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Transforming embouchure injury



 
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RNJTrumpet
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 4:22 pm    Post subject: Transforming embouchure injury Reply with quote

**Warning, long drawn out essay...I just had to share

Hello all, I wanted to share my experience with a recent chop injury that was somewhat transforming. First of all I am a complete hobbiest and have been playing for 3 years. With that said, trumpet playing has completely consumed me. I took private lessons weekly, practice 2 - 4 hours daily, and constatly read books and blogs. On top of that I spent oodles of time and money trying mouthpieces and horns. Trumpet playing consumed my daily concious thought...it had become my obesession.

Two months ago all that came to a screetching halt. I had been rehearsing for 3 different gigs without modifiying my existing routine. About a week prior to a pretty demanding gig my chops stopped working. I could play, but notes were flat, endurance was gone, anything above G in the staff took 4x as much work as it did just days before. It was as if overnight someone just shut my abilty to play off. My chops were a little stiff, but nothing I hadn't dealt with before...I just couldn't play!!!

I played the gig - fortunately there were 3 other players to back me up, but I bombed my solo (which I knew I would, so I kept it simple). No big deal, just a week prior I had strong chops, functional up to Bb above the staff (D or E in the practice room...I didn't say I had monsterchops!) - so I thought a day or so and I'll be able to get back into it, just like having sore chops before. Three days rest later (the first time I did that in 3 years of playing) - no dice, chops still dont work - no range, no endurance, flat tone, very sore face...etc.

What was I supposed to do now? The thing that I loved doing, that consumed my thought, spent hours of my day on...I could no longer do. Depression most certainly set in. I surfed the TH and TM blogs - many replies, mostly students and professionals in a much worse situation than I - they HAD to perform - now I really feel for any blogger that is a pro or student with a chop injury. What was more disconcerting to me is that there were a range of replies - take a day off and play, take a week off, dont take any time off...pedal tones, buzzing, ice, heat, surgery, equipment...etc - there were NO straight answers. I was ready to do a mass eBay listing and sell all my stuff...no kidding.

I showed up at a gig without my horn, just to help with set up - another trumpeter figured out why I wasn't playing and shared his similar experience where he was about to quit. He is a fantastic player, so I felt better about my prostects. At that point I knew I had to accept this injury, and understand that it would take me months to recover (a prospect that was unthinkable just a few days earlier).

I decided to dig deeper, and found (from TH) Lucinda Lewis (embouchures.com) and Dr. Richard Cox (r-bcox@ix.netcom.com), both of which helped me get back on track. Dr. Cox was VERY kind, and took about 45min out of his busy schedule to get me on the road to recovery. Ms. Lewis' book 'Broken Embouchures' gave me an understanding of embouchure overuse and realistic recovery expectations.

On top of that I evaluated my mouthpiece placement and equipment, based on suggestions and came up with the best possible set up. This was about 6 weeks ago - I am now at about 25% of what I was two weeks prior to my injury...but I was at 5% 6 weeks ago!

Here's the good:

I cut my practice to about 30 - 45 min a day, and spend a LOT more time with my family. I am slowly increasing my time, but will probably stop at 1 1/2 hours.

I picked up guitar and learning quick! (another outlet to feed the music monster, it helps but its like drinking decaf)

I have a greater understanding of how my embouchure works, and now what I feel is optimal placement.

I don't spend hours on eBay or TH (except for tonight - I guess that could be percieved as bad however I probably saved a couple hundred dollars in the last 6 weeks!)

I play 1 mouthpiece on 1 horn...and it will stay that way (at least until I feel 100% )

Overall - I feel like the 'trumpet spell' has been lifted, I am no longer consumed with playing. But that doesn't take away my love for the trumpet...just my obsession with it.

I'm most definitely on the road to recovery - pain is gone, I just need to restore my endurance. I expect a full recovery in a few months.

