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Author Topic: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow  (Read 2777 times)

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Gareth Sprack

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Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« on: January 27, 2019, 09:38:20 AM »

I gave myself tennis elbow back in the summer, which has all but cleared up, however I find that even a short session on my Hohner 114, with basic thumb and wrist straps sets it off again.
I try to balance the instrument on my right knee, but I was wondering if I have a fault in my technique or if I would benefit from fitting a shoulder strap.
After several failed attempts at mastering the thing over the last forty years, ten months of more or less regular practice has finally given me hope I may get somewhere with the beast, so I am determined not to quit now.
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Steve C.

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2019, 01:08:20 PM »

Straps always help control the box. Also allow for changing your elbow angle.
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2019, 03:06:53 PM »

My wife suffered from Tennis Elbow through doing a lot of sewing at the time.
Our GP's  physiotherapist didn't help, possibly made it worse, and I remembered my old osteopath from helping with my morris knees.
She immediately treated her and made her more comfortable and most importantly advised her on a brace for her arm.

It is the same design ( maybe the same make )  as this here.
https://www.stressnomore.co.uk/thuasne-epimed-elbow-10653.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8ue2wZ2O4AIVjr_tCh1YQgkWEAYYAyABEgKK8vD_BwE

She started off by wearing it when sewing, then when she'd started to feel it twinge, now on rare occasions when she feels a twinge but before it develops into hurting again.

On another note, straps will take the weight and so allow you to just play rather than play and support the box.
Good luck
Q
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Thrupenny Bit

I think I'm starting to get most of the notes in roughly the right order...... sometimes!

Pat McInnis

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2019, 04:00:18 PM »

I had pretty good luck with a super simple velcro strap (from 3M I think) for my tennis elbow. It has a small pressure point bubble and gets positioned right below your elbow. I think it was $12
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2019, 04:19:12 PM »

The one I described has two pressure points which act on the muscles immediately below the elbow as the picture shows.
I think the design needs to support those muscles for relief.
Q
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Thrupenny Bit

I think I'm starting to get most of the notes in roughly the right order...... sometimes!

Roger Hare

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2019, 04:30:53 PM »

Effectively, I'm currently not a melodeon player, but a mere concertina player lurking here. Why?

I did my shoulder (big time!) in the swimming pool about 18 months ago when at the 'Twinkle, Twinkle
Little Star' stage of learning to play the melodeon. A lot of pain - couldn't sleep on my right side, etc.
A couple of weeks ago, after about a year of rest and physiotherapy, I picked it up the melodeon again.
No joy - after about 30 minutes, back to the shoulder problem - so I may have to pack it in! Fortunately,
I'm fine with my much lighter concertina(s). I wonder if I might try the velcro support straps mentioned
elsewhere...

Any other suggestions for easing shoulder pain/problems (as opposed to wrist/elbow)? It's a b*gger!
« Last Edit: January 28, 2019, 04:13:56 AM by Roger Hare »
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Dick Rees

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2019, 04:53:53 PM »

At age 72 I've had my fair share of enforced time-outs due to physical problems.  The fore-arm, elbow, wrist and hand issues have been dealt with by a regimen of massage, chiropractic, acupuncture and a proper stretching regimen along with diet.

Arnica is a powerful tool both in as a topical gel and homeopathic oral dosage.  Self-massage along with stretching in a program worked out with my chiropractor has been great.  Hydration is a huge part of it, but skip the caffeinated and alcoholic beverages if you're in an acute stage.

I'm most comfortable with a single strap.  PA requires two, but 2-row only one.
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tirpous

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2019, 05:34:30 PM »

You mention balancing the instrument on the right knee.  Holding the one-row on the right leg is the 'Cajun way' (for lack of a better term).  Many people hold it on the left leg.  Also, it's possible that your problem comes from holding the instrument too far out on your leg.  The leverage is different with the box close to the body.

It's possible a shoulder strap would help, but I would suggest you experiment with different positions first (you have more freedom for that with a thumb strap).  Many great one-row players use the thumb strap.

There are many videos online from which you can get ideas about how to hold the one-row.  Here are a couple of links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE4XoE6NXoc

http://www.valcourrecords.com/musings/2017/3/30/cajun-accordion-kings-and-the-queen

Good luck ! 
« Last Edit: January 28, 2019, 12:10:14 AM by tirpous »
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Clive Williams

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2019, 06:15:46 PM »

Which arm is giving you the grief? If the right arm, I would try playing with a strap for a while - preferably a nice long one, and balance it on your left knee rather than the right. You could also try a double strap approach, though that may be overkill for a one-row.

