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Bruce Richards posted an article very recently to Living the Dream on the topic of horn player tendinitis. Richards and I go way back to Aspen in 1983 (more in this article); we are the same age and share it turns out some similar problems.
For him four of the keys to working with his tendinitis over the years have been playing with the horn off the leg, practicing standing, stretching, and varying instruments. The following is an excerpt from his article [UPDATE: no longer online].
I have considered going back to playing on the leg but the thought of losing the freedom of movement scares me. Playing a large wrap Geyer horn (Rauch or Hill) also means that the lead-pipe is badly positioned when the bell is on the leg. All of these considerations have led to my reflecting on standing vs. sitting when practicing. Since I will play around 4 hours sitting during a days orchestra rehearsals I have always practiced standing (except when practicing complicated muting or stopping sections). The variation of position is vital to keep from blocking my joints and muscles in one static position which leads to tendinitis. My practice sessions are usually broken into 45 minute segments of intense work, and then after a 5-15 minute rest I start again. I have found that stretching during these breaks helps reduce pain and mobility problems.
One change which has come about concerns my new single B-flat Karl Hill horn. It is easily 35% lighter than my Rauch horn. Since I have just recently taken delivery of the horn I have spent a lot of time playing the horn and switching between the two horns. The difference is very noticeable, and alternating between the instruments I reduce the strain on my shoulder joints.
In my own case, when I was playing Third Horn in Nashville I began to experience a tight numbness in my left hand and wrist, to the point that I started warming up often holding the horn backwards to reduce my time holding it with my left hand. Actually in my case it is a carpal tunnel problem rather than tendinitis. I was able to ease the problem then considerably by putting a “ducks foot” support on my horn and by holding the bell off the leg.
Since that time I have switched horns a couple times, and one goal with each has been to make each one as natural and ergonomic to hold as possible, which has mostly kept things under control. My big Paxman double was probably best of all in that regard, but with finger pads and a strap the Willson Geyer is quite comfortable to hold. Also in recent years, unless there is an important performance coming very soon, I have taken to practicing a different horn at home than at school. Often that has actually been a single B-flat, as Richards has done as well. It sure is a lot easier to hold than my triple, and I agree with him that varying horns can be of help–especially if they are all pretty comfortable to hold. Plus, as a bonus, I don’t have to carry a horn to the car and back.
These past few weeks, however, I have been practicing a lot of Wagner tuba and other oddball middle brass for my upcoming MIM recital. I try to space out the practice on them but in the end now, as I gear up, my left hand is really not in great shape. In particular I have again resorted to warming-up backwards when I can and I try not to use the left hand more than needed in my daily life to not irritate things further. Thankfully, in a week I will be able to rest the arm a bit and get back into a normal routine, the problem should pass again then.
Many horn players will have issues related to the holding and performing position of the horn deal with; thank you Bruce Richards for presenting a helpful resource on the topic.
