Why does my neck hurt after violin?

Fiddler’s neck is an occupational disease that affects violin and viola players. It is a cutaneous condition usually characterized by redness, thickening, and inflammation on the left side of the neck below the angle of the jaw where the instrument is held.

Why do some violinists not use a shoulder rest?

Holding a violin without a shoulder rest will allow you to play better in tune with less practice. It will also allow your sound to become richer, deeper, and more natural. Finally, it will allowy you to play with less tension and become almost immediately more comfortable.

Why does violin HURT?

The most common pains involve the upper part of the body: the back, the shoulders and the cervical spine (upper part of the spine). These physical pains result from an unnatural posture adopted by the violinist or the violist. They impose on their body a position and physical constraints that cause pain.

Why does my chin hurt after playing violin?

Neck and Jaw (TMJ) is Bent to the Left However, it is unavoidable as a violinist to not use the left neck and temporomandibular joint (or jaw) muscles more than the right. A right side bend stretch is one thing a violinist can do to alleviate this left neck and jaw muscle overuse.

Why do violinists put a cloth?

Many violinists that I know use some sort of cloth over their chinrest in order to improve comfort and absorb perspiration. It most likely also protects the instrument’s varnish from some wear and helps to prevent the instrument suddenly shifting around in performance.

Do pro violinists use shoulder rests?

Also the choice whether or not to use them is highly personal. There are fantastic violinists playing without shoulder rest and there are fantastic violinists playing with shoulder rest. If there would be ONE ideal shoulder rest (or none), every single soloist would use it.

How do you stop the pain when playing the violin?

How to prevent pain?

1. Find the right posture.
2. Listen to your body.
3. Warm up your muscles.
4. Take breaks.
5. Breathe well while playing.
6. Check and analyze your posture.
7. Stretch at the end of the practice.
8. Have a sporting activity.

Do violinists get scoliosis?

Unfortunately, a lot of violinists and violists DO have pain related to some degree of scoliosis of the spine. Problems can show up as back, neck, shoulder, or other pain.

What are the most common back problems for violinists?

Pain in the right shoulder, neck and upper back is not uncommon amongst violinists as well. Often times the shoulder blade, or scapula, can be slumped and pulled up and forward from overuse of the upper trapezius and pectoral muscles, and weakness of the lower scapular muscles. 4. Lazy Back Here we see a loss of the spine’s natural curves.

How can I reduce the pain of playing the violin?

These simple practices can limit the pain felt by the violinist or the violist. A muscle warm-up may seem trivial to an instrumentalist. And yet, the practice of the violin or the viola imposes unnatural positions. All athletes warm up their muscles before practicing intensely.

What are the top 6 violin postures that cause pain?

Top Six Violin Postures That Cause Pain and Violin Injuries 1 Arm Position. A good violin teacher will notice when your hand or wrist is not in an optimal… 2 Neck and Jaw (TMJ) is Bent to the Left. Here we see the neck is bent to the left. 3 Right Shoulder Girdle Slump. Pain in the right shoulder, neck and upper back is not uncommon…

Why does my left shoulder hurt when I play the violin?

Spinal Conditions. Excessive tension in the violin player’s left shoulder and neck muscles can also occur. This neck and shoulder pain is often due to inadequate or improperly fitted chin and shoulder rests. An excessively high elbow on the bowing arm will lead to a predisposition toward right shoulder problems,…