Trumpet and Brass playing injuries

[falado]

Hi, I’m doing some research on brass playing injuries, yes, I’ve had some during my playing career. What I’m looking for is the injuries that occur often to brass players, avoidance strategies, etc. I’m finding things in journals, but I’m also looking for books, text books, periodicals, etc. I’m looking at the whole picture, head to toe.
Thanks, Dave
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

[Chris OHara]

Reach out to Dr. Kayla Solomon, she did her dissertation on playing injuries and prevention.
https://www.kaylaosolomon.com/contact.html
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Christopher J. O'Hara, DMA
Bach/Conn-Selmer Performing Artist
Denis Wick Performing Artist
www.chrisjohara.com
www.alliancebrass.com

[falado]

Thanks, I’ll do that.
Dave
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

[trpthrld]

Don't forget repetitive use injuries. This would include carpal tunnel, trigger finger, and back injuries from the sedate lifestyle of a working musician.

I personally have had carpal surgeries on both wrists (one month apart, too), and five trigger finger surgeries. And I've got two more of those coming up around the end of the year.

The good news from my orthopedic doctor is just because you get trigger finger surgery one time on a specific joint does not mean trigger finger will not ever come back to that joint. There is always that possibility.

Also, every joint in your fingers can develop trigger. You can do the math on that to figure out how many.

And our sedate work lifestyle can cause back issues and can factor in on obesity,

So it ain't just cold sores & split lips!
_________________
Tim Wendt

www.trumpetherald.com/marketplace.php?task=detail&id=146827&s=The-Best-Trumpet-Lead-Pipe-Swab-EVER--

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPWAJqghk24&feature=youtu.be

[falado]

Thanks Tim, I’ll look into this.
BTW, I put the pixie mute I got from you to good use last night. I play in the ECU Symphonic Wind Ensemble. We played Slave last night at Duke University, I played the first solo with the pixie. The rest of the solos I did on a Harmon. I haven’t got to trying to duplicate the mute in wood yet. Will try after I finish this degree, one more semester to go.
Dave
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

[poketrum]

Ulnar nerve entrapment at the wrist or elbow. Another fun one (or two - I have both).

[trpthrld]

[falado]

I’m also looking at dystopia. Is it neurological, a catching up of bad playing habits on the chops, either or a combination there of? I can find journals, but nothing particularly on trumpet playing.
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

[Halflip]

[falado]

Yes, darn auto spell doesn’t recognize dystonia. I was talking with a trumpet teacher who has been teaching for years. He has a theory that focal dystonia may not only be neurological but maybe can be induced from years of playing incorrectly. Look at carpal tunnel brought on by years of repetitive motion, etc. Can similar issues happen with facial muscles?

Also, I was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma 2 years ago. I was playing while looking in the mirror and noticed I had a dimple forming where I never had one. I also experienced a drop in endurance even though I was playing more. I looked up the symptoms and found that the tumor not only presses against the auditory nerve and balance, but also can affect the facial muscle. nerves. I’m happy to say that after radiation therapy the tumor is shrinking and playing is getting better.

Hey, I’m not stating fact, just researching. I don’t have dystonia, but do know of two horn players who have. It took many months of recovery to play again.
You forgot Atlas Shrugged.
Dave
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

[Trumpjerele]

If you try to make a list, I think you should include hearing injuries: hearing loss and tinnitus.
_________________
Notice!!! Amateur musician without formal studies

Trumpet: Yamaha 8310Z
Mouthpiece: the great Yamaha11b4

Sax tenor: Yamaha YTS 23
Mouthpiece: Otto link tone edge

[falado]

Oh yes, I got tinnitus a few years ago and my ENT just treated it as such only to find out a few years later I have an acoustic neuroma, brain tumor and it benign, forming. Had he done a CT scan earlier we might have caught it when it was operable.

I got tinnitus shortly after starting to use in ear monitors. One day the sound guy turned my monitor on and the volume was all the way up. I ripped them out of my ears and the tinnitus started, was noticeable, that day. It’s been screaming in my left ear since. Nothing was done until a couple years ago what I experienced a drastic hearing loss in my left ear. That’s when he did the CT scan and I got the bad news. My left ear will be deaf within a few years. As it is hearing is muffled, like in a box or under water, and I lost a great amount of word recognition. Last night while playing Slave it was so loud at times where my left ear fuzzed out and I had some slight pain. This happens only occasionally when percussion and low brass are very loud, fff. I bring an ear plug, just didn’t get it in.
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

[Halflip]

[Wilktone]

Denver Dill wrote a book, "Still Playing, My Journey Through Embouchure Surgery and Rehabilitation." I have a copy of it and wrote up a short review of it (https://wilktone.com/?p=3486), but I see the links where I bought the book are broken now. I think he still plays in the West Point band, so you could probably reach out to him there and see if the book is still in print.

[falado]

[Doug Elliott]

Accidental double post, trying to delete this one but it looks like "delete" is not an option.

[Doug Elliott]

I totally agree with that. I have seen and worked with dozens of players who were diagnosed with "focal dystonia" - some I had noticed before they started having problems, others came to me after, and some came to me after going through other treatments.

In every case there have been multiple placements, multiple embouchure types, and/or shifting that I consider to be the actual cause of the problem. You can't do weird stuff that is inconsistent and unrepeatable forever without running into serious problems eventually.

Musicians are great at "the show must go on," and hiding their problems, at any cost. Unfortunately it eventually catches up.

[Mike Sailors]

[falado]

Thanks Doug and BTW, the lesson we did really helped. I haven’t had that issue since and moving ahead on my playing. I’ll contact you again soon. I’ve been extremely busy. I’m hating research papers.
Dave
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet