How to Avoid Injury as a Violinist

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Make sure you're in a clear

   Do a full stroke of your bow and see where your elbow naturally rests.
   
   If your elbow is slightly close to something like a wall, take a step away and reposition yourself accordingly.
2. 2

   Step 2: open space with no chance of bumping into people or things.

   Having a bad posture won't cause injury but it may be uncomfortable and put a strain on your neck and shoulders.
   
   Stand upright, straight-backed, and make sure you hold your violin up; imagine there is a ball balanced on the strings of your violin and you have to make sure it stays there rather than sliding off the edge and falling on the floor.
   
   By having good posture, you won't hurt your muscles and will feel a lot more comfortable (it isn't fun having an achy shoulder during a 3-hour concert and not being able to rest). , This could be a teacher or just someone who is watching you play, but make sure they are standing back to minimize the risk of accidentally hitting them with the bow when you do a retake. , Stand with your feet slightly apart, flat and firmly on the ground, and never place one foot on top of the other.
   
   This could cause you to lose balance and you wouldn't want to topple over and break your violin (or hurt yourself). , If you are quite new to the violin, then this will be helpful as it's hard to turn a piece of paper when both hands are occupied.
   
   You don't want to try to flip a page too quickly and end up knocking over a huge score and hurting yourself. , Don't be tense; just relax and play the piece as fluidly as you can.
   
   This will help you be more aware of the things around you and will automatically improve your posture. , This is just due to playing and shouldn't bother you too much.
   
   If your hand is really hurting, then take a break and try to stop your fingers from growing stiff. , It's unlikely that this will cause a problem, but if you're leaning forwards while playing, your hair might dangle onto the strings of the violin and could get caught under the bow. , The main reason you may have an aching hand is the fact that it isn't placed correctly.
   
   When playing, make sure your left hand (the hand that's pressing on the strings,) is slightly arched, and that the palm and heel of your hand isn't squashed or pressed against the neck of the violin.
   
   Not only will this relieve any pain, but it will help you move into third position more fluidly. , It may be a minor problem, but try not to make a huge passionate swing when placing your violin on your collarbone, as it usually ends up hitting you in the jaw.
   
   This may be more embarrassing than painful, but it's still something to keep in mind. ,
3. 3

   Step 3: Maintain good posture.

4. 4

   Step 4: If someone is with you

5. 5

   Step 5: be wary of them.

6. 6

   Step 6: Make sure you're standing correctly.

7. 7

   Step 7: Make sure there is someone with you to help turn your sheet music (if there is more than one page).

8. 8

   Step 8: Relax!

9. 9

   Step 9: Don't panic if your hand is hurting or aching a little.

10. 10

    Step 10: If you have long hair

11. 11

    Step 11: tie it up.

12. 12

    Step 12: Make sure your hand is positioned correctly.

13. 13

    Step 13: Be slow when bringing your violin up to your chin.

14. 14

    Step 14: Allow calluses on your fingers to avoid cuts from the strings.

Detailed Guide

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