tools for tuning and a sore back, was Re: SAT and hands

Barb Barasa bbarasa@tbcnet.com
Mon, 29 Jul 1996 18:33:54 -0500


>So much for her. Now I have a problem, which I hope someone can help me with.
>I have been having problems with my right shoulder blade. ( I am a right
>handed tuner).  A muscle has become very tight in teh shoulder blade area,
>and it gives me headaches. I have vibrating tool with a head on it, that
>helps, but the problem never goes away. (When I go to bed, I lay on the
>vibrator, and it relaxes the muscle.) (please no sick jokes here).


>Willem Blees RPT
>St. Louis

I would suggest trying a Feldenkrais trainer.  The Functional Integration
part of Feldenkrais work  involves VERY gentle movement of various body
parts by the trainer, which teaches the body how to move effectively.  I
have used this to avoid back pain when playing the violin for long hours
without having played for years.  Playing the violin is similar to tuning in
the sense that the body is twisted in a non-symetrical position.  The
Feldenkrais trainer here is a musician and sax teacher at the university
here himself, so he understands about this stuff first hand.

This is just one suggestion.  There are lots of "body work" solutions that
would also probably be effective.  But I can personally recommend good
Feldenkrais work as quite amazing.

I do not have any confidence in physical therapy as anything but a temporary
fix.  If your body is being used in an ineffective way, the "symptom" will
just re-appear.

Just my opinion.  This is also quite effective for arthritis and other
movement problems.  It doesn't "cure" the physiologic arthritis stuff, but
helps the body move as effectively as possible.

If you want a brochure or something, send me your address and I'll mail
something.  There are Feldenkrais books available at many bookstores and
university libraries -- both "popular" reading and very technical stuff.
(Feldenkrais started out as a physicist, but switched to investigating
physiology when he wanted to recover from severe damage to his legs without
surgery and stuff.)

Barb Barasa






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