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  •  » Swimming "for all soft tissue injuries of the hand, wrist, and forearm

#1 2009-02-15 12:14:21

John Singer
Shihan/Kinko Ryu-Chikumeisha
Registered: 2007-03-10
Posts: 42

Swimming "for all soft tissue injuries of the hand, wrist, and forearm

I've been playing Shakuhachi since 1975. I've had lots of pain for over 10 years from over-practice of the Shakuhachi; especially related to playing the longer flutes and also long Gaikyoku pieces.
I tried many treatments and had several wrist surgeries as well. I want to tell you that the ONLY thing that has significantly helped me is swimming on a regular basis.
This exercise has allowed me to play shakuhachi as much as I like without pain. The pills, the ultra-sound, acupuncture, and surgery, etc etc  was worthless!
I also recommend not playing anything longer than 2.0 until the pain is gone for a few months. Then move back to the longer instruments slowly and carefully.
I recommend doing the crawl and using a mask and snorkel so as to be able to breathe freely and keep your neck straight. Doing 20 laps twice a week in a pool has worked for me as a minimum of practice.

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#2 2009-02-15 22:45:25

Josh
PhD
From: Grand Island, NY/Nara, Japan
Registered: 2005-11-14
Posts: 305
Website

Re: Swimming "for all soft tissue injuries of the hand, wrist, and forearm

I was wondering if you thought that was due to the exercise in the water or being in the water itself?  Maybe both.   Would just soaking in a warm bath/onsen each night help alot too?

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#3 2009-02-16 00:41:41

Priapus Le Zen M☮nk
Historical Zen Mod
From: St-Jerome, Quebec, Canada
Registered: 2006-04-25
Posts: 612
Website

Re: Swimming "for all soft tissue injuries of the hand, wrist, and forearm

Josh wrote:

I was wondering if you thought that was due to the exercise in the water or being in the water itself?  Maybe both.   Would just soaking in a warm bath/onsen each night help alot too?

Well as far as I can say soaking in a hot tub does help some of my M.S symptoms especially in the hands area but if i soak too long and  I get too hot then my right eye gets fuzzier than it is and I can see almost nothing. I can say that the swimming thing does make sense since also it is in water that is not too hot. I will give this one a chance. Might even join water aerobics for the old farts. Hell I am 34 but now feel like an old fart with this freaking sickness.


Sebastien 義真 Cyr
春風館道場 Shunpukan Dojo
St-Jerome, Quebec, Canada
http://www.myspace.com/shunpukandojo

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#4 2009-02-16 05:31:53

Tairaku 太楽
Administrator/Performer
From: Tasmania
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 3226
Website

Re: Swimming "for all soft tissue injuries of the hand, wrist, and forearm

Josh wrote:

I was wondering if you thought that was due to the exercise in the water or being in the water itself?  Maybe both.   Would just soaking in a warm bath/onsen each night help alot too?

The swimming.


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#5 2009-02-16 10:22:48

lowonthetotem
Member
From: Cape Coral, FL
Registered: 2008-04-05
Posts: 529
Website

Re: Swimming "for all soft tissue injuries of the hand, wrist, and forearm

I am not sure about the expansive/contractive exercise thing.  The body is a series of counter balances where muscles are concerned.  For one set of muscles to stretch, another set has to contract; however, we do tend to overuse certain groups to the detriment of our posture and joints.  This is a function of some very basic anatomical facts, like having eye in the front of our heads and not the back and, in this case, have hinge joints in our fingers that emphasize flexion instead of extension.

As far as the swimming, water provides greater resistance than air while also supporting the body due to the density of the water and the body's boyancy.  It is a well recognized medium for therapy as well as exercise.


"Turn like a wheel inside a wheel."