Why share all of this? I read all the posts of HS and college kids (and some professionals) asking for quick help, they injured themselves and need help because they have an audition or a gig next week...and saw all the replies, most of which were excellent - but came from different angles, which can be confusing. It breaks my heart knowing that they may be in for a long road, and just don't know it yet...or its worse than they know, and could be knocked out of the game entirely if they don't seek professional help. So, I thought I'd share my experience and what is working for me.

The hardest part of all of accepting that it will take a long time to get back to where I was.

Contacting Ms. Lewis and Dr. Cox early was VITAL. Dr Cox is open to listening to anyone who needs his help.

Overall this injury is put trumpet playing and my life into perspective. 5 years from now, I'll look back at this time and it will be a blip - but a very important blip to me as a musician and person. Again I'm a hobbiest, I don't need trumpet to put food on my table, or maintain a scholarship - I truly feel for those who need to play and have sustained injury.

Thank you for reading...
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Pete Anderson
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

From what I understand, you were practicing more than maybe you should have been, but there was never an "event" (a pinch, pull, etc)? You just went to bed one day, your chops feeling great, and the next day you couldn't play at all?

Quote:
very sore face


What part of your face was sore specifically? Were your lips sore, or was the muscle around them sore? Or was it your cheeks?


In talking to Lewis and Cox what did you determine was the problem? I wouldn't expect just "general overuse" to take so long to recover from, at least not unless you continued playing on your injured chops for a while. Was it a pulled muscle of some sort? Bruised lip?
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RNJTrumpet
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 7:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pete Anderson wrote:
From what I understand, you were practicing more than maybe you should have been, but there was never an "event" (a pinch, pull, etc)? You just went to bed one day, your chops feeling great, and the next day you couldn't play at all?

Quote:
very sore face


What part of your face was sore specifically? Were your lips sore, or was the muscle around them sore? Or was it your cheeks?


In talking to Lewis and Cox what did you determine was the problem? I wouldn't expect just "general overuse" to take so long to recover from, at least not unless you continued playing on your injured chops for a while. Was it a pulled muscle of some sort? Bruised lip?



Yea, no true 'event' - looking back I could say I felt it coming on. There was a long rehearsal that I would say was the 'straw that broke the camel's back.' No pinch, pull, or pop (orbicularis oris is definitely intact. All the musculature you mentioned was sore.

I was probably bruised and playing on it for a while - there was significant discoloration under my top lip. My interaction with Ms Lewis was via email, and didn't offer an opinion on my condition - however she felt it was the result of an underlying dysfunction as she describes on her website. Her theory does believe that overuse can lead to the problems I describe.

Dr Cox thought I came close to a tear based on a thorough interview - but he refrained from a diagnosis since it was over the telephone. I believe he came to his conclusion since I was still able to get a good seal, no matter about my lousy endourance - plus there was no lump which usually indicates a tear.

The common denominator by the two was neuromuscular dysfunction. Probably overuse leading over compensation (ie pressure, distorted embouchure...etc) to get the job done. Doing that over a period of time probably led to bruise, swelling, and mucle soreness (using the compensating embouchure vs the one I was used to).

Chronic pain and swelling shut the neuromuscular system down. Which is why it took me much more effort to get higher in the staff - but I was compensating to get there. A simlilar thing happens in runner's knee - pain under the knee cap causes relflex inhibition of the quadriceps muscle. The runner compensates using other muscles, then ends up with bigger problems. (I was a PT in a previous life)

Just like in Runners Knee, Ms. Lewis' approach is re-setting the neuromuscular imbalance.

Dr. Cox gave me some common sense ideas to work with, heat (to facial muscles as well as lips) and ice. Continued easy playing up to fatigue, but not beyond. Lead pipe buzzing to find my center of pitch. But he encouraged me to see my regular physician to rule anything else out.

All helped the process - normal soft tissue healing takes about 6 weeks, so it is hard to say what would have happened if I just rested for 6 weeks! Ms Lewis' findings is some who layoff for a few months came back with the same problems.
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stanton
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

RNJ-

I will be PMing you.

