Pianists' Focal Dystonia: Symptoms, Triggers, Diagnosis, and Recovery

retraining-pianist.com - Retraining for Pianists, Mental Practice, Recovery from Playing-Related Injuries and Musician's Focal Dystonia.
#focaldystonia #retrainingpianist #pianoinjuries

[@pianotechnique]

Back in 2008, I was hit by focal dystonia, a neurological condition that cramped my fingers and stopped me from playing the piano for 6 years. It led me through depression, then a journey back to faith, and eventually, a process of retraining my brain to play again. Right before the first signs of dystonia, I was practicing Rachmaninoff's sonata. I even had a chance to record it. After recovering, I usually wouldn't go back to my old piano pieces. However, in the case of this sonata, I had forgotten all that I learned over 15 years. When I picked it up again, it felt like starting from scratch. This time, I practiced in a new way, informed by my retraining. I want to share two videos with you. In the first video, you'll see the tension in my playing, which, honestly, could have triggered the dystonia. In the second video, you'll notice my hands are lighter, more relaxed, and my posture is still. There's a sense of ease throughout my body that allows the music to flow. I'm grateful that this experience lets me help others facing a similar condition. Before dystonia - kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpOWc2Nqp9doZrM After recovery - kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2WaiYF8iJ2fas0

[@gerardo4104]

Emma!!! Your hair looks so beautiful!! Yo're glowing!!❤😊

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

This comes from the inside. Her energy wins the day. She is conquering her demons. Great credit due to for her honesty, intimacy. Authenticity is irresistible.

[@pilaralvarez6592]

Thanks for the great conversation!

[@pianotechnique]

Thank you for sharing your brilliant energy and spirit with us 💫

[@pianotechnique]

00:00 Initial signs of our focal dystonia 05:55 Worsening factors of focal dystonia 10:38 Causes of our focal dystonia 17:28 Diagnosis process 22:48 Our journey to recovery 28:30 Effective retraining program strategies

[@pianoismyeverything]

Thank you for this ❤

[@sjaakdouma]

Great talk!

[@ashutoshmatari5662]

Thank you, great advice on not to focus on dystonia but on music. Great Conversation. I think there should be more conversations about it, sadly there aren't lot of information about recovery and retraining.

[@pianotechnique]

Aww, I am so touched you watched it. Hopefully, there will be more discussions about this condition on internet.

[@eduardowhitlam4179]

Love your videos...really wonderful and so much appreciated 🎉

[@pianotechnique]

Aww 🤍 thank you for your kind words, Eduardo

[@bluepearl4806]

Guys you are soo sweet so beautiful minded so brillant!!!! So strong and clever!!! What kind of horrible sadistic parent you had...But you won the by keeping the beauty and kindness with you!! You won the bad, you beat the sadistic devils. Goodness and kindness won the fight with the devil. Bravo!!! I congratulate with whole my heart!!!

[@pianotechnique]

Awww 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🤍🤍🤍🤍🐰🐰🐰 you made my heart so full with your words and feeling 💕 💛 we all struggle, and we all find help when we are ready. Thank you 😊 💓 I will pass this message to Pilar (student) I am sure she will be touched as well 😊

[@bluepearl4806]

@@pianotechnique Yes that would be great🙏🌺🌹💐💞I wish you all the best wich you already succeded to reach dear Emma🙏🙏🌹🌺💞💕💖🍀🍀💐💐💐🌹🌹🌹

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

99% of all medical professionals know very little about this. MRIs will only show something obvious in the muscles, tendons, ligaments. They will not show much about inflammation of nerves. They diagnose working with limited information, like incompletely trained piano teachers, they only recommend a plan they have learned from other teachers and instructors. This is certainly spiritual in dimension, but also has to do with "neuroplasticity" of the brain and nervous system, which can "overwrite" neural injuries to use a computer analogy. So charming, both gals. They make recovery fun. "The Power of Positive Thinking." Terrific dialogue. These issues are not tangential, they are seminal, for everyone at any level. Practice itself should be healing and gratifying.

