How to quickly STOP HAND PAIN on the flute

[@simondufour6319]

You mentioned letting the flute rest on the soft part of the index finger in the left hand. That’s actually where my pain is coming from, I feel soreness in my left index finger from the flute resting on it. Have you heard of this and do you have any recommendations? I literally having been putting a small piece of paper towel around the base of my index finger - there must be a better way!

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Hi Simon, oh that sounds uncomfortable! I haven't had an issue like this before, but it is common enough that you can buy a little tool to increase comfort. It's called Fingerport and is specifically for flute. I've never tried it, but maybe it'll help you!

[@happyeagle92]

I'm experiencing the same pain! That's how I found this video 😂

[@noire090]

@@JaneFluteSchool I have the same problem, and after watching your other video on "how to hold the flute", I realised that my left hand thumb (in your words) is "dead straight" and not "fairly straight" as you recommended. I have long slender fingers (what some call piano fingers), so my guess is that my thumb is a bit short compared to the rest of my finger, and If my thumb is "fairly straight", the flute rests partially on the knuckle and not the squishy part. And the pain comes from overcompensating by straightening out my thumb and kind of pressing the flute "in place" (which makes my grip really tense). I'm just playing for fun in my spare time, so I'll probably just make some DIY finger-rest instead of bying an accessory for it ;)

[@andyben87]

I've been playing sax for the last 7yrs and now that I went back to adding flute I get this same issue with the left index! I never used to have this issue as a kid from what I remember.

[@ViktoriousFlutes]

I realized that my right hand was hurting because of the way I held my pencil/pen when I wrote. Thank you for the tips!

[@rilavvey]

thank you so much! the “left hand position” was really helpful! instead of it testing on my index, i was pinching it (basically, i was holding it with my index and thumb instead of the flute resting on my index so my thumb got major cramps) and no one told me how to hold the flute so this was very helpful! 10/10

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Hi Rilavvey, So glad your flute posture has improved! That's awesome to hear it has been very helpful to you!

[@ellarosales-lh7bv]

you caught me 😭 my right hand was slightly bent and it sounded and felt much better once I fixed it. thank you!

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Yay! That's awesome to hear I was able to fix your posture! 😀

[@therenunciate]

Thanks! Nicely explained

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Glad it was helpful! 😊

[@leiacartier2259]

My right pinky is often sore, and if I play for a while, it locks. Do you have any suggestions?

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Hi Leia, yes, I've heard of a few people having this issue, so you're not alone. Sometimes if your right hand is twisted towards you, it will force your right pinky to be straight which can cause it to lock up. The way to undo this is to untwist your right wrist so that your right hand is going straight on to the flute, instead of leaning to one side (if that makes sense) - this will put your pinky in a position where it can then more easily be curved and likely won't lock up anymore. I went through that process when i was about 22 and it took a week or two to get used to a curved pinky, but then I never looked back, didn't get a sore pinky and my fingers could move faster. Good luck!

[@leiacartier2259]

@@JaneFluteSchool thank you so much! I will definitely try this!

[@cassaleigh]

I just picked up the flute last week (I'm a French horn player). I noticed my right hand is actually swollen. I'm gripping really hard and my shoulders are tense. Thanks for making me aware

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Well I'm glad the video made you more aware Cassidy! I hope you're gripping less now :)

[@anilvidwans3540]

I m from Mumbai, came to Adelaide to see my daughter. I studied your almost all videos. They

[@anilvidwans3540]

They are very much practical,gives lot of technical information, l m also playing flute Wish you all the Best

[@JaneFluteSchool]

That's lovely to hear! Adelaide is a beautiful city! 😀 Thank you so much for watching many of my videos! That's awesome! 😊 In case you're interested to learn more from me, you're very welcome to come and join The Flute Academy. Here's the link. www.flute.school/academy

[@cassiflyn1575]

Thank you my left hand and wrist was hurting along with my back and neck. Now I know what to do next time.

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Good on you Cassi! You sound like you're a good student - applying what you have learnt :) jane

[@flutecraft]

Hi! I've recently been experiencing a LOT of pain in my right-hand thumb, I've been making sure that I have good hand posture and I also use a thumbport, but the pain at the base of my thumb is so bad (hence why I found this video). Have you ever heard of this or know how to fix it? This pain is quickly becoming very hard to stop it from affecting my playing. thank you!

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Oh no! Sorry to hear! Make sure your shoulders are relaxed too. Sometimes pain appears in one spot, but it might be something else that is causing it. I would look in a mirror when practising to make sure shoulders are relaxed and fingers don't hold tension in them. All the best with your playing! I hope the pain improves soon! 😊

[@JennzOrs]

I get pain where the flute rests on the knuckle of my first finger on my left hand :( that's how I learned

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Hi Jennz - yes try and slightly move your hand so that the flute is resting on the squidgy part of your finger (the fleshy bit between the two knuckles). In the meantime, you can also stick something squishy on your flute to help with the discomfort. Like a thick band-aid plaster for example!

[@ViktoriousFlutes]

So I checked my videos on KZbin and my left hand is completely straight! My flute would roll and it felt unstable.

