harmonicanick
1194 posts
May 28, 2011
10:33 AM
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Yesterday I could not raise my left arm up without a lot of pain.
I had been playing a lot the last two nights, till very late on both occasions.
It was fun, but I guess its the bodys way of saying 'whoa take it easy'
Anybody else get these symptoms?
Last Edited by on May 28, 2011 10:34 AM
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KingoBad
748 posts
May 28, 2011
1:37 PM
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Maybe you shouldn't play and do left handed pushups.
I'm not sure how playing harp - even in an extreme way - could make your arm hurt. Do you have an old sports injury or previous issues with your shoulder?
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Danny
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colynjames
10 posts
May 28, 2011
1:52 PM
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Just wanted to chime in here. I drive a truck, and in my duties, I sometimes need to balance the load better on the axles by sliding the rear trailer tandems forward or back, depending upon which direction will balance the weight upon the axles. If you don't know what I just said, that's okay...here's my point:
I have to bend over and reach in for a lever and pull it out to conduct this procedure. I did that one day, with no noticeable incident until the next day. I had a shooting pain from my neck, all the way down to my hip, and also down my arm. I actually had to take 2 days off of work and get some therapy. I didn't even realize I had done anything to injure myself.
Sometimes you can be doing something relatively innocuous and it ends up as a pain in your....um...arm, later. I notice that a lot of guys really do some serious physical activity while they are playing. You may want to monitor yourself and correct some of the more extreme things you may do. Even the way you hold your head when you play, and the amount of muscle tension can affect things. Trying to relax and play at the same time seem counter-intuitive, but muscle tension is a big player in weird injuries like that. Hope you feel better!
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harmonicanick
1197 posts
May 28, 2011
2:43 PM
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Right Colyn, it maybe an age thing also.
I try to avoid green bullet mic's because they are heeaavy and if you are playing for 3 hours then it is not good.
Danny, I have heard Paul Jones discussing harmonica related strain injuries with some great international players and constant gigging can lead to shoulder pain etc
As for push up's, I can't do 2 handed ones let alone 1 handed!
But, I swim every day.
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Aussiesucker
855 posts
May 28, 2011
5:14 PM
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@harmonicanick
Your darn tootin it's an age thing and it don't get any better! I'm in my 70s and nearly everyday I suffer from something I did the previous day. I only have to hammer one lousy nail into a fence and my shoulder aches for a day.
Cuppinig a mic (Fireball V) I find after ca 30mins my hand cramps up & virtually locks solid (quite painful). I don't do gigs so it's no big deal. My Dr says drink more water.
I don't do push ups but I swim distances every other day & keep fit. But you have to listen to what your body tells you which is a lot easier said than done.
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jbone
537 posts
May 29, 2011
7:05 AM
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a lot of the time in my life i have been doing something and had symptoms. early on in my harp playing i had a similar thing happen, my shoulders would be sore the next day or i'd get a pinched nerve in my neck. somewhere along the way i built up a little and this doesn't affect me like that. however- my stamina is much lass in recent years. i used to stay out til 1,2, 3 a.m. and work the next day. now the next day is more like eat, sleep, veg out, after a night of playing. while i'm doing it i feel marvelous but i pay for it the next day.
one thing i changed about blowing harp through a bullet was to hold my arms closer to my body i9nstead or more out to the sides. it helps. so does not playing all night much any more.
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Greg Heumann
1136 posts
May 29, 2011
9:32 AM
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If bullet weight is your problem, you might be playing the wrong bullet......
Just sayin'.....
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/Greg
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harmonicanick
1198 posts
May 29, 2011
10:12 AM
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Get your drift Greg:), but I choose to go through the pa wherever possible.
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oldwailer
1623 posts
May 29, 2011
11:13 AM
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Jeez, how fu*kin old are you?
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Always be yourself--unless you suck. . .
-Joss Whedon
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harmonicanick
1199 posts
May 29, 2011
3:24 PM
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60 mate, but I play non stop from 8.30 pm till 12-2 in the morning, standing up and non-stop..allright!!
Last Edited by on May 29, 2011 3:27 PM
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KingoBad
749 posts
May 29, 2011
7:05 PM
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I would make sure it isn't nerve pain. I could imagine putting extra stress on your neck and causing a pinch. That could certainly put you arm out of commission.
I used to get pinched nerves that soul shoot unbelievable pain down my arm from my shoulder. Of course it was from some heavyweight dude hanging on my neck trying to knee my guts out or head off.
If you have a regular checkup anytime soon, I'd certainly ask the doc.
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Danny
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nacoran
4152 posts
May 29, 2011
7:10 PM
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Me it's my feet. Being a portly fellow I get my best breath standing up, but I've got heel spurs in both feet so more than 10 minutes standing and I'm in pain. (I can walk around a lot longer. It seems to be something about how the wait is distributed when I'm standing pretty much in one place.) My hands cramp a bit too when I'm cupping a mic. Most of the time I play acoustic so it's not a big deal.
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Nate
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mlefree
46 posts
May 30, 2011
10:36 AM
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KingoBad, you've hit the nail right on the... neck!
As a sufferer of many spine-related problems, stress on my neck is something I have to be very careful to avoid (broke my neck in a car wreck years ago). Fortunately most of it involves good posture, which is also good for your harmonica tone. I need to keep a straight spine and neck or I am asking for trouble. No tilting my head when I play!
There are some harp-related problem areas. One is the old two-hole shake. Another is rack playing. If you have to strain and twist your neck to play your harp in a rack you will soon develop problems if you don't already have them. A heavy rack can cause neck problems just because of its weight.
The funny thing about spinal problems is that sometimes you know ~right away~ when you've injured something and others you may not know for hours or even until the next day. Further, as others have noted, spinal problems can manifest themselves in mysterious ways. Pains down the shoulder and arm are classic symptoms.
Good, straight, relaxed posture will help your back and neck as well as your harmonica playing.
Michelle
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