Computer workers and flutes

sbhikes · Post by **sbhikes** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:52 pm

I'm a computer worker. I recognize the potential to have wrist problems, so I swap the mouse back and forth between my left and right hand whenever I start feeling pain.

Being new to the flute, I've woken up after practicing a couple of times with a twinge of soreness in my wrist or fingers. I figure that's to be expected as I develop the muscle memory and learn to relax.

I read online that only flutists who are computer workers end up with carpel tunnel syndrome or tendonitis or similar problems (don't know how true that is, but it seems possible that the problem would be greater for computer people).

Anybody else a computer slave, particularly a mouse slave more than a keyboard slave? Do you have a strategy for protecting yourself from repetitive stress problems?

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:55 pm

I've been messing with computers for close to 30 years. I've never given RSI a second thought, and never had any problems. Just lucky, I suppose.

michael c · Post by **michael c** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:24 pm

Hi,

I'm a computer worker as well. Maybe it depends on what sort of work you have to do with computers but I've never found there to be much of a conflict between operating a keyboard and playing a flute. I used to, and still do the odd time, use the times between hitting computer keys to play silent cranns and other finger flicking ornaments on the nearest cheap pen in the office. If the work is giving you sore hands then your employer should be told and then should sort out a way to make your working environment better.

Playing the flute puts your fingers into shapes they weren't designed for as well. I'd be inclined to blame the twinges on the flute for a while and enjoy every minute of the music you get from playing. The sore hands will stop being sore and you will then enjoy the playing even more.

All the best with the flute and with playing it.

dow · Post by **dow** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:38 pm

What they said.

I live in front of a computer most of the time, both at work and a good bit at home. No problems so far, and I've been doing this for, gosh, ever.

Coffee · Post by **Coffee** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 4:02 pm

Network admin here. No troubles so far (touch wood) But then, I'm just a part-time fluter.

sbhikes · Post by **sbhikes** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 4:22 pm

I think it depends if you use the mouse a lot or type a lot. Network geniuses tend to type. I have to use the mouse because I have to do a lot of photoshop. After several years of it, I can sometimes get a bit sore around my wrist. So I switch hands with the mouse. I have learned to be as good with my left hand as my right. Sometimes I think I'm better. Perhaps it's that left/right brain thing being activated.

So if you practice rolls on the keyboard, is that kjklk? Oh wait, you press keys down but lift flute fingers up, so I guess that doesn't really work.

Cork · Post by **Cork** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 4:27 pm

sbhikes wrote:I'm a computer worker. I recognize the potential to have wrist problems, so I swap the mouse back and forth between my left and right hand whenever I start feeling pain.

Being new to the flute, I've woken up after practicing a couple of times with a twinge of soreness in my wrist or fingers. I figure that's to be expected as I develop the muscle memory and learn to relax.

I read online that only flutists who are computer workers end up with carpel tunnel syndrome or tendonitis or similar problems (don't know how true that is, but it seems possible that the problem would be greater for computer people).

Anybody else a computer slave, particularly a mouse slave more than a keyboard slave? Do you have a strategy for protecting yourself from repetitive stress problems?

1) If at all possible, ditch the mouse, and get one of the trackball variety, whereby perhaps numerous wrist/hand/finger stresses could become much diminished. Better yet, trackballs can also work by either hand.

2) Perhaps good technique could also be defined as comfortable technique. Eventually, every flute player finds their own comfort zone.

3) Rome was not built in a day, as a saying goes.

Jack Bradshaw · Post by **Jack Bradshaw** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:19 pm

Cork wrote:
sbhikes wrote:I'm a computer worker. I recognize the potential to have wrist problems, so I swap the mouse back and forth between my left and right hand whenever I start feeling pain.

Being new to the flute, I've woken up after practicing a couple of times with a twinge of soreness in my wrist or fingers. I figure that's to be expected as I develop the muscle memory and learn to relax.

