Left arm pain?

[Beemer]

As I await my first accordion I would like to know if players experience left arm pain at some point in their life through playing accordion? I have left elbow pain caused by DIY work in my home. It is a repetitive strain injury that after 3 months has not gone away. Needless to say I have not repeated the arm action which was caused by unfamiliar ceiling plastering and painting over four days. I am nervous in case playing accordion will prevent proper healing.
Ian

 

[JeffJetton]

When I first started out it did have a bit of overuse pain in the left arm. As I recall, it was mostly in the forearm. I guess there were some muscles being used in ways they were not used to be used! Eventually it went away. Never any elbow problems though.

But I have zero qualifications to give any advice about what you should do. A real doctor is the best target for this sort of question.

That said, I usually go by the rule "when in doubt, wait it out". No sense in letting eagerness and impatience lead to worse (or even permanent) injury.

 

[JerryPH]

While posting here is never a bad idea, the best I could offer is that you have a doctor check it out.

Sometimes what we feel as being a painful movement can really be anything and range from something like a minor muscle sprain to something very serious and requiring surgery if not addressed. The only person that could tell you without doubt is your doctor, which is something I suggest anytime anyone has some pains, concerns or fears.

I myself have been having a lot of shoulder pain lately when playing, but then again, I worked behind a desk for near 12 hours a couple days ago without a break, and my left shoulder was aching like no one's business from that one event. I know it's just strain and will go away in a couple days, but if you are not sure... as a professional.

 

[Valski]

The doctor is your best bet for the elbow injury. That said, having broken my left wrist more than once, playing accordion has never been a factor. When recovering from those injuries I was encouraged to exercise my wrist to speed up the healing process. Playing the accordion could be considered exercising your arm and might be beneficial, however you might want to stop practicing when you're feeling pain in your elbow. Occasionally I still get pain in my left wrist and when this happens I put down my accordion. Playing should not hurt you and might even help you to recover more quickly, but if you're feeling discomfort give it a break.

You wouldn't stop walking entirely if you hurt your leg, you would be encouraged to use the leg as soon as possible to speed recovery. ?

 

[Beemer]

Thanks for all your replies. My accordion is being made in Italy just now and I will not get it until the end of March. So there is time for more healing.

 

[debra]

When you get the accordion the best advice anyone can give you is: don't overdo it!
You should make sure you are using the accordion correctly: the right posture (sitting up straight, and the accordion close to vertical, not diagonal). If you have a huge belly that correct posture will be close to impossible, sorry. The straps should be short enough (left shortest, right longest) to give you a firm grip, so the accordion cannot flap around, especially during bellow shake. Your chin should be right above the keyboard. (Many people hold the accordion too far to the right, which is a problem for the right arm.)
Even when everything is correct, if you overdo the exercise with a heavy accordion you may develop an issue with your left shoulder or elbow.
When I got my 18kg Hohner Artiste X S and started practicing a lot, and that was a bad idea. My left shoulder started hurting and I had to cut down on the practice a lot (for a while) to let the shoulder heal.

 

[Zevy]

Not to sound redundant, I will keep it short: Pain is your message to STOP. I recently got over some bad left elbow pain. Taking it easy and waiting it out was the best thing I did. The doctor recommended a device to keep the left elbow in place. He said that I was not the first accordionist he'd seen for this. It eventually got better.
Good luck!

 

[Dingo40]

Like Zevy says: pain is nature's warning!?
The problem then becomes, what is it warning you of??

 

[Ffingers]

Like Zevy says: pain is nature's warning!?
The problem then becomes, what is it warning you of??

The End is Nigh?
(Growing old is not for wimps.)

 

[Johnny]

I also noticed some pain in my left arm when I was starting (September 2021), particularly a tension in my left shoulder. I think this was mostly from overdoing practice/playing sessions, being unaccustomed to the accordion's weight and shape (and correct playing movements), and not using a proper chair (I initially started practicing on the end of my bed -- a very bad idea, imho).

If I were starting out again, I would: do some stretches before playing; arrange lessons with a teacher asap (to get feedback on body position & technique, etc); use a proper chair (I found a used Wenger musician chair for $10 at a university surplus store); and, finally, incorporate more short breaks into my practices. Best of luck and happy playing!

 

[Zevy]

Like Zevy says: pain is nature's warning!?
The problem then becomes, what is it warning you of??

Warning you to....STOP!

 

[Ffingers]

Warning you to....STOP!

...or you'll go blind!

On the other hand (arm?) - "There's no gain without pain" said the personal trainer.

I think that advice from a qualified and competent physiotherapist would be useful here.

If I were to stop whatever I was doing in response to pain, then I would never get out of bed let alone try new activities which put new stresses on muscles and joints.

 

[Corinto]

If I were to stop whatever I was doing in response to pain, then I would never get out of bed let alone try new activities which put new stresses on muscles and joints.

Same here!