Posture at the piano, Mine, not theirs! Options

[hammer action]

I've developed back pain and i'm sure it's from hours of sitting at a piano with my students. I'm aware that i don't always sit up straight, but find myself bent over or stretching at a funny angle when pointing at notes on the students book on the music rest. I try to walk around between lessons and do some stretching, but it's not always possible. I have a dull aching pain all over my lower back and ribs at the back. Anyone else suffer the same? If so, what's the best way to avoid it if possible? Thanks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piano.gif)

[Norway]

Could you stand up every lesson (at least you would be using slightly different muscles and would be freer to move around - some stooping might be involved but I stand up when teaching with no problems). Or alternate sitting and standing? Or, do theory at a table half way through some lessons? Or do more demos and get the pupil to do the leaning! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Seer_Green]

I have a dull aching pain all over my lower back and ribs at the back. Anyone else suffer the same?

Yes, but that's my fibromylagia and it's painful like that all the time, all day every day, so not specifically related to the piano...but...given the problems I have with this, I have had to change some of the things I do.

I no longer sit to one side of the pupil at the piano; this was mostly because there's not much space to stretch out and it inevitably introduces awkward stretching etc. I now have a small table a little bit further back, and sit at that which is much easier for writing etc. If I want to point something out quickly, I just tend to jump up and then sit back down. We have the great advantage of a duet stool so if I want to demonstrate something quickly, I just shuffle them to one side and sit down. If they want me to play a whole piece or suchlike, then I shift them out of the way and sit down to play. I get stiff and painful from sitting too long anyway, so I'm probably always up and down and will quite often stand for a bit. Most of them are used to this now and they've been told it's not because I'm bored or anything (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[corenfa]

I highly recommend this book - What Every Pianist Needs To Know About The Body - it helped me diagnose some of my problems. I was sitting too high and I was bending my wrists too much. Of course, my problems will be different from yours, but this book was really good at making me think about what I was doing wrong.

I know that your problems you say have to do with your posture when teaching rather than playing - but I still think it's pretty helpful. It helped me think about how I was sitting at my computer too.

[Norway]

What teachers actually plan to include in their lessons varies alot, and is affected by the set-up (school/ private) and students' needs.

I've thought about why it is that my back (which aches within an hour of car driving) gives me no trouble in piano lessons, and it is because no more than half of each lesson is spent on pieces.

I know this may not be possible, but if you are allowed to widen the range and type of activities, then you won't be stuck in one position for too long. Apart from the usual things, my lot do any of composition, choreography, music technology, conducting, playing a 2nd instrument, and lots of other activities. They enjoy it, and if you teach privately and your students are happy to do these things, this could be a good option.

If on the other hand, you are compelled to do the grade grind for several hours per day, you might just have to change sides, stand up sometimes, and change the activity more often than at present (eg piece - aural -piece - scales - piece - theory - duet). Going out to teach in other people's homes ensures greater variety in the environment, more breaks and more interruptions, which have the advantage of forcing you to move (even if it is to dodge the hungry pet Alsatian!)

[jpiano]

I was in a lot of discomfort a year or so ago. I think it may have coincided with changing from partly peri work (dashing around school trying to find pupils between lessons, walking to the station and back, generally more movement) and home teaching where I only get up to answer the door. My particular problem was lower back ache.I'm lucky not to have any other underlying conditions and the trouble has been totally solved by a change of seating to a very sturdy chair with great support to the lower back. It is a good height for the piano as well as I realised I was sitting too low and straining upwards. It took me a while to get used to it in terms of making sure my back remains supported and I don't lean forward but now it's fine.

A friend of mine suffers from fibromyalgia and teaches piano (for short periods only) using a chair that she bought from a specialist company- I tried it out myself and found it very uncomfortable but for her particular condition she finds it excellent. In fact it seems to follow her from one room to another.

[Splog]

Don't know if it's any use, but I found that a swivel chair helped me. That was of course teaching singing, when I was turning a lot from the piano to students who were not in front of me. May be of use if you are not sitting beside them on a duet stool.

I also have to have taller students far away from me otherwise it strains my neck to look up at them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[pitcher54]

I stand up and walk around during lessons, especially in schools where all the tables and chairs are designed for small people. Even so, I usually end the day in need of a warm bath to relieve the aches and pains.

At home I sit at one end of a sofa, sufficiently far away to give both myself and my students some personal space. The difficulty there is resisting the urge to slump!

[lou24]

I have a long term back problem. To avoid reaching I use a conductors baton to point to music for my adult pupils and a stick with a pointy finger on the end for the children.
You might also want to look at the Alexander technique which offers some good advice on posture.

[hammer action]

I have a long term back problem. To avoid reaching I use a conductors baton to point to music for my adult pupils and a stick with a pointy finger on the end for the children.
You might also want to look at the Alexander technique which offers some good advice on posture.

