On Cortisone and recovery
Many people ask me about cortisone and the role it played in my recovery, so I thought I’d write a little note on it. When I first had cortisone injections, it was administered by a regular doctor who just wanted to help. This was months before I finally got the correct diagnosis (a massive shoulder blade dysfunction) – and it did help, or rather so I thought. The pain disappeared, only to come back 2 months later with a vengeance, when the effect of the cortisone wore off. In other words, I returned to playing way too soon, and only made things worse by playing with a serious dysfunction. I just couldn’t feel the pain.
After I finally got the correct diagnosis from a orthopedic surgeon, and started my rehab program with the physiotherapist, it quickly became obvious that I had too much inflammation in the joint to be able to do the exercises that would eventually help, so I had 2 more shots spaced 2 months apart. This time, however, they were administered by the orthopedic surgeon working closely together with the physiotherapist, and this time it saved me. I had one shot in the space under the acromion, and another along the biceps tendon, and this allowed to do the exercises that over time restored my shoulder to healthy, normal function.
So in conclusion, cortisone used to mask pain or to allow you to play when you shouldn’t is a dangerous thing. Cortisone as part of conservative treatment (i.e. physiotherapy) can be necessary and very effective!
A new type of shoulder pad: A review
I recently saw an article in The Strad that immediately caught my attention. A guy in Japan had invented a shoulder pad (yes, a pad – not a rest) that attached to you instead of the violin. This – at least in in theory – should make it easier to move the violin around and change your playing position, which from a physical therapy point of view is a good thing. I contacted the guy and he kindly send me a test sample. It is very well made of non-slip neoprene and utilizes strong magnets inside the pad to hold it in place. As a player who usually tugs a thick wash cloth under my shirt, the concept isn’t new to me, but I’ve never seen it implemented in such a clever way. I decided that a short video would make this concept shine through more clearly, so here goes:
Double click the video to view full screen. I should stress, that if you are used to a rigid shoulder rest, moving to a pad requires learning how to hold the violin more with the left hand – if not, you will inevitably run the risk of pressing more up and forward with your shoulder (bad!), so experiment at your own risk! The MagiPad on the web is here.
Back in business
My wrist is fine again, and I’m playing full time. It took about a month, and according to medical science I should count myself lucky, as it can take up to 3 months for the overstretched ligaments to heal and fully contract. I have been busy freelancing a lot with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra in Sweden and practicing for upcoming auditions. I have also been preparing a few pieces to record for this website and expect to upload material within a week.
In other news, the article about my story in “Musikeren” (”The Musician”) is coming out in a few days. Stay tuned for more….
Downloads
A comprehensive literature list
When I was down and out with my shoulder injury, I desperately sought out any information I could find on shoulder injuries and especially if any other violinists/violists had any experience that could help me. Imagine my joy, when someday I stumbled upon this treatise by an American viola player, Michelle Rush, that had not only suffered the exact same injury that I had, but also read every single book and article on the subject, and then compiled a review of it all in a single treatise! This quickly turned into my most valuable resource in my quest for knowledge about my condition. I recently managed to track down Michelle and asked her if she would be ok with her treatise being posted here – she said she would be glad if I made it available here!
I’m convinced that this treatise can help others (particularly string players) in the same way that it helped me, and it is certainly a great resource for any injured musician. I am very grateful to Michelle, not only for writing it, but also for letting me post it here!
The PDF is here.
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Article in “Musikeren”
In March 2009 Danish magazine “Musikeren” (”The Musician”) ran a 4 page article about the story of my injury, the rehab and my return to playing, written by editor-in-chief Henrik Strube. The article is obviously in Danish, but I am working on an English translation.
The PDF is here.
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Curriculum Vitae
This is my full CV as a PDF file.
Wrist sprain
Given my recent close encounter with the subject, I decided to write a little about what it actually is, why it hurts so much and takes so long to heal. In your forearm you have 2 bones that rotate around each other. These are joined to the 8 small carpal bones that form your wrist and fit together like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. They are aligned in 2 rows of 4 and the whole thing is held together by a complex web of ligaments. Ligaments connect bones to each other and helps to stabilize the joint. (more…)
The full story
This is the full account of my injury survival story:
I am one of the lucky few that has made a full recovery from a near career ending shoulder injury. It took 2 years of intense, daily physiotherapy, economic hardship, depression, loss of work and a whole lot of pain, but I made it. I also learned a lot in the process and I am now determined to help others avoid the problems that I’ve had. Here is my story:
In the fall of 2005 I was living in Sweden and working full time in the Malmö Opera Orchestra, when I started experiencing a slight, but relentless pain on the front of my left shoulder when playing. (more…)
Speaking
“Anatomy and Injury Prevention for Musicians”
Intended for professional orchestras and university level music schools and academies, “Anatomy and Injury Prevention for Musicians” is the presentation I gave at Banff Centre in Canada in 2008 in an attempt to share the knowledge I gained in dealing with my own injury. Throughout my career I have had various teachers and colleagues tell me that I should be careful with my posture – but no one told why it was important or just how spectacularly bad things could go. Had someone sat me down with an anatomy book and explained to me how the body works and why good posture and strength is important, I would probably have been much more vigilant about these things. This is exactly the kind of information I tried to pass on with this presentation. Performance related injuries for musicians are very common, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I believe that with a little basic knowledge of anatomy, posture (more…)