3 Reasons Why Your Wrist Hurts After Playing Piano

[@PIANO_LAB]

Been Awhile since I uploaded, needed to take some time off. But anyways... I hope you guys enjoy it! Got lots more content in the works so stay tuned! Make sure and hit the like button!

[@anggunnenohai3870]

Sure, Sir! 🌻

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

We understand.

[@strykeplaysmcjohnpickhypix1205]

I found a solution to wrist problems but let me first explain the problem. The problem I have with playing large chords is that I have to stretch out my hands in order so that my hand span can play those chords. And stretching it out so far and pressing down with force caused a lot of tension. The solution is to leave your wrist completely relaxed and just a millisecond right before your about to contact the piano, suddenly extend your handspan: stretch out your hand to play the large chord a millisecond before. It’s so sudden that it’s kind of as sudden as when a boxer jabs (punches someone). But that sudden movement isn’t forceful. It is only enough to stretch your hand to the appropriate amount. And while it is stretching out, don’t keep try stretching. The idea is that the force at the beginning of stretching the hand will give enough inertia to your hand to stretch out all the way rather than continuously stretching it out. And than once you make contact with the keys, your out stretched hands is held in place by friction against the keys and you can completely relax in a outstretched position. To sum up, for playing large chords, completely relax hand and only stretch it out to play the large chord a millisecond before hitting the keys. As you stretch it out, don’t continuously keep trying to stretch all the way through, but rather, only try stretching at the beginning of the extension of your handspan and let the intertia from the initial force fully stretch out your fingers

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

Same here; my jazz scores call for scads of stretched chords; I did similar to you, hold the stiffness with your own muscles as short as possible, letting key friction hold in place helps. Also C has a lesson on big chords, the "scissor" is something I employ regularly now. lets hand relax some in position. Not meant to be held too long. The crux of good technique involves, "keep moving."

[@strykeplaysmcjohnpickhypix1205]

@@DavidMiller-bp7et can you elaborate on what is the "scissor"?

[@labradog05]

@@DavidMiller-bp7et yeah whats the scissor

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

@@labradog05 Craig has a specific teaching on it, as one technique, which I have now used profitably, in his tutorial on 'playing big chords.' Subscribe to get all his videos in sequence over the last 3 years. He demos it very clearly. Worth the study. Murder to do several in a row, but possible.

[@breadisarting4044]

I know what the problem is. What's the solution? I ain't contorting my wrist becuase i want to, i'm doing it cause i can't see how else i should do it.

[@anggunnenohai3870]

I just had this wrist pain couple days ago. Thank you for sharing this, our online piano teacher! I pray for you and your wife happiness and health! 🌻

[@PIANO_LAB]

Thank you very much! I hope the video was helpful!

[@anggunnenohai3870]

@@PIANO_LAB I couldn’t thank you more for this. Your videos keep me and all my fellow friends on the right track from the beginning in learning piano. I have 10 friends now who are with me watching your video as our guide to learn piano. Keep inspiring, our online piano teacher! Stay healthy and happy for you and your family! 🌻

[@PIANO_LAB]

Wow Thank you SO much for your support and encouragement ❤

[@anggunnenohai3870]

@@PIANO_LAB Keep lighting up the candle! You never know how you could give impact for everyone on the internet. We could not give you anything from our small hands, but we believe God will take care of good people, one of them is you and your family. Warm regards from Salatiga-Indonesia. 🌻

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

@@anggunnenohai3870 Nice to have the support and encouragement of so many friends. We need more people excited about piano study.

[@rrresonance2]

Wow! Thanks! I'm self-taught and started having pain on my left wrist. Injury sucks!!! Just when I'm making good progress, this starts happening. I watched your video and started implementing the "limp wrist" technique throughout all of my playing. Not only did it fix the pain, but my hand motions look and feel much more fluid and even. Now to take a step and ingrain this into muscle memory.

[@hamedsanborn150]

straightforward , precise and down to earth. much obliged.

[@PIANO_LAB]

I'm glad it was helpful!

[@PianoforPleasure]

Great video - thank you for explaining the reasons. Explains why proper posture at the piano is so important! I'm working on a briskier piece at the moment and trying to relax my hands as much as possible to avoid tension when I speed up..

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

Working very fast really taxes my finger muscles, can't do too much at one time without relaxing some.

[@patricknyman727]

At this point I’m convinced I either have crippling osteoporosis or carpal tunnel because I’m doing everything right and it still burns like hell. And I’m only playing Schubert’s third impromptu!

[@grandstandforpiano1822]

Oh sorry to hear. I hope you can find a solution for it.

[@RUT812]

If you have numbness in 4 fingers but not your thumb, it’s more than likely that it’s carpal tunnel syndrome. Get a diagnoses from your doctor because there’s a quick hand surgery to fix that.

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

@@RUT812 Diagnosis first.

[@rawazfaris6123]

Hi dear thanks for every minute that you dedicated i have a question.. i’ve been playing piano for over 8 years and i got some cramps and tightness in my forearm which it is slow me down and i have this syndrome about 3-4 years and still can’t fix it.. do you have any tips to prevent this injury?

[@tarimarvelfan2767]

Please I was playing for like over 3 hours today and my right wrist is killing me

[@Jasonmakesvideo]

same

[@neon8406]

Same. I was practicing la Campanella for like 4 hours and now my right wrist really hurts

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

Take breaks, longer than you would like to, it'll pay off. Of course, use the most efficient playing methods.

[@anandapriyamusic]

Very informative and great video..thank you.

[@thisvocaljourney]

Thank you for this!… I’m a beginner player and I played for an hour today and my pinky and wrist on the right hand was tired and a little achy afterwards. I did notice my right wrist was cocked to the sided like you showed in the video. I will fix that. Thank you 🙏🏾

[@garretozbolt2169]

My exact problem too!

