The Playing (less) Hurt Blog

20% OFF SPRING SALE!!!

2008-04-30T17:08:00.002-05:00

Playing (less) Hurt

Happy Spring Everyone!
Spring is finally here! With Spring comes Graduations and Birthdays! Now is the perfect time to buy

Playing (less) Hurt!

Playing (less) Hurt - An Injury Prevention Guide for Musicians is a must have for all music students, teachers, and professionals. Give the gift of great advice from professional musician, author Janet Horvath! Over 185 pages of priceless advice, stretches, photos, and a 20 page resource list with anything from chair dealers to doctors to save their musical carrier!

20% OFF ALL ORDERS UNTIL JUNE!

Limited Time Offer! Order Now!

!!CLICK HERE TO ORDER!!

Online Ordering Is Back Up!

2008-03-08T22:45:00.002-06:00

Sorry for all of the recent problems with ordering online. We have completely revised the cart and it is now back up and working perfectly.

Thank You for Your Patience

Janet, and the PLH Staff

CLICK HERE TO ORDER NOW!

Upcoming Events...

2008-01-28T17:28:00.000-06:00

Stay tuned to the PLH Blog and the Upcoming Events page on our website for Janet's Lectures during this coming summer! She will be traveling in Colorado, Vermont, and Minnesota giving lectures. Click on the link above! Updates Coming Soon!

TIP OF THE MONTH: JANUARY

2008-01-06T08:39:00.000-06:00

WHEN TO USE ICE AND WHEN TO USE HEAT

When you feel you have overplayed, you have some pain, or for those hot, tired muscles after a heavy performance even when injury is absent, drop everything and ice the area. Icing accelerates recovery and promotes healing. Ice minimizes swelling and therefore allows blood flow to continue unrestricted, and is a good pain killer. Since your pain is minimized, it allows you to keep moving, which can prevent scar tissue from forming.

Keep ice packs handy and apply to the sore area over a thin towel 40 to 60 seconds several times a day just long enough to make the area numb, combined with gentle massaging by “painting” the ice over the painful areas when an injury first occurs.

Ice is not advised for anyone with circulatory problems. Avoid ice if you have RSD, Raynaud’s rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes.

Make sure that you stop playing and other hand intensive activity after icing. Do not stretch and do not play right after icing. You can injure yourself further, as your muscles are less flexible after icing.

Use heat to relieve pain when an injury is chronic or long term. Here is a rule of thumb:

Cold reduces pain and inflammation; heat assists in stretching.

Use HEAT BEFORE playing and ICE AFTER playing.

Heat can relax and soothe sore muscles. It can help you prepare to warm up prior to practicing or performing by gently warming up your hands if they are cold and by assisting with range of motion stretches. Never use hot water – stick to warm water. Heat should not be used when inflammation is present and when the injury is acute.

From Janet Horvath’s

Playing (less) Hurt- An Injury Prevention Guide for Musicians

Available for $23.95 at www.playinglesshurt.com

About Janet Video...

2007-12-23T18:15:00.001-06:00

The about Janet video is back online!!!

Click here to watch!

(you can also click here to view on youtube)

Links...

2007-12-06T13:48:00.001-06:00

Check at the bottom of the page for new links!!!

Janet appears at the LOAO - NPAC Conference in June!!!

2007-12-06T13:27:00.000-06:00

Janet has been invited to the League of American Orchestras NPAC conference in June! More information is coming soon. To learn more visit LOAO's Website. Also visit the National Performing Arts Convention Webpage.

New: Polls

2007-12-04T21:36:00.000-06:00

Check out our new polls on the side-bar!

Tip of the Month: December

2007-12-03T21:28:00.000-06:00

WARM UP!

Warmed muscles are more efficient, strong and resilient. Muscle speed and efficiency are enhanced by a rise in the temperature in the muscle. Muscles that are overused, fatigued and under-conditioned are more tense and require more work for a demanding task. An athlete wouldn’t think of starting in without a warm up!

It is important to start by gently and smoothly using our muscles for a few minutes to increase blood flow without stressing them. Cold muscles are inelastic!

First warm up away from the instrument. Any aerobic activity like a brisk 5- minute walk, stair-climbing, or jumping jacks followed by some upper extremity stretching will do the trick. These could include shoulder shrugs and rolls, reaching towards the ceiling, stretching your arms back behind you, clasping your hands and lifting your arms behind you, and some hand and arm circles are all good for warming up.

At the instrument start slowly and easily in the medium range of your instrument and at a medium tempo and dynamic. Avoid starting with chop busting exercises, double stops, large chords, any reaches and other pyrotechnics. How you start playing is more important than what you play. Working a muscle too quickly can cause the muscle to contract. Start gently and gradually increase the speed and intensity in each session. Take more time to warm up when it is cold outside, when you are more fatigued and especially after injury. Remember to keep breathing and to focus on the release of any awkward or strenuous positions.

From Janet Horvath’s

Playing (less) Hurt; An Injury Prevention Guide for Musicians

Available for $23.95 at www.playinglesshurt.com

Tip of the Month

2007-12-03T21:27:00.000-06:00

Starting in December of 2007 Janet will be posting monthly tips from her book and other sources.

Order Playing (less) Hurt!!!

2007-12-03T21:10:00.002-06:00

Check out my website

http://www.playinglesshurt.com to order my book:

Welcome to the Playing (less) Hurt Blog!!!

2007-12-03T21:00:00.000-06:00

This is a page where Janet Horvath will be posting current articles, resources, and tips.