-designed chair and an occasional professional massage are a good investment in this case. For an in-depth discussion on this aspect, check out the following articles:

Sitting and Proper Positioning with the Guitar
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome in Guitarists

Improving and maintaining your body's flexibility and strength will not only help refine the quality of your sound, but will ensure your playing ability for years to come. So, do your stretches - and play on!

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