The Sweet Sounds of Spinal Health

By Krista Elliott

I looked over, and there she was.

Waiting patiently for me, aglow with beauty, but resting peacefully. As I held her again, I could almost feel the small hum of anticipatory excitement vibrating through her body. Pulling her close to me, I remembered the sweet music we made together, and hoped we could recapture that magic again. 

Her name is Bonnie, and she's my fiddle. 

Being a musician is a full-body experience, requiring intellectual, emotional, and physical effort. Without the first, there's no discipline. Without the second, there's no passion. And without the third? Well ... there's no sound. When all three come together though, that's when you can have a lot of fun and make some amazing music. 

The physical aspect of being a musician can get tricky, though. And in some cases, playing an instrument can be hard on the spine and joints, and I don't just mean in that old Disney cartoon where one skeleton is using another skeleton as a xylophone. 

How Being a Musician can Hurt Your Joints

Natural and relaxed neck and back movements are great for your spine and joints. Holding a fiddle under your chin for a two-hour practice session, as your beleaguered right shoulder begs for mercy and your twisted left wrist and hand weep bitterly in pain? Not so much. Other instruments can be just as hard on the body. A study published in the journal Medical Problems of Performing Artists detailed the poor postural stability and resulting injuries and accidents of marching band musicians. Baltimore physician Scott Brown explains why musicians can be so prone injuries of the muscles and joints. “Almost all musical instruments are biomechanically unwieldy to begin with,” says Brown. “They almost all require positions you wouldn’t use for any other reason but to hold that instrument.”

Biomechanical quirks aside, some instruments are just plain heavy. The double bass, cello, baritone sax, and other large instruments are heavy to lift and carry around from home to practice to concert. Plus, it doesn't help that most music cases don't have padded, backpack-style straps, relying instead on a simple handle or shoulder strap. This requires the musician to adjust their entire center of gravity to keep their balance while toting their instrument around. The result? Strains and subluxations that can interfere with the precious range of motion and muscular function you need to play. 

Hitting the Right Note with Chiropractic

So, with all of the subluxations and back pain that comes with the musical territory, why not give chiropractic a try? A professional analysis and treatment from the professionals at The Joint Chiropractic can alleviate back pain, naturally and without drugs. Plus, it can help speed up healing from joint injuries and misalignments. And a regular chiropractic routine can help stave off joint problems before they interfere with your ability to play. So you'll be making beautiful music in the long term.