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#6 2009-02-17 03:13:39

John Singer
Shihan/Kinko Ryu-Chikumeisha
Registered: 2007-03-10
Posts: 42

Re: Swimming "for all soft tissue injuries of the hand, wrist, and forearm

Regarding your question about soaking in the water being useful or not. I have found hot/cold therapy and soaking worthless.
Swimming is what I said. You have to get the blood curculating out to your finger-tips and the blood flow is very poor in the extremeties. That is why swimming is so important. Not just sitting in a tub.
It's not complicated. Very simple. twenty laps two or three times a week just as I wrote. This is the only thing that worked for me. I suggest that anyone with hand/wrist/forearm pain from Shakuhachi practice to give it a serious try for several months and just see what happens.

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#7 2009-02-17 05:25:33

Seth
Member
From: Scarsdale, NY
Registered: 2005-10-24
Posts: 270

Re: Swimming "for all soft tissue injuries of the hand, wrist, and forearm

john singer wrote:

Regarding your question about soaking in the water being useful or not. I have found hot/cold therapy and soaking worthless.
Swimming is what I said. You have to get the blood curculating out to your finger-tips and the blood flow is very poor in the extremeties. That is why swimming is so important. Not just sitting in a tub.
It's not complicated. Very simple. twenty laps two or three times a week just as I wrote. This is the only thing that worked for me. I suggest that anyone with hand/wrist/forearm pain from Shakuhachi practice to give it a serious try for several months and just see what happens.

I think you answered this question already with the text above, but...

How long does it take before seeing results?  Did you feel a difference right away?  Or only after a few months?

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#8 2009-02-17 09:25:38

lowonthetotem
Member
From: Cape Coral, FL
Registered: 2008-04-05
Posts: 529
Website

Re: Swimming "for all soft tissue injuries of the hand, wrist, and forearm

I would not say that hot/cold therapy is worthless, although it is not so beneficial to chronic conditions.  However, acute trauma reacts well to immediate icing and then alternating hot and cold compresses after twelve to twenty four hours.  Just before going to Chikuzen's Ro camp December, I pushed a drill bit (driver bit actually) all the way through my left thumb.  I kept it on ice for most of the first day and then the hot/cold thing for the next couple of days and experienced no significant loss of function and was able to attend the camp without issue.  I didn't even lose the finger nail because the ice kept the swelling from reaching counterproductive levels.  The hot and cold therapy later helped bring blood to the area and then move it out to purge damage cells.  I heated the area by soaking it in hot water with ebsom salts.  It worked well.  Again, though, this was an acute injury, not a chronic condition.  Conditions like arthritis can be adversely affect by soaking in hot or warm water as it can cause the bursa in the joint to swell.  Swollen joints are often the issue with arthritis in the first place.

Swimming, though, is great for osteoarthritis in most situations.


"Turn like a wheel inside a wheel."

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#9 2009-07-07 16:52:51

Nilton Machado
Member
From: São Paulo, Brasil
Registered: 2008-12-22
Posts: 19
Website

Re: Swimming "for all soft tissue injuries of the hand, wrist, and forearm

swimming, here i come.


I blow you while I wait
I blow you in my disappointment-
Worthless Shakuhachi!
                           The Kangin-shu Collection, Kouta 276 (1518).

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#10 2009-07-09 00:53:37

Lodro
Member
From: Australia
Registered: 2009-04-02
Posts: 105

Re: Swimming "for all soft tissue injuries of the hand, wrist, and forearm

Preventative Hand Care
There's a wonderful book -  Hand Maintenance Guide for Massage Therapists by Shogo Mochizuki. As the title suggests, it's primarily designed for Massage Therapists to maintain their own hands/fingers/wrists etc, however it's great for anyone!

Massage Therapy (Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy, Hand Massage etc)
Will work! There just happens to be degrees of how well it will work 'for you' depending upon you and your condition.

Acupressure/Acupuncture/Chinese Medicine
Will work! There just happens to be degrees of how well it will work 'for you' depending upon you and your condition.


Each part of the body should be connected to every other part.

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