[@thisvocaljourney]

@@garretozbolt2169 it’s gotten better since this video, pick lightly on the keys. I haven’t had an issue since. But as a beginner we must learn these things. Good Luck ♥️🙏🏾

[@amitsharma1925]

But how can one fix that issue? I'm a beginner player too and if my hands are on middle and lower c they're close they will be twisted i don't know how one can avoid that. Do you know of anything that can help me with that?

[@warrenwinslow4266]

Magnetic bracelets worked for me. I didn't expect them to but they work great.

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

Whatever works.

[@grandstandforpiano1822]

Great content! Thank you.

[@Kaasis33]

0:37 Butterfly etude

[@LLifts3598]

I am a church pianist who learned w/o formal lessons, I recently started taking an applied piano class at my college. My teacher has been focusing on my technique (and lack off) and I've noticed that ever since I started with her, whenever I play the "church" way I have pain in my wrists. Like I'm training my arms and wrists during our lessons and undoing that by going back to the wrong technique. When I play, my left hand tends to roll and collapse, I'll go up then down and then stretch to reach my final note and that hurt to do. How do I fix that to prevent injury in the future?

[@antjamnow1286]

Missed mentioning bench height, piano height (if a keyboard), and covering proper techniques for note attacks (prolonged use of octaves, tenths, i.e. forte ragtime music). I've been hurting this week, and these are my thoughts as to why. Playing 6-8 hours a day is too much, but sometimes a keen video comes out of it!

[@ichoncos]

How can the hands avoid the wrist twist in Chopin's etude op.25 no 9? Btw. Love your videos!! 💕

[@jslonisch]

Golandsky Streaming have tutorials on some of the Chopin etudes on their website, not sure if op. 25 No.9 is in there or not. They teach the Taubman approach which is basically 'no wrist twist at all". They use forearm rotation and lateral movement instead of twisting the wrist and stretching fingers. Even if that specific etude is not demonstrated there are lots of others which would probably cover similar technical challenges.

[@hancoxproductions]

i have a chopin in my Liszt....

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

Love it.

[@grandstandforpiano1822]

Very true!

[@Nozrhul]

When I'm doing a C major chord, my right hand is kinda bent and down, I feel a bit of pain especially from my ring finger cus it doesn't stay up so I'm forcing it which is more pain

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

There's an anatomical reason for that. Can't fight it too much.

[@bilmer7465]

Playing arpeggios with my right hand is killing my wrist. It’s upsetting because I don’t want to take a break from the piano.

[@rizki.adhipraja]

Moonlight sonata 1st movement really painful for me. Most of the right hand notes are mainly around c4, that is right in front of my belly button, which is made my right hands cocked to the side in order to play those notes. Is there anyway to fix the right hand movement on this piece? Because it's hurt my right hand a lot

[@RUT812]

Have you tried sitting further back from the piano? You may be sitting too close. 🤷‍♀️

[@xxBloodyMoonxx1]

@@RUT812 I have the same problem with the same piece, I'll try sitting further away thx for the advice

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

Playing right in front of belly, worse if both hands, there is cramped space and muscle tension twisting required. I started watching Martha Argerich to watch posture and other elements of technique on the most demanding repertoire. She sits back a couple inches more than most and leans her torso slightly in and head and shoulders a little more toward the keyboard. Also often positions wrists much higher to allow movement under the hand, thumb and all. If you are in this orientation, you can just lean back a little to make space in front of you. It has really worked well for me. It was part of my reworking my game; I was sitting too close and also somewhat too low.

[@jimmyburke3727]

@@xxBloodyMoonxx1 not only that, but the main problem for you (& the person who made the comment) might simply be that you guys aren’t sitting far enough to the left on your bench, given the fact that the majority of the moonlight sonata piece is for the most part, played on the left side of the piano

[@xxBloodyMoonxx1]

@@jimmyburke3727 Thank you

[@vemes4605]

oh that's why.. my piano is around my chest level so my wrists are higher up

[@grandstandforpiano1822]

Yeah. I wonder if you are using a piano music holder?

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

Very unergonomic and impractical. I know from bad experience.

[@thedevil1667]

I played bethovens pathetique sonata and I got tenonditis in both my arms. I need to stop playing for 7 days but I can't

[@addison_1661]

From what the octave tremelos? You need to use more rotation if so

[@endreask]

I tried to play la campanella. Now I can't move my right wrist at all without feeling pain

[@rjseditsandcleanytps]

i was worried of not able to play the piano so i had to watch like 3 times

[@music-by1ou]

I alwayts have to turn my hand outward from the wirst as I am fat. Fucking hell I can't believe i've hurt myself like this

[@Von_benzo]

i was playing mumble bee over and over again every time i replay it for the 2rd time my hand hurts so bad i cant even continue playing slowly my fingers just freeze

[@Ejb5154]

Then how do you play octaves or arpeggios in front of your body without twisting the wrist?

[@timplays6602]

Overextension and flexion are generally unnecessary and should be avoided but for people with small hands or when you have a song where you have a wide stretch to reach the keys, ulnar deviation is hard to avoid; just practice this in moderation. And also, lactic acid buildup is not a bad thing, just like with exercising any muscle it is required in order to build muscles. Muscle pain from this only lasts a day or 2 and you muscles will be stronger afterword.

[@kevingreiner2214]

How do I tell on my own if my wrists are neautural?

[@Vasioth]

Watch the video. It doesn't twist side to side. It doesn't dip below the white keys; it's not arched so high that your fingers are in full extension. It's in-between. Look carefully at his wrist when playing, then look at your own.

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

@@Vasioth Check out Martha Argerich, where she sits and angles of limbs.