Healthy Habits for Musicians

Musicians engage in a repetitive motion of practicing and performing every day and throughout their entire career. Moreover, these motions may cause muscular and skeletal problems.

No matter whether you sing or play an instrument, it is essential to take care of your physical health by following simple health habits.

The most common problems of guitar/bass players and drummers for example are wrist problems, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis of the thumb, inflammation of the elbow and the extensor tendon.

This can be prevented by working on good posture. And posture is all about training the core body because the core is what keeps the posture engaged. To work on this, you need to go back to basics, to some floor exercises to train the core, along with some Theraball exercises. Maintaining a good posture, sitting up straight and tall is essential for keyboard/piano players and for those who have to sit for a long time as well.

Musicians are no different than athletes. They need to warm up properly and prepare for their performance or practice. Musicians can prepare before and after every performance or practice by doing stretches, increasing blood circulation going at the joints. An example of upper body warm-up would be a rotational motion of the shoulders, then rotational movements of elbows and wrists.

When you are playing or performing you might not think about it, but your body is linkedin to the quality of music you produce. If you neglect and not respect your body you will have consequences. The concentration, energy, and technical expertise will be wasted.