Accessories Back problems

[Ballymenaboy]

I have degenerative disc wear and get a sore back playing tenor after a short time playing.Currently using Jazzlabs sax holder which I found to be a big improvement on neck strap..any experiences on harnesses that might be better for my problem than saxholder???

 

[jazzdoh]

I have back problems and I haven't found anything that works better than the Saxholder, what I found helped was moving to alto and only playing small amounts of tenor, this might not be the answer for you but it helped me.

 

[Ballymenaboy]

I have back problems and I haven't found anything that works better than the Saxholder, what I found helped was moving to alto and only playing small amounts of tenor, this might not be the answer for you but it helped me.

Thanks for replying...I would only ditch the tenor as a very last resort as it is my favourite instrument above all others...it may well be that I will have to increase rhe use of painkillers prior to playing for any length of time. IF i had to give up the tenor I would be looking for a hot bath and a razor blade.

 

[Pete Thomas]

any experiences on harnesses that might be better for my problem than saxholder???

No, Saxholder is the best.

 

[Ballymenaboy]

No, Saxholder is the best.

Thank you for replying I had thought that might be the case

 

[Pete Thomas]

Thank you for replying I had thought that might be the case

Well, it's only an opinion.

 

[BUMNOTE]

Have to agree with folks on Saxholder,i think it is a excellent piece of kit,sorry about your back problem and anyone else who suffers from a problem.I injured my back in october last year doing deadlifts in the gym,terrible pain but kept on working and training,end of November it turnrd out i had two prolapsed discs in my back,lost all sensation in right leg,i was off work nearly 4months,anyway not to bad at moment,bak at work and in gym again and hopefully in new year,back to Martial arts.Hope all goes well or you.

 

[Ballymenaboy]

Have to agree with folks on Saxholder,i think it is a excellent piece of kit,sorry about your back problem and anyone else who suffers from a problem.I injured my back in october last year doing deadlifts in the gym,terrible pain but kept on working and training,end of November it turnrd out i had two prolapsed discs in my back,lost all sensation in right leg,i was off work nearly 4months,anyway not to bad at moment,bak at work and in gym again and hopefully in new year,back to Martial arts.Hope all goes well or you.

Thank you for your counsel..hope you recover fully soon

 

[lydian]

Sax holder may be among the best harnesses, but I disagree that it's the best solution. The best is one that places zero force on your body, which would be some sort of stand or peg. This one looks very interesting (no endorsement or affiliation):

Home

The SaxSeat is the latest innovation to hit the saxophone industry. It is the first patented saxophone playing aid that supports both the musician and the weight of the instrument at the same time.

saxseat.com

 

[nigeld]

I use a Balam strap for tenor. I fund it as comfortable as a SaxStrap but less fussy.

 

[greenstripe]

I was going to suggest you try the Saxseat - I don't know anyone that's tried one though.

Another option is to try playing with the sax on a stand like Hercules DS730B however being tied to one position might not work for you.

 

[saxyjt]

In my own experience, planking is my best friend. I've had back issues for a while, related to arthrosis and my sister pointed me at some planking exercises.

Simple, easy, quick, only a few minutes per day and they worked miracles for me. I started with the basic forearm planking then added side planking. I just do 2' forward, the 30" each side. Not even everyday...

It may not be for every body, but it's worth a try.

 

[EdJ]

Two things sorted out my back issues (for the last few years anyway)
a) A couple of visits to an old school saxophone teacher (he is young and I didn’t expect him to be so old school) Without prompting he started by sorting out my posture and embouchure. By the second lesson my back pain was gone and I have thereafter watched for “moving my mouth to the saxophone” rather than vice versa and that I am only standing up straight if I feel as if I am leaning slightly backwards.
b) Physio. Various intractable musculoskeletal issues have been sorted over the years. I think I told her I played saxophone when I had the back issue but may not have done and definitely didn’t demonstrate it for posture advice.

Not sure which did the most but I am convinced that the saxophone posture work was crucial.

A man I know with a terrible hip was waiting for the NHS as like me he is ardent that it is the right thing to do. A retired professor asked him how much he spends on his car when buying it and each year to maintain it. He then asked him how much the hip replacement was and why he was prepared to spend so much more on a car than on his health?

He had a private hip replacement and now evangelises on the story.

A few sessions of physio privately and a couple of old school lessons focussing on egonomics will cost less than a posh mouthpiece.

I prefer the Conn-Selmer harness to the sax holder again a personal choice obviously. It just feels more stable.

I am a die hard NHS fan (and I was seen remarkably quickly by the NHS physio for my back) but if the wait was long I would now pay to see one.

 

[eb424]

Would getting a 10m and playing sitting down help

 

[Colin the Bear]

Lester played in bed. I'm working on it.
I see so many players with bad posture.
I use an inversion table to relieve back pain. Useless for playing any size of horn.

 

[lydian]

Would getting a 10m and playing sitting down help

Why 10m?

 

[eb424]

Why 10m?

I thought they were designed for playigng sitting hence the angle of the neck...

 

[noelweston]

Another one with long term back and neck problems here, originally when playing tenor. I've been diagnosed at various times with neck degeneration / wear and tear, but with no medical solution.

I'll second (or third) the comments above - that I've found the jazzlab to be the best and most comfortable solution. The other option is to use a floor stand, either standing or sitting, if that would work for you. (something like Relieve Back & Neck Pain with Sax Support Sax Stand.. )

All the harnesses I tried had the same issue - they put the sax too close to the body and in the wrong position to be truly comfortable. That said, I did use two for a while - a Nobcor Gemini for tenor and a Neotech for baritone.

Things that did help me:
- Jazzlab holder as above
- Alexander technique lessons for posture while playing - this ironed out a lot of things I didn't realise I did, and coupled with the Alexander exercises sorted 90%+ of my playing-related back pain
- A different shaped tenor! I've basically found that now I'm "limited" to vintage American horns or Selmer inspired designs PRE the mark VI. Everything else after 1954 has the right hand keys canted slightly inwards, which throws out my shoulder position and gives me neck & back tension within a few minutes.

I would certainly say look at playing posture, and try some different tenors of various ages and see if any of it helps.

 

[Tamiflu]

I have degenerative disc wear and get a sore back playing tenor after a short time playing.Currently using Jazzlabs sax holder which I found to be a big improvement on neck strap..any experiences on harnesses that might be better for my problem than saxholder???

It always amazes me when I read people on the internet seeking advice on how to tackle some medical problem...

Please, go and see your doctor, if he/she doesn’t know how to best help you, ask for a specialist referral.

“Degenerative disc wear” is a pretty loose term. Treatment, prevention of recurrent pain or advise on how to support the weight of a sax differs enormously depending on the location, shape and configuration of the “disc wear”, your past medical history, your current condition, your current treatment, what sax you play and for how long every day. It is even possible that the sore back is unrelated to the degenerative changes: approx. 70% of people over 60 have asymptomatic degenerative lower back changes.

Please, go to your doctor and share by all means, if you must, what they have told you in YOUR PARTICULAR case.

 

[lydian]

I thought they were designed for playigng sitting hence the angle of the neck...

I never heard of that. Interesting. One could argue the left hand bell keys are less appropriate for sitting. Regardless, the total force on the body would be the same.