I have been in your shoes TWICE, with different stuff and have some thoughts.

Just wondering, since you are "resetting" neurological stuff, were you diagnosed with Focal Dystonia?

Good luck,
Stanton
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RNJTrumpet
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 9:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

stanton wrote:
RNJ-

I will be PMing you.

I have been in your shoes TWICE, with different stuff and have some thoughts.

Just wondering, since you are "resetting" neurological stuff, were you diagnosed with Focal Dystonia?

Good luck,
Stanton


Thank you Stanton - I saw my regular physician, he did not diagnose me with Focal Dystonia. Dr Cox did not come to that conclusion either.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts about this.
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Pete Anderson
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 9:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very interesting, thanks for sharing and let us know how the recovery goes!
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tradjazzman
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good luck, and yes keep us posted.

I had a similiar issue earlier this year. I've had sore chops before but NEVER in my 40 years of playing did I get to the point where I could NOT hardley get a sound out of the horn. I too had a very long tough schedule and then one day I was doing a long Jazz gig as part of a parade and well ..............my sound shut down. It was like my lips just would no longer work. I felt a sharp pain a few days prior to this after a long week of playing (but again didn't think much of it). For a few days I was a crazy man trying to figure what happened. The more I tried to play, the worst it got. So I finaly just put the horn away and every day slowly , very slowly tried to play a little.

In my case I think in only a few weeks I was playing okay, but it realy took me nearly 6 months till I finally felt like my old self again.

Words can't describe how grateful and happy I was to realize that I did not do any severe damage. I now do my best to play smarter. I still play hard and high on occasion, but I try to use less pressure and when things are starting to feel wrong, I bail out and rest when ever I can. I actually think I am playing better now than ever before. More brain and less lip, and less arm muscles! Just remember FLESH N BLOOD BABY.

Best of luck.
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royjohn
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 11:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've had an interest in this topic since one of my first teachers in my comeback was only in town to give me lessons because he was recovering from a severe lip injury caused by falling on his face off a bicycle in a Triathlon. He had surgery in Canada to repair his lip eventually but said he was never the same player again.

Later I became more interested in playing injuries when I sustained a freaky injury to my diaphragm (just hernia prone). I had a six inch hole in my diaphragm, the grandaddy of all hiatal hernias, which took three operations to finally get closed right. A little different from embouchure overuse, but it sure made me sympathetic and, with my interest in the embouchure anyway, I read everything I could find about embouchure overuse and have participated in most of the threads we've had on TH on it.

I was kind of advised not to return to playing after my third surgery, but I read that "if you can cough and sneeze, you can play high, so I began again with the idea that I would certainly be a non-pressure player and avoid another 20 days in the hospital. The doctor had said, "Well, if we have to do this again, you'll probably have to go to UCLA (I live in Tennessee) and they'll have to make you a new stomach." You would think that that would get your heart right and keep it there. I have made a lot of progress on playing easily in the upper register, sometimes feeling like I"m just sailing up there.

Well, this cautionary tale is that I have been playing a lot on a small bore Eb trumpet, learning the Neruda and the Haydn concertos. I am not as diligent as I should be and have missed a few days of playing. A few days ago I noticed that I was using entirely too much pressure and I even felt something (slight pain) down in my diaphragm. Well, I think everything is OK, but I had forgotten to pay attention and strayed away from my commitment to easy playing while pursuing that concert high Db in the Haydn. So I can understand folks saying, "how could I have failed to realize . . . . . "

I am becoming a real fan of the Zen of trumpet. BE aware, be one with the air, attention, attention, attention. If what you're doing isn't working, if it isn't easy, stop and figure out why. And rest. We can all be led astray if we forget.
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Comeback
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 3:37 am    Post subject: Comebackers: You May Want to Read this Thread! Reply with quote