Lester

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2019, 06:22:46 PM »

Which arm is giving you the grief? If the right arm, I would try playing with a strap for a while - preferably a nice long one, and balance it on your left knee rather than the right.


Like this bloke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDxYEEizC5o

arty

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2019, 06:33:34 PM »

I had tennis elbow once, after chiselling old ceramic tiles off a large bathroom wall, which took days and days.

I was about to go to my doctor, when I met a witch who made me promise not to go. "I'll bring you something", she said and she did. She brought me a month's supply of tablets from a Health Shop, they were called "Devil's Claw". They were pure Devil's Claw, by which I mean, there was nothing else in them.

Ten days later, the pain had completely gone and I have never ever had any pain since. Not even a twinge. That was 20 years ago. Got to be better than cortisone, in my opinion.
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george garside

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2019, 09:21:24 PM »

Don't know anything about devils claw or other possible placebos >:E  but the simple mechanical solution to ease playing with tennis elbow is to remove the function of   the elbow and lower arm from holding or supporting the box.     This entails some sort or other of  supportive strap  be it Lesters single strap on upper arm (above elbow joint,) a single long strap or even two straps which is a bit like overkill on a one row - or no strap but with the box firmly against the right upper leg (playing seated)'



to me , the function of the elbow joint, wrist articulation and finger movement is or should be all about playing the tune  without , for example, haveing to heave against the edge of the keyboard  to keep the box still.

george
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2019, 09:50:48 PM »

Don't know anything about devils claw or other possible placebos

george

Devil's claw is a standard remedy for lameness in horses. aka no bute.
It's a very effective pain killer and anti-inflammatory, and horses don't lie about this sort of thing.

I should imagine it's effectiveness in tennis elbow treatment is something to do with that.
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Greg Smith
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ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin. Ambrose Bierce

george garside

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2019, 10:06:54 PM »

are there any known side effects when used on humans?
george
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #14 on: January 27, 2019, 10:49:14 PM »

are there any known side effects when used on humans?
george

I believe it's been known to make people play across the rows.
I know it does horses no harm. Don't know about people, but it is (or at least was, don't know if it still is) marketed as a remedy. Ask in your local apothecary.
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Greg Smith
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Dick Rees

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #15 on: January 27, 2019, 10:58:33 PM »

are there any known side effects when used on humans?
george

Neigh!!!
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Gareth Sprack

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #16 on: January 28, 2019, 06:50:10 AM »

Thank-you one and all, many good suggestions, although I think I might pass on the 'devil's claw' just in case I end up with one and my playing gets even worse.
I will definitely look at fitting a shoulder strap and try some different positions.
Gareth
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Steve C.

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #17 on: January 28, 2019, 01:23:33 PM »

Acknowledging Rogers post, playing the concertina (new to me) is a bio-mechanical revelation.  They are kind of squeeky but played sitting down, with, for me, left end sitting on left knee, there is practically no arm movement at all, just fingers.  Nice and relaxing.
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mwatersworld

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #18 on: February 07, 2019, 12:43:50 AM »

I suffered left arm 'accordion elbow' for a long time before someone on the accordionists.co.uk website (currently down) pointed me to this helpful video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PPbJFqCStY

The presenter in the video recommends keeping the left elbow tucked in toward the body as opposed to flailing out like a chicken, something I was guilty off. The technique reduces the mechanical lever strain on the elbow. The tip certainly worked for me.

Mark
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george garside

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Re: Melodeon practice and 'tennis' elbow
« Reply #19 on: February 08, 2019, 10:12:09 AM »

and the same can be done with a melodeon using the pivoting action of the elbow which even for a small person should enable 10 to 12 inches of bellows opening (provided the top of the treble end of the box is positioned , by whatever means, roughly under the chin)  On the rare occasions that a greater bellows extension is needed a SMALL additional movement of the shoulder would do the trick and such occasional use is unlikely to have an adverse effect on the shoulder.   


Obviously the further to the left the main body of the box is relative to the person the  more elbow and probably shoulder movement  is required for a given amount of bellows opening.l

Another factor is of course the amount of air being used at any particular time  eg heavy turgid use of bass rather than light rhythmic tapping,  playing far louder than is actualy required etc etc etc.

george

























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