I read online that only flutists who are computer workers end up with carpel tunnel syndrome or tendonitis or similar problems (don't know how true that is, but it seems possible that the problem would be greater for computer people).

Anybody else a computer slave, particularly a mouse slave more than a keyboard slave? Do you have a strategy for protecting yourself from repetitive stress problems?

1) If at all possible, ditch the mouse, and get one of the trackball variety, whereby perhaps numerous wrist/hand/finger stresses could become much diminished. Better yet, trackballs can also work by either hand.

2) Perhaps good technique could also be defined as comfortable technique. Eventually, every flute player finds their own comfort zone.

3) Rome was not built in a day, as a saying goes.

Took the words right out of my mouth..........had a problem, switched to trackball.....problem slowly went away.....(now about the blister on R1)

dow · Post by **dow** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:26 pm

I forgot to mention... Track ball here, too. I've been using one for probably twelve years or more. Currently, I'm using this one, both at work and at home:

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:53 pm

Get a good keyboard; the firmer and clickier the better, IMHO.

I like the IBM model M: a classic that has yet to be much improved upon, vastly superior to the mushy drek that most folks call a keyboard these days.

Your mileage may vary.

--James

beowulf573 · Post by **beowulf573** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:22 pm

I switched to a Microsoft Natural keyboard many years ago and use the same track mouse dow posted a photo of. That has taken care of most of my issues.

With my flute I find that occasionally tense my wrist while playing and this leads to wrist pain. I then try to consciously relax for several tunes and then I'll do it without thinking for the rest of night.

Edit to add: while typing I also make an effort to moderate my speed; I take it easy and keep my wrists relaxed. A friend even went so far as to write a small application to track his typing speed and beep at him if he exceeded a certain limit.

Luckily software is not the same as writing the Great American Novel at work, so the total amount I type isn't as much as it could be.

lixnaw · Post by **lixnaw** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:49 am

You might want to try out one of these
http://www.tempur.co.uk/tempuruk/comfort/seatwedge/

Doug_Tipple · Post by **Doug_Tipple** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:14 am

lixnaw wrote:You might want to try out one of these
http://www.tempur.co.uk/tempuruk/comfort/seatwedge/

I also like to use a wedge in my chairs, especially in my car seat. However, the wedge is mostly designed to correct lower-back allignment and won't help much with wrist problems. The price of the wedge in question @ 60 pounds sterling ($120 USD) is a wee bit extravagent.

I have never used a mouse with a trackball, but I can feel the pain in my thumb joint just by looking at the photo. I recently purchased a cordless mouse for my wife's laptop computer. Not having to hold your hand up on the desk to operate the mouse with a mouse pad gives you a lot of freedom of mobility, which is desirable if there is a problem with wrist pain due to a variety of causes. Being able to operate the mouse on my leg is a very comfortable position for my wrist. No longer do I have to cope with the ginormous wrist numbness and pain that comes from years of over-using my hands with repetitive tasks.

In case you are interested, "ginormous" was recently added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. It is a composite of gigantic and enormous.

Cork · Post by **Cork** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:03 am

dow wrote:I forgot to mention... Track ball here, too...

I like the top located trackballs, which can be operated by any of the fingers, of either hand. By having the ball on top, manipulating the trackball by any of the fingers allows a momentary relief to the wrist, and about the same could be said of the side buttons, too.

Go trackball!

sbhikes · Post by **sbhikes** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:43 am

I'm not a fan of the track balls or strangely-shaped keyboards. I once got a pen-type mouse like illustrators use. That was nice to use. It doesn't work with any of my newer computers, though.

I mostly have issues with the mouse, not the keyboard since I don't type a lot. I do a lot of cutting and pasting and a fair amount of photoshop. I really should learn more keyboard shortcuts.

The pain I get comes and goes and is all about the computer, not the flute. However, the flute now can bring it on as well. When it does, I try to adjust my right arm. I can't really figure out a better way to hold it, but sometimes I think I slouch my arm so my wrist isn't flat enough.

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