Ha ha!! I absolutely love the idea of a stick with a pointy finger! I'm sure the younger ones i teach would love that too! But, where would i get one? I had a look on eBay there but search results came back with nothing. The conductor's baton is also an excellent idea for adults, although i'm sure some of mine would appreciate the pointy finger stick too! I'd be very grateful if you could tell me where to get one from please! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[HelenVJ]

I have a really bad habit of sitting with my legs crossed. They're crossed now, as I'm sitting at the PC, and they're crossed when I'm teaching. I've been doing this for decades, even though I'm well aware that it's wrong, unbalances the hip joints etc. What I'm trying to do now to rectify this ( better late than never) is giving my students permission, whenever I mention their posture, to remind me to uncross my legs. Or, if they're too polite and well-mannered to do that, just to give me a meaningful look. Of course, I now prempt this, and remember to uncross my legs before talking about posture. But I think it'll be a very hard habit to get rid of entirely.

[lou24]

I have a long term back problem. To avoid reaching I use a conductors baton to point to music for my adult pupils and a stick with a pointy finger on the end for the children.
You might also want to look at the Alexander technique which offers some good advice on posture.

Ha ha!! I absolutely love the idea of a stick with a pointy finger! I'm sure the younger ones i teach would love that too! But, where would i get one? I had a look on eBay there but search results came back with nothing. The conductor's baton is also an excellent idea for adults, although i'm sure some of mine would appreciate the pointy finger stick too! I'd be very grateful if you could tell me where to get one from please! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I got the pointy stick from a book club at my sons school. I have just found the same ones on amazon under hand pointer though. Hope that helps. By the way I frequently use the finger pointer with the adults when I am just feeling to lazy to get up and swap the sticks around! I also use the stick to have the younger pupils point to the music as I play to improve their tracking of the printed music compared to what they are hearing. It is an activity that they like to do especially when I either intentionally or more often that not unintentionally make mistakes!!!

[hammer action]

I have a long term back problem. To avoid reaching I use a conductors baton to point to music for my adult pupils and a stick with a pointy finger on the end for the children.
You might also want to look at the Alexander technique which offers some good advice on posture.

Ha ha!! I absolutely love the idea of a stick with a pointy finger! I'm sure the younger ones i teach would love that too! But, where would i get one? I had a look on eBay there but search results came back with nothing. The conductor's baton is also an excellent idea for adults, although i'm sure some of mine would appreciate the pointy finger stick too! I'd be very grateful if you could tell me where to get one from please! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I got the pointy stick from a book club at my sons school. I have just found the same ones on amazon under hand pointer though. Hope that helps. By the way I frequently use the finger pointer with the adults when I am just feeling to lazy to get up and swap the sticks around! I also use the stick to have the younger pupils point to the music as I play to improve their tracking of the printed music compared to what they are hearing. It is an activity that they like to do especially when I either intentionally or more often that not unintentionally make mistakes!!!

Wonderful!! Many thanks, have just ordered one from Amazon there and looking forward to it arriving! My kids are going to love it! I'm sure my sore back will love it too. Thanks again, and i wouldn't be surprised if a few teachers on here will be ordering one too! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hurrah.gif)

[lou24]

I have a long term back problem. To avoid reaching I use a conductors baton to point to music for my adult pupils and a stick with a pointy finger on the end for the children.
You might also want to look at the Alexander technique which offers some good advice on posture.

Ha ha!! I absolutely love the idea of a stick with a pointy finger! I'm sure the younger ones i teach would love that too! But, where would i get one? I had a look on eBay there but search results came back with nothing. The conductor's baton is also an excellent idea for adults, although i'm sure some of mine would appreciate the pointy finger stick too! I'd be very grateful if you could tell me where to get one from please! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I got the pointy stick from a book club at my sons school. I have just found the same ones on amazon under hand pointer though. Hope that helps. By the way I frequently use the finger pointer with the adults when I am just feeling to lazy to get up and swap the sticks around! I also use the stick to have the younger pupils point to the music as I play to improve their tracking of the printed music compared to what they are hearing. It is an activity that they like to do especially when I either intentionally or more often that not unintentionally make mistakes!!!

Wonderful!! Many thanks, have just ordered one from Amazon there and looking forward to it arriving! My kids are going to love it! I'm sure my sore back will love it too. Thanks again, and i wouldn't be surprised if a few teachers on here will be ordering one too! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hurrah.gif)

Glad you found it and I hope it helps your back too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[Tenor Viol]

Like many I suffer from general lower back pain. I put up with it for may years, but one day I got fed-up and several things happened which have helped me (as ever results may vary!).

If I've got severe pain - difficulty moving, getting-up etc - then it's an osteopath appointment.Deep massage to relax those muscles that have clamped up and some gentle manipulation to put things where they ought to be.

I have a regular visit to a sports massage physiotherapist - this generally stops me from seizing up and reduces the need for the osteopath visits.

I used to have problems driving - it does depend on the car. I had terrible trouble with a Focus, but none with the Mercedes that followed it and none so far with the VW I've got now. The problem is the angle of the thigh/hip when seated. This was solved immediately by buying a wedge to sit on - it's made from a high density sealed-cell foam of some sort with a cloth cover. I put it on the driver's seat and problem went away.

I used to have problems when I started playing the viol. My left leg would cramp up after about 10 minutes or so and I'd get pins and needles. I now use the aforementioned wedge to sit on when playing viol or cello and generally I don't have problems.