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Wrist/little Finger Pain – English Concertina


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Folks

 

I've been learning the English concertina for about eighteen months now, and although I feel I've made great progress, I'm having a problem with pain in my right wrist or little finger, depending on how I position myself and the instrument. Is this a common problem, and is it something I should be able to resolve without seeing an expert (of which I know none).

 

Remster (East Anglia)

Edited by Remster
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A common Problem ?

Perhaps, but it might depend on what model of EC and how many hours you play. Also your way of playing/holding the instrument ( thumb in , thumb out, how big and strong your hands/ wrists are.. do you ride a bicycle or do other work or exercise with your hands etc etc)......So, if you have an instrument that is especially hard work to push and pull, or is of a large size, or one that leaks, you could be working your wrists harder than needs be.

 

If you play with your thumbs jambed all the way into the straps ( as I do) you could suffer from too much end pressure on your little fingers, especially if you play with the keyboard angled upwards thus putting extra pressure on little finger tips and perhaps your wrists are at an uncomfortable angle.

 

I generally do not suffer from these problems but perhaps I was more sensitive to them when I started on the EC. I find that getting the right height of chair makes a lot of difference to the angle of my hands and the comfort of playing.

 

Some people grip the EC between thumb and little finger to maintain an exact position to play the keyboard with the remaining three finger.. this could cause strain in the relatively weaker little finger. I encourage you to start using your little finger to play notes or , at least, release any 'death grip' tendancy that might have become a habit...Relax..........

Edited by Geoff Wooff
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Whether or not the finger rest is covered or shiny metal can possibly have an impact as well.

 

For me, I have found that having the finger rests leather covered reduces any pain issues with the little finger. In fact, I experimented with using thicker very soft leather (as opposed to the thin goatskin etc used for bellows) and prefer it. That leather came from a worn out ladies leather jacket - which was tanned to be soft.

 

Another approach to finger rests I have seen is a thin layer of cork applied just to the areas where the little finger makes contact (the face and the underside of the flange). This is also quite comfortable, and mostly maintains the appearance factor of the polished finger rest.

 

Either way, I find the nonslip finger rest surface reduces my tendancy to "death grip".

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Either way, I find the nonslip finger rest surface reduces my tendancy to "death grip".

Far too busy at the moment for a proper, in depth reply, but:

  • I "grip" the concertina between my thumb and little finger, but it is definitely not a "death grip". I put only the tip of my thumb into the loop, which gives me the flexibility of all the joints of my thumb for "adjustment". That flexibility also lets me reach the low notes much more easily than if my thumb were jammed in up to the hilt. My little finger is -- or can be -- sufficiently relaxed that it can slide forward and back under the plate, which affords me another dimension of flexibility. Occasionally, though rarely, I will even lift it free in order to press a button.
  • I never keep a fixed configuration of my hand for very long. I constantly adjust the positions of my fingers, angles of my wrists, flexing of my thumb and finger joints, and even the gross orientation of the concertina itself. This is one aspect of how I exert control over the instrument, but it also lets my muscles relax by turns, even if only briefly, while others are taking over the effort. Both theoretical analysis and personal experience tell me that "rigid is bad".
  • There are different kinds of pain, from different causes. Muscle pain, tendon pain, and nerve pain, and even variations on each. They feel different; their causes are usually different; and their "treatments" are also usually quite different.
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Either way, I find the nonslip finger rest surface reduces my tendancy to "death grip".

Far too busy at the moment for a proper, in depth reply, but:

  • I "grip" the concertina between my thumb and little finger, but it is definitely not a "death grip". I put only the tip of my thumb into the loop, which gives me the flexibility of all the joints of my thumb for "adjustment". That flexibility also lets me reach the low notes much more easily than if my thumb were jammed in up to the hilt. My little finger is -- or can be -- sufficiently relaxed that it can slide forward and back under the plate, which affords me another dimension of flexibility. Occasionally, though rarely, I will even lift it free in order to press a button.
  • I never keep a fixed configuration of my hand for very long. I constantly adjust the positions of my fingers, angles of my wrists, flexing of my thumb and finger joints, and even the gross orientation of the concertina itself. This is one aspect of how I exert control over the instrument, but it also lets my muscles relax by turns, even if only briefly, while others are taking over the effort. Both theoretical analysis and personal experience tell me that "rigid is bad".
  • There are different kinds of pain, from different causes. Muscle pain, tendon pain, and nerve pain, and even variations on each. They feel different; their causes are usually different; and their "treatments" are also usually quite different.