[@catieheart]

Thank you for this vid! 🥰 My question is...My right pinky hurts the most. Any suggestions for that? I've seen other players have the foot joint rolled in towards their body, and not in a straight form with the flute body....is this better? I really do appreciate all your vids. I played for several years, and...Life just happens.. and Im trying to pick this all back up again, 20 years later.... I'm learning..from you ❤, just how bad my playing habits are and why I'm having a hard time. I must un-learn what I have learned, and re-train my whole self. Youre teaching me things I never learned in school, so long ago. Thank you, for your time, I really do appreciate it 🥰🥰

[@JaneFluteSchool]

That's awesome to hear you're relearning how to play the flute! 😀 I line the rod on the foot joint, with the trill keys on the body of the flute. Try not to press down too hard with your right hand pinky. The right hand pinky should not be supporting any weight of the flute. The weight of the flute should be supported by your right hand thumb, left hand index finger (squishy part between knuckles) and embouchure/chin where your flute sits. Check out my free tiny course on tone if you haven't done so already. Here is the link. www.flute.school/free

[@MarcusAmazing41]

Not 1 mention of the 3 or 4 tiny screws that adjust how the pads touch the flute, and that if they aren't adjusted to be exactly correct, you are forced to use pressure on your fingers to get a good note. If I had a time machine I would tell the child me, and save me half a decade of aggro.

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Hi Marcus, Yes I've had many students who have had to press harder on the keys due to the quality of the instrument whether it needed repairing or purchasing an upgrade. Hopefully you have a flute in working order so you don't have that issue anymore! 😀

[@seanwood1791]

My left hand hurts because of resting it in that squishy part, I have to keep stopping because it’s agonisingly painful, bad cramp in my index finger

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Oh no! Try having more breaks in your practise if it starts hurting. There's also little devices you can attach onto your flute, the one for the left hand index finger is called a finger port. Might be worth looking into if you're having consistent pain whilst playing.

[@shelbyoliver5822]

Hey, my left hand has been hurting really bad lately. On the day to day playing that I do never bothers me. But this always happens when I start playing way more then usual. Usually because chair placement is coming up or im going to a competition. But it always happens, its actually been getting worse and affecting how I play. When I play my flute my left thumb rests on the thumb key and just ends off where my joint joins with the end of my thumb and I've tried everything I can to barely put pressure on it but then its really hard for me to play. Throughout the school day my hand always hurts and feels like its going to fall asleep but when I play I get shooting jabs of pain like I'm hitting a nerve or something. Something similar to this also happens when I heavily use color pencils. Do you have any ideas my band director has no idea what it could be and I was hoping you might have an idea and help me. If you can't thats ok, thank you for reading my message hope you have a good day. :)

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Hi Shelby, gosh that sounds painful! Over the years of playing flute, I occasionally have had a problem that has been solved by a physiotherapist (called physical therapist if you're in the US). On occasions, I've had a nerve trapped, and it has sent shooting pains down into my fingers (including the thumb going numb on one occasion!), and the physiotherapist has fixed it for me. See if you can see someone like that and they might be able to help you! Good luck!

[@shelbyoliver5822]

@@JaneFluteSchool thank you so much I'll see what I can do!

[@mrmarkgor6604]

Thanks Jane. Tip #4 really helped my daughter. When she tried to play C the flute would fall onto her left index finger and cause pain. Now she knows where to rest the flute.

[@JaneFluteSchool]

That's great to hear Mark that it's helped your daughter! Best of luck to her with her playing :) Jane

[@chrispoulin5902]

I play guitar and flute and the things you are saying actually apply to both instruments. Relaxing the shoulders ex. Do you also play alto flute? I feel like it's easier if I let the flute sit lower in the left hand than I do with the C flute. Thoughts on that?

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Hi Chris, yes you're so right about the relaxed shoulders applying to other instruments! I learnt about the shoulders in Alexander Technique, which is good for all instruments, and just people's posture in general. So you're spot on. As for alto flute, yes I play it, but I've played more bass flute in the last couple of years, and I do remember it sitting lower in my left hand - really only so that my fingers could reach the keys! So, if it works for you when it's lower and doesn't cause discomfort, then you're doing it right :)

[@lewiscameron2221]

I get cramps in my face - specifically my cheeks - any help??

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Oh no! Sorry to hear Lewis! Sometimes when I have had a few weeks off from playing, when I come back to it my face muscles can sometimes feel fatigued. If I continued playing with this fatigued feeling, I'm sure it might start cramping slightly too! The best thing is just to practise in short bursts, with plenty of rests in between. Eventually your muscles will regain their strength again and won't be feeling this fatigued feeling. 😀

[@aidaxue]

Hi, the side of my left hand that faces towards the foot joint usually hurts after playing for a long time. Do you know how I could fix that?

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Hi Aida, yes it sounds like your left hand alignment is a little bit off. Make sure that your fingers are curved, including your left pinky, and that your left hand is under the flute a little but not too much. Probably that was a clear as mud explanation for you! If you'd like a demo, just submit a question here for the next Q&A and I'll show you! www.flute.school/ask-a-question

[@KaliqueClawthorne]

So I bought a flute a while ago (Second Hand But looked over and repaired by a Professional) and learning it myself my left thumb often cramps. I try to Rest the flute where it should Go and so on, but still IT cramps. And after a while also my left Index Finger and pinkie. I have Kind of Short fingers, could this bei the reason?

[@JaneFluteSchool]

Hi Lily, that sounds uncomfortable! Make sure your LH thumb is not bent, and actually quite straight. Not dead straight, but definitely not curved or really bent. I hope that helps you get on the right track to playing without hand pain! By the way, there's a whole module on hand position in the flute academy (www.flute.school/academy) which is opening 1st October 2021 in case you're interested in learning more!

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[@JaneFluteSchool]

Thank you! 😊

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