I was doing a lot of playing for my grade 7 recorder in the winter and I gradually noticed a really sore upper left arm and shoulder. I wouldn't have thought the treble would be heavy enough to cause problems but can't think of anything else I had done. Six months down the line physio has done nothing and I am going to try a chiropractor this afternoon. It is really sore most of the time now and I have had to abandon practicing for my next grade which I had planned for this summer.

I have had a stiff shoulder playing the violin but not playing woodwind. Are you standing straight as you play? Holding the recorder up for hours at a time isn't exactly a natural position anyway, maybe you are just unlucky. Hope it gets better.
Cat

I had it in my shoulder and down my left arm and wrist when I was busking once. It's just got worse from then on! Every time I play my clarinet for more than an hourish it gets all stiff. I know it's because I'm too tense when I play, especially over the break. Psychologically I seem to think that if I grip the clarinet harder with my left hand, then it'll be easier! It isn't, but maybe you're doing a similar sort of thing? It's getting better now that I consciously think of where I'm tense at.

Having just finished yet another scale session on my treble recorder I definitely noticed a stiff neck and shoulders. I'll try the next session in front of a mirror to see if I can spot any posture problems.

More worryingly, the top joints of my index fingers (especially the RH one) are stiff and painful at the moment, coinciding with lots of recorder practice. They are not painful when I play (any instrument), but rather when I'm relaxing. Anyone else had this problem?

trio - are you sure that your left shoulder/upper arm pain's not being caused by something else? Because the recorder is supported by the RIGHT hand (and the lips, of course), so your left arm shouldn't be taking any of the weight at all! Do you carry heavy bags on your left shoulder or over your left arm?

Ooh, it's just turned into Viva Woodwind all combined!

Edit - no, I'm going mad, it hasn't!

Shoulders are OK, but the bottom right hand corner of my right thumb doesn't look very pretty! A clarinet is a large weight to balance on such a small space.

I think this topic must have been some sort of bad omen. Yesterday my left forearm & wrist started to hurt while I was practising. Stupidly I didn't stop straightaway. Went to flute group last night & now have a very painful left forearm & wrist.
With an exam less than 3 weeks away I don't want not to play but am worried that it will worsen it if I do. Any ideas?

Yes, I often get my shoulders aching, and sometimes my finger tips go numb after playing. I think this is a combination of bad posture, possibly, and bad circulation.

Well I couldn't think of what else it could be. The chiropractor thought I was half way to getting a 'frozen shoulder' which is quite scarey, but with a couple of sessions and lots of icepacks to get the inflamation down, and on-going exercises she thinks I will be get back full movement in about 18 months. Quite alarming how something can just gradually build up like that. Maybe it was just tension along my neck and shoulders exacerbated by the practising.

I did, when I first started the flute. It still happens sometimes if I practise for a long time. I think it's probably to do with posture. I've recently taken up the clarinet and haven't had the same problem with that - yet!

A frozen shoulder is definitely not nice but it can be cured by heat treatment, exercises and, if necessary, being prescribed anti-inflammatories. Hope it gets better soon.

I don't get sore shoulders; I get sore forearms.

I used to get sore arms but now I use a neotech strap when playing my clarinet. It really does make it feel 50% lighter! I find it really difficult to play without the strap for long periods of time now. I even use it in exams. So I would definitely recommend getting one of you've been having trouble or if you simply have a wooden clarinet and are lazy

I've got one of those straps. However it's not always there when I need it!

sore right forearm and aching shoulders, mainly right at the base of my neck between my shoulderblades, becasue i dont play enough! but never with my recorder

When you are playing the recorder you should be all relaxed. I have found that a book by Walter Van Huwe, or how ever his name is spelt, is very helpful on how to hold the recorder with out any joints hurting. I ahve found it very useful and I have a joint condition in which I am all double jointed, and my joints move too far....I have to adapt moving as my joints don't tell my brain when to stop... and I don't feel any pain!!

whoops, i meant aching with my flute!

see the thread in the General forum titled 'Body mapping - Musician's Injuries'
think all musicians should see it...

cheers mates