I do postural work with everyone I coach and have been doing so for years. We work on posture with the instrument, away from the instrument, and in general daily life activities. This short TED-Ed clip helps to explain why… 😉
I recently came across an article written in Swedish by Margareta Eldh and Jan-Erik Broman. Although not directly related to recovery from and prevention of Musician’s Focal Dystonia, there are many interesting points which are relevant, as sleep deprivation seems to be a factor in many cases of Musician’s Focal Dystonia that I see. The… Continue reading…
The bulk of this blog is dedicated to providing free information and advice aimed at helping in the recovery of Musician’s Focal Dystonia. With that said, today’s post is an attempt to simply provide a little inspiration and hope to those of you who may have thought about giving up. And believe me, I do… Continue reading…
Of all the dystonias I come across in my coaching work, focal hand dystonia is the most common. This type of Musician’s Focal Dystonia occurs most often in guitarists, drummers, string players, and pianists, although several woodwind and brass players I have met have also been affected. Focal hand dystonia is indeed a complex problem,… Continue reading…
If you’ve read my story, you’ll know that I became aware of the effects of my Musician’s Focal Dystonia back in 2005. Neither dentists, physiotherapists, nor neurologists were able to provide me with any solutions for my condition. At best, I was told that botox might offer some partial relief, and that I would have to… Continue reading…
Here is a list of 10 resources I found extremely useful in my recovery from Musicians Focal Dystonia. Whilst simply reading did not solve my dystonia issues, learning and applying the ideas presented in these resources was a large part of my recovery process. I hope that these resources are useful for you too. Performing… Continue reading…
This is an article I read recently, authored by Carl Ellenberger, MD. The article is long, but well worth the read as it goes a long way to explaining Musician’s Focal Dystonia, outlining who is prone to the condition, the causes, and gives some simplified ideas about what to do about it. Musicians with Dystonia:… Continue reading…
This was an article I published back in 2010. Originally, it was written with the intention of removing tension from the playing system in trumpet, trombone, horn, and other brass players. However, re-reading the article, I can see that already here I was forming the basis for one of my breathing exercises which has proven… Continue reading…
I often talk of the differences between a ‘nuts and bolt’s approach to focal dystonia (ie. studying the neurology, changes in the basal ganglia etc) vs. the merits of a hands-on recovery programme. Personally, I have seen far greater rehabilitation rate in musicians with focal dystonia when applying recovery programmes, than when simply talking about… Continue reading…
A valuable tool in the recovery from, and indeed prevention of Musician’s Focal Dystonia is the use of role models. Role models and recovery The best musicians (and athletes) make stunning performances look easy. Why? Because it is easy for them! The obvious question then is, “What do these top musicians do in order to play effortlessly?”… Continue reading…