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Double Bass upper back soreness

tww001

tww001

Aug 13, 2003
305
15
Telford, PA
www.timwolfebass.com
#1
My upper back is sore after practicing arco for a few hours. It's not a sharp pain in a specific point, more of a general soreness that's hard to locate precisely, beyond saying I feel it evenly between both shoulders. This is not something I experience after any pizz playing (I do 3 or 4 hour jazz gigs a few times a week). I'm 6'2", play German bow, and stand. I run a lift weights a few times a week, and stretch every morning when I wake up.

Thanks for any insight.

Tim
 
#2
Some players have a tendency to let their shoulders raise gradually as they play. When you play, are your shoulders and arms completely relaxed? Do you sit your shoulders on top of your rib cage? That's one possibility.

Do you have a teacher or a professional you can talk to in person? It's hard to "diagnose" someone on a forum.
 
#3
If you have a video camera or can set up some mirrors, you can watch yourself play to see if you are doing something odd with your shoulders. Or you can have another player watch, too.

I've taken my bass into various health professionals (Chiropractors, massage therapists, etc.) and played fo them, as well. They can look at your playing from a mechanical viewpoint.
 
#5
After posting this, I spent the entirety of today trying to be more conscientious about my posture. I sit at a desk for a good part of the day working on a computer. I put a phone book under my computer monitor, and viola, noticed an instant change in the angle of my neck. The other part of the day I am standing at a table folding and stapling sheet music all day (I work for a publishing company's print shop). Because of my height, the table is a bit low for my needs (right below my navel), and find that I am pushing my shoulder blades apart to extend my reach.

I have not taken lessons on a regular basis since graduating college a few years back. I'm looking to get back into that, as well as (and overall more importantly) going to make a doctor's appointment (which I also have not done since college....:rollno:).

Don, please check for a PM.
 
#6
Don Higdon might agree that string players should watch that they don't become hollow- chested and round shouldered as a result of spending long periods of time in playing positions. Standing to play is our"workstation", with left arm up and right arm stretching down. Much of the discomfort you describe could also be caused by your other workstations, the computer and table heights.

The relief and long-term avoidance of discomfort will probably be found in correct posture, strengthening exercises, active and passive stretches. Alexander is a great help in establishing good posture and correct alignment of shoulder joint. A physiotherapist will give you exercises to strengthen and maintain shoulder muscles, especially the shoulder cuff and across the shoulder blades.

The discomfort you feel might be relieved by stretching and mobilising the length of spine from between the shoulder blades to the neck. This becomes stiffened to support the arms and shoulders in playing/working positions A useful stretch, not just for this part but also the whole back, is called Cats and Dogs. Kneel on the floor with your weight supported by vertical arms and thighs. Rock back towards your heels with straight arms while arching your back upwards and dropping your head right down. Hold this position for say 15 seconds. Then rock forward with straight arms, dropping your bottom towards the the floor with concave back and chest sagging between relaxed shoulders, also pulling your head and neck back in the opposite extreme to the first stretch. Again hold for say 15 seconds

A great relaxing exercise is lying on your back on the floor in front of a chair with your thighs perpendicular and your calves resting horizontally on the chair. A small stack of books under the head and with arms at 45 degrees to your body with palms down. Relax, breathe normally and feel your back gradually flatten out on the floor under its own weight. After about fifteen minutes see how your back feels then.

Don, please correct me if I am wrong!!

DP
 
#7
David, I have been doing those stretches you described for a few years now, and they are very helpful in relieve discomfort.

I've been reading a lot of great articles about Alexander Technique, written by and for musicians, and am looking into lessons. Simply being more aware of my posture at my day job has made a huge difference this week; adjusting the position of my chair's back, watching my posture, putting a box under my monitor so that I'm not bending my neck to look down at it; keeping the keyboard closer to the edge of the desk so I'm not reaching for it, etc.

I spent an hour and a half or so last night just playing long tones with the bow, looking in the mirror, trying to adjust my posture, standing and sitting on a stool. I have a very exaggerated chest con-caving posture when I play. In addition to seeking out AT lessons, I'm going to spend a lot of time experimenting with my end-pin height, and I'm going to buy an adjustable stool so I can experiment with its height too. The cheap wooden stools from the big box stores are not a good height for playing the bass (at least not for me). I know a lot of players in my area who sit on lowered stools (my teacher of many years included), in a cello-like position with both feet flat on the floor. I had tried it for a while in college, but didn't enjoy carrying a stool to gigs. I may go back to that for a bit of time.

Thanks all! For those who haven't, check out Don H's website. Lots of good info.
 
#8
Find a good physical therapist in yer area and tell him/her what yer issues are and ask if he/she would allow you to bring in yer bass and play it in front of them. That way they can see what muscles yer using and can design an exercise regimen/workout to target all the muscles that are being used. I did that with my PT and although I only play electric bass, it really worked for me.
Can't hurt and I'd bet that it would help you considerably. If nothing else, it could be a starting point. )-(
 
#9
The combination of leaning the head and torso forward combined with reaching the arms forward when bowing or using a computer can lead to pain in the upper back in the scapula region. A more erect posture can alleviate this as well as an exercise routine that incorporates pulling motions like rows can help strengthen those muscles.
 
#10
I set up my mirror and watched myself play over the weekend. I was dropping my right shoulder quite a bit when bowing. I raised my end pin an inch or two, and made myself really be aware of my posture. That, in combination with adjusting my chair and raising the height of my computer monitor at work has made a big difference. All of the recommended stretches are great too, but they can only do so much if you're not paying attention to the basics of your posture!
 

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