OP and others, thank you for your valuable accounts. Memories of long-ago capabilities, probably enhanced by time, sometimes tempt me to push too hard. Better to seek and maintain balance and enjoy the musical journey.
Comeback
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roynj
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 7:57 am    Post subject: Re: Transforming embouchure injury Reply with quote

[quote="RNJTrumpetFirst of all I am a complete hobbiest and have been playing for 3 years. With that said, trumpet playing has completely consumed me. I took private lessons weekly , practice 2 - 4 hours daily, and constatly read books and blogs. On top of that I spent oodles of time and money trying mouthpieces and horns. Trumpet playing consumed my daily concious thought...it had become my obesession. [/quote]

I hope that in your recovery and return to trumpet playing that you get with a teacher who can train you on playing with less potential for damage in the future. Maybe your previous teacher wasn't paying enough attention. Good luck.
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Ed Lee
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Join the club! After a 40+year lapse, and an abdominal aortic aneurism it took me 3 years to regain my former capability then "BANG" it was all gone as I lost a 50 year old upper right incisor crown as soon followed with a few more old crowns and my upper partial denture by having no anchor for it. Then BANG" again as I underwent a triple bypass and post surgical atrial fibrillation in 2010.

I've now had my teeth restored with a full uper denture and lower partial.

Well, perhaps now 25% of my former capability is lost and gone forever, but I'm back playing, except for tuba which as I've no aspiration of playing in a symphony I sold, and my trombone which I've not time to re-establish accurate slide movement, but I've been practicing on my picc, cornet, trumpet and euphonium and enjoying myself.

I'm tutoring and have two Christmas solos on my calendar. Follow-ups with all my Docs have been great.

This said, I practice in a cycle only 20 minutes playing, 20 minutes rest, 20 munutes playing per session twice a day, as is only 1 hour and 20 minutes daily, and such I recommend to you and all.
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RNJTrumpet
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Double, sorry

Last edited by RNJTrumpet on Sat Nov 19, 2011 1:07 pm; edited 1 time in total
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RNJTrumpet
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for all your replies and words of encouragement. We trumpet players are definitely cut from a different cloth...playing with holes in our diaphragms, triple bypasses...etc

I am definitely on the mend and plan to approach my comback much more carefully as Tradjazzman pointed out. Referring to roynj's post - I will look for the best possible mentor to get myself back with proper technique - even if I have to travel. I just ordered the BE book - there is a teacher about an hour a way I may try taking a lesson or two from to get me in the right direction.

My teacher is actually an excellent player, and caring person...but to your point perhaps we didn't spend enough time on technique. To his credit though, he helped me to a level as a musician I thought I never could achieve in my short time on the horn.

Thanks again for all your posts
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kennedyronna
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 5:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The pain on the back of the knee is called as Beating Patellar Tendonitis. It generally occurs to athlete who often gets involved in jumping running etc activities. It may also occur to normal person when one experience some sort of jerk or cramp on the knee. There are various ways such as kneadign by ice, wearing jumper's knee etc that may help in curing beating patella tendonitis.
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deleted_user_02066fd
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Our bodies have a knack of knowing when enough is enough and things can shut down as a result of over use.
A drummer friend of mine had a frightening experience many years ago. He gigs a lot and one night one of his legs completely shut down. I think it was the bass drum leg. He went to doctor after doctor and at one time they suspected multiple sclerosis or ALS. After an exhausting series of tests no physician could find a medical cause. He tried alternative methods, chiropractic, acupuncture etc and still it would happen. Somehow he found out the problem was due to using the foot incorrectly when he got tired. Basically it was like blowing a fuse or tripping a circuit breaker on an electrical panel. His body began to stop sending signals to the foot at a certain level of fatigue.
He had to go back to basics and spend time practicing and using the leg correctly, when he got tired he would stop. Kind of like the rest as much as you play method we use on brass. After a few months of practice and adequate rest he was as good as new.
Sometimes less is more and we can get carried away thinking the opposite.
Good luck.
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