 

 

That all sounds good. I must think about keeping my hand position moving (I think I do that but haven't really paid attention to what's happening these days).

I have lined the pinky rest with thin smooth leather - I found the little curved ridge on the edge became very uncomfortable about a while. The leather still allows my finger to move around.

When I look at my hands now, after playing EC for quite a few years, I'm convinced that my little fingers are now bent, possibly a legacy of an early "death grip"!

Edited by spindizzy
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I don't rely on the pinkies (and thus the pinky rests) that much usually (since I tend to use them occasionally for playing notes).

 

Either I hold the concertina somehow tipped over on my palms (when standing) or I balance the right side of it (as many other players) on the right knee. In both cases I carry quite a bit of force through the thumbs (particularly on the draw).

 

Therefore I have altered the instrument by drilling a hole in each of the action boards in order to reveive machine screws (male and female) to steadier hold the thumb straps - and am quite happy with that.

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... I'm having a problem with pain in my right wrist or little finger, ...

... Remster (East Anglia)

My hints (for my playing style, which may not suit all) include:

1) Make sure that the instrument is played 'horizontal' - the same as if just hanging from the thumbstraps. I've seen people tilting it backwards by pushing forward on the finger rests, which puts a strain on the wrists.

2) Put just the first section of the thumbs in the thumb straps, and make sure that the straps are tight enough that the rest of the thumb has no tendency to slide through the loop.

3) The end of the little finger on my left hand sits (lightly) in the curved end of the pinkie rest, which gives me an absolute horizontal and vertical reference point for the other three fingers onto the keys.

4) The right side is similar, except that the little finger seems naturally to sit about half way along the pinkie rest, over the middle screw, probably to allow me to get easier to the low G.

5) I put almost no finger muscle pressure on the little fingers in either axis, except a bit to keep the bellows trimmed horizontally. I definitely do not grip between thumb and little finger - that direction is totally relaxed.

6) The inward or outward movement of the hands is transferred to the ends primarily through the thumb, but balanced by the little finger moving in parallel. The finger on the current key must also help a bit to stabilise the instrument, and also feeling the key top shape helps with keeping the reference frame, but the prime aim there is to keep the three key fingers light and mobile, in order to reach the full key range.

7) I want my forearms to be horizontal - if I'm sitting I tend to have the tina resting with the left end and a couple of bellows folds on my left thigh, and the right end more free to move. If the chair is high, I may put my foot up on something to get the thigh horizontal.

8) Keep your elbows close to your body - this ensures that your wrists are straight, not bent

9) Being able to move the tina is important to expression (watch Alistair Anderson!). There are some pieces that I just can't play with the tina on my knee, I need to be able to wave it around to get the expressiveness. It's also good to be able to play tina standing so if you are used to always having the tina on a knee, do practice playing with it in the air in front of you - it may be tiring at first but you soon get used to it, and it helps you get the tina (and your hands/wrists) into a natural unstressed posture.

10) Be adaptable and keep trying different postures - I just did the experiment of sitting on the sofa and found myself with my legs crossed and the tina on my right thigh! Too long in one position is bad, anyway.

 

I hope this helps.

 

P.S. where in East Anglia are you? I'm in Cambridge if you want to meet up some time (paul at paulhardy.net).

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2) Put just the first section of the thumbs in the thumb straps, and make sure that the straps are tight enough that the rest of the thumb has no tendency to slide through the loop.

 

I've only recently noticed that there are more than a few players holding their instrument that way, which never came to my mind spontanously. I do it just the other way round and am quite happy with that (whereby playing melodies with chordal backing indeed).

 

Does anyone know the initial idea of the inventor?

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2) Put just the first section of the thumbs in the thumb straps, and make sure that the straps are tight enough that the rest of the thumb has no tendency to slide through the loop.

 

I've only recently noticed that there are more than a few players holding their instrument that way, which never came to my mind spontanously. I do it just the other way round and am quite happy with that (whereby playing melodies with chordal backing indeed).

 

Does anyone know the initial idea of the inventor?

 

That's pretty :) clear, thank you!

 

So I happen to end up on sort of a renegade side... :ph34r:

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