Our clinic specializes in providing musicians physical therapists. We have several years of experience.  And throughought that time, Dr. Carr has dedicated her time to perfecting our musicians physical therapy treatments.  Great musicians, of all types of instruments, often start playing at very early ages.  These individuals practice and perform day in and day out, perfecting the craft they love.  They are artists who require physical and mental strength, flexibility, stamina and of course intensely focused dedication.  The use of musician physical therapy throughout the evolution of their career can be of great benefit.

Each year Dr. Carr Integrative Physical Therapy works with the next generation of talented musicians at The Colburn School of Music in Los Angeles.  Colburn is a well known music conservatory that is considered one of the best music schools in the world.  After graduation, many of Colburn’s grads secure jobs in the best Orchestras across the globe…  Dr. Carr personally is in charge of Colburn’s musician physical therapy program and provides musicians’ physical therapy for the school.   The specially designed musicians physical therapy treatments help heal their aches and pains. These “next gen” muscians have intensive schedules that demand them to be perfoming at their best physical levels possible. Often times, they are practicing four to five hours a day…  They have several hours of orchestra practice… They take classes… They have one on one lessons with their teachers… And they perform in one or more orchestras at Colburn or other locations throughout the city. Not to mention having individual recitals, auditions and possible working gigs.

From my many years of experience being a musicians physical therapist… All we have to say is, WOW!

Dr. Carr is always amazed with these musical genius twenty-somethings. They have so much passion and dedication. And they work so hard on a daily basis. Sometimes their one break in the day is an hour with their musicians physical therapist at the school.  A musicians physical therapist can help reduce the potential for pain and improve overall function to help optimize performance. Repetitive movements in awkward positions, can create an overuse injury.  An overuse injury may result in muscle imbalances, neck strain, shoulder pain, and tendonitis. Overuse injury may also result irritation to the nervous system. Along withevaluating and treating these common aches that busy musicians have.  As a musicians physical therapist, Dr. Carr addresses each injury with a whole body approach integrated into treatment techniques.

During normal musicians physical therapist treatments, it is always important for Dr. Carr them playing their instrument. This allows both the musician patient and the musicians physical therapist to learn their playing habits. The musician is by far the expert in their instrument.  But specific simple musicians physical therapist exercises and hands on treatments, that most musician’s are anaware of, can help with strength and mobility. As well as increasing blood flow to promote healing. We also make subtle biomechanical changes while they play.  Sometimes slight adjustments such as  positioning of the wrist or elbows, an increase in their seat height, or adusting their body placement an inch forward or back can potentially make a huge difference.  Simple adjustments that the musician may not be aware of can minimize torque placed on their wrists, necks or back. This minimizaition of toque may have great benefits in reducing overuse related injuries.  We always focus on the muscian’s ability to play comfortably and perform with passion and zeal.  Dr. Carr’s specific goals are always to minimize pain and restore optimal function. At the same time, during my physical therapy treatments for musicians, we teach musicians physical therapist methods and tips.  These additonal methods and tips help the musicians learn to protect and listen to their bodies.  This additonal newly learned information can help extend their longevity as a very talented and proficient musicians into the future.

Whether you are a professional perfomer in the music industry. You are an aspiring musician. You play an instrument for fun. Or you have a child learning an instrument as an extracurricular activity… When considering a musicians physical therapist, it is always important for you to understand that an overuse injury can happen at all levels.

Here are a few musicians physical therapist tips that may prevent future injuries from happening.

1. Check your seat height – If the chair itself may not be able to be adjusted. When sitting are your knees higher than your hips? If so try sitting on a couple stable stacked chairs to increase the height. Or place one or two folded towels on the seat. Sitting on a higher surface can increase the height of your hips and torso. You may need more, or less, depending on how long your legs are. Your knees should be at about a 70-degree angle from your hips.  You hips should not be 90-degrees or more. This alone will help improve your posture.  Improved posture may create a positive chain reaction working from the bottom up. As a result pressure can be reduced on your knees, hips, low back and neck.  The reduced pressue may improve overall use of upper body to play freely.
2. Don’t Forget Your Wrists – Before during and after practicing wring out your wrists… Circle them, clockwise and counter clockwise. Draw the alphabet as if your wrists are pain brushes. Try these exercises with your finger extended and flexed. Try these exercises with your elbows bent and straight. This helps to keep the blood flowing while actively stretching different muscles and tendons in the forearms, hands and fingers.
3. Take breaks – We cannot emphasize this enough. Spreading out your practicing hours with significant breaks makes a huge difference. Allowing your body to rest is important. It allows for muscle recovery and can help improve overall longevity preventing injuries before they start.
4. Drink water – Have water with you, always. Staying hydrated helps prevent cramping and fatigue.
5. Ice – Ice is a great natural anti-inflammatory. As a preventative measure or while nursing an injury, icing areas that are commonly used for 10-15 minutes after practicing or preforming can be really healing for the muscles, tendons and joints.

Working as a musicians physical therapist is very rewarding. Dr. Carr Integrative Physical Therapy learns from them as much as they learn from us.  Musician physical therapy is truly a team effort when it comes to fine tuning the performers craft while preventing injuries for the future.

If you would like to find out more about music pt you may contact Dr. Carr directly.