[@pianotechnique]

Aww, absolutely. 100 signed up under each word here. Our discoveries are never finished. The cycle of Descovery- Debate-Approval-Arrogance...till new discovery is confirmed and we become arrogant about it again. In every area of life. Our brain IS a computer. The one that didn't come with an instruction though! So, most of life, we struggle with the simpliest task on this computer - to find that switch off/on button hahahah we know Nothing about this highly advanced machine built in us. Yet. We create Everything around us. Everything. And it's in our power to do it consciously, choosing what we want, and taking responsibility for everything that we 'created' to ourselves in the past.

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

A sales mentor once prophesied, "I may fail to accomplish something but I cannot fail at being who I am. I cannot fail, I can only learn and grow." You have some great stuff going on. More to come.@@pianotechnique

[@DavidMiller-bp7et]

I am a fellow traveler who has recovered from many more depressive episodes and injuries that I would have wanted but trials and tribulations have produced a better person. If I had "dystonia," an umbrella term which presents differently, it was focalized in the L hip, sciatica and the muscles/nerves running into the L inner thigh. Couldn't sit at the piano more than 5-10 minutes without debilitating pain threatening me, fogging my focus, distracting of concentration. I remade my technique and doubled down on my already developed spirituality. When someone says, "I lost my faith," I think they often intend something like, "I lost my religious baggage." To lose faith is quite different. I loved the Spanish lady in Dusseldorf. She simply refused to give up, never gave up faith that she would eventually find the path to recovery. I never lost my lust for piano, thinking any outrageous adjustments would be worth it if I could keep playing, in itself life giving. I was led on the right path with Divine Guidance, which required my cooperation and work. A joy, really. The way I look at it, we are all in this together. Spiritual in spades but not religious.@@pianotechnique

[@armanbolshov]

Здравствуйте Эмма! Возможно ли вылечиться от дистонии, играя медленно? Я не представляю перерыва в игре, т.к работаю концертмейстером. А если по возможности не задействовать мизинец ? У меня с этим пальцем проблемы…

[@pianotechnique]

Hi Arman, I am very sorry that you have to go through this. Sadly, one of the main requirement of retraining is avoiding touching your repertoire during the healing process. As dystonia is a neurological condition, we have to make sure that new patterns that we learn are not held back by old ones. So, for at least 6 months you would have to stop playing your current pieces all together, while starting working mentally and playing slowly very simple music. You can, of course, try to retrain your brain and hands while still working and playing your repertoire, but the healing process will be greatly stretched, and built up frustration might feel very discouraging. You will have to stop what you are doing at some point. But meanwhile, just try to prepare fingering in the score and touch keys more gently. That might help to sooth your symptoms a little bit.

[@armanbolshov]

@@pianotechnique thank you!

[@armanbolshov]

@@pianotechniquehello Emma. Can I consult with you on Russian language? Because I don’t speak in English ((

[@pianotechnique]

@@armanbolshov конечно, Арман

[@wuyipiano]

Sorry but I can't see any practical advice or method on training or dealing with the thumb problem like you mentioned in the video. Is there any video of yours talking about possible exercises to improve FHD symptoms.? (My thumb and 2nd finger feel sluggish, the 5th finger feels weak, the 3rd and 4th fingers feel stiff especially when I spread my right hand wide to play the octaves or something like that.) Thank you very much🙏 BTW, for me, I'd rather be treated like a patient instead of a piano student with issues because I AM a FHD patient and I need professional advice from who understands this illness. So far I've got some little improvement with the help by a doctor instead of my great piano teacher who doesn't know FHD at all. So I think it depends on self experience.

[@pianotechnique]

I am sorry you feel frustrated and angry at your situation. My entire book Mastery of Piano Technique (work of 25+ years) is dedicated to retraining your mind to create new neuropaths in your brain to associate with playing the piano. It works :) for me, and for others. In our self experience. Wishing you soon recovery and sending you warm hugs 🫂 🤗

[@JakobGrau]

Where can I find your book? @@pianotechnique

[@pianotechnique]

@@JakobGrau retraining-pianist.com