{"id":1649,"date":"2020-07-28T06:35:49","date_gmt":"2020-07-28T13:35:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=1649"},"modified":"2024-04-10T14:10:10","modified_gmt":"2024-04-10T21:10:10","slug":"perfect-posture-at-the-piano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/perfect-posture-at-the-piano\/","title":{"rendered":"Perfect Posture At The Piano (A Chiropractor&#8217;s Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Perfect posture at the piano is super important. But many piano players (especially beginners) don\u2019t know how to sit at the piano correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This leads to bad posture, which can cause strain and make you feel tired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At its worst, it can lead to injury and stop you from playing the piano altogether!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So let\u2019s fix that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Your Go-To Place for All Things Piano<\/b><\/h2><p>Get exclusive interviews, fascinating articles, and inspiring lessons delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/center><small><i>By signing up you\u2019ll also receive our ongoing free lessons and special offers. Don\u2019t worry, we value your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time.<\/i><\/small><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the comprehensive guide to perfect posture at the piano, from an expert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Sean Kilgannon is a chiropractor in British Columbia. He\u2019s actually MY chiropractor. I see him because I have issues with my forearms, which you\u2019ll hear about in the lesson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Kilgannon is also a musician! So he knows the needs of piano players and has so much fantastic advice to help you sit correctly and comfortably, so you can play pain-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>How to Sit at the Piano<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of us live our lives hunched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How\u2019s your posture right now? If you\u2019re at a computer, are you hunching forward? Or if you\u2019re reading this on your phone, are you hunching over the screen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This hunching translates to the piano.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We sit with our back rounded, like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><video src=\"https:\/\/media.giphy.com\/media\/L4HufiEOFxjBl2ZmVv\/giphy.mp4\" autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\"><\/video><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By sitting like that, our pelvis tilts back, rounding the lower spine. That&#8217;s not great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Kilgannon says the pelvis should be in a neutral position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So for me, that involves consciously tilting it forward a little bit to get it to where it should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><video src=\"https:\/\/media.giphy.com\/media\/PjsHOW2iYrLfH0kfLl\/giphy.mp4\" autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\"><\/video><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This also creates a slight curve in the lower back and helps to align the spine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201dIf we tuck the low back in \u2026 our spine stacks on the discs, and then we\u2019re not hanging on the ligaments\u201d ~ Dr. Kilgannon<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>And when you do sit up tall, you don\u2019t want to \u201cjerk\u201d your shoulders back too much. Dr. Kilgannon says that will just tire out the muscles in the upper back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Looking After Your Hands and Wrists<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Elbows and wrists are common issues for piano players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We need to use our arms and we often twist at the wrist, especially when playing <a href=\"\/blog\/master-the-thumb-tuck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">thumb tucks for arpeggios<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This puts strain on our forearms which can lead to issues (like the ones I see Dr. Kigannon about).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To combat this, it helps to do some strength training, and it\u2019s super important to stretch!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which brings us to the need to\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Warming Up!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"\/blog\/the-ultimate-piano-warmup-routine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Warming up<\/a> to play the piano is NOT just about playing scales, Hanon exercises, or arpeggios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also about warming-up our bodies to be ready for the physical aspect of playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you do yoga, it can be really beneficial to do a quick, 10-minute session before sitting at the keys. But let\u2019s be honest, most of us probably don\u2019t!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even just some simple stretching exercises before you play will make a big difference over the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So let\u2019s look at some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To stretch the forearm, lock your elbow, bring your hand down and use your other hand to stretch that forearm out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><video src=\"https:\/\/media.giphy.com\/media\/chKffv1xLX8CfPFwCc\/giphy.mp4\" autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\"><\/video><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then reverse the stretch and bring your hand back up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><video src=\"https:\/\/media.giphy.com\/media\/QZhudZlAlaiLmmknM8\/giphy.mp4\" autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\"><\/video><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This should only take a couple of minutes. The goal is to warm-up, not tire-out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Stretching the neck and shoulders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With all the hunching we do in our daily lives, our neck and shoulders can carry a lot of tension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some great stretches Dr. Kilgannon showed me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, sit tall on your chair and hold the sides of the chair with your hands. Then lean to one side and really feel the stretch in the side of your neck:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><video src=\"https:\/\/media.giphy.com\/media\/iIGvkstQ2BXUZ0DrsQ\/giphy.mp4\" autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\"><\/video><\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><b><i>&#8220;Oh! That&#8217;s amazing!&#8221;<\/i><\/b><\/center>\n\n\n\n<p>It feels so good!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, grab the back corner of your piano bench (or chair). Put your hand on your head and stretch forward at a 45-degree angle, opposite to where you\u2019re holding the chair:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><video src=\"https:\/\/media.giphy.com\/media\/VIWiobsW6BGrDxtjLu\/giphy.mp4\" autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\"><\/video><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And finally, while sitting up straight let your head stretch forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The video has SO much more great advice from Dr. Kigannon, including tips for a healthy diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also talks about how to play the piano if you suffer from arthritis or even if you have some old injuries that are causing pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I strongly recommend you watch the entire thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the ONE thing to take away from this is that perfect posture at the piano is SO important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pay attention to how you\u2019re sitting and try some stretches. Looking after your posture will guarantee that you can play the piano pain-free and for years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have fun and happy practicing (with proper posture at the piano)!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Your Go-To Place for All Things Piano<\/b><\/h2><p>Subscribe to <i>The Note<\/i> for exclusive interviews, fascinating articles, and inspiring lessons delivered straight to your inbox. Unsubscribe at any time.<\/p><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to sit at the piano with perfect posture, so you avoid injury and fatigue. Here is a chiropractor&#8217;s guide to perfect posture at the piano.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":1668,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[509],"tags":[1069],"class_list":["post-1649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technique","tag-gsotp"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1649"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1649\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16987,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1649\/revisions\/16987"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1668"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1649"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1649"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}