Muscle Tension at the Piano and Problems I Can't Ask My Male Professor About.?
I’m a piano performance major in college, and violin is my secondary instrument. Since I’ve increased my practice time per day, I’m noticing that I’m developing shoulder and upper-back tension. Focusing on breathing has helped me recently, but I’m noticing that I have a bit of a feminine problem. I have heavy 34DD boobs that tend to fluctuate slightly in size now that I’m gaining some college weight. I can feel them pulling me down, and I can imagine how light I would feel without them. Breast reduction surgery is out of the question. Is my body impeding my playing? Where can I find a good bra that won’t cut into my shoulders or make me look huge? How do other large-busted pianists deal with this issue?
Hi Marie,
This may be a terrible idea, but hey – it’s just an idea! It strikes me that it is the bra that is putting pressure on your shoulders and causing upper back tension – it is the bra that is transferring the weight of your chest to your shoulders and upper back.
Bras are not a medical necessity – they don’t serve any important purpose – they’re just a combination of habit, fashion and social convention. Your body – including your back – is perfectly capable of supporting breasts of your size without need for assistance. So – my thought is this – have you tried playing without a bra? That doesn’t mean you need to be obvious about it – you could wear a soft crop top and layers and really no-one need know. You won’t do yourself any harm, it certainly won’t cause sagging if that worries you – it may just take the strain off your shoulders and upper back, and while your body gets on with supporting your chest in the way it’s evolved over thousands of years to do, you can get on with making music!
As I say, this may or may not be a good idea, but maybe at least worth a try – you may be surprised. Good luck either way!
I can’t help you with the big-busted issue, but one thing I can recommend is physical therapy. A PT can give you an exercise program to strengthen various muscles in your back. This will help your posture, decrease your back and shoulder pain, and help your carry the weight on your front. This will help you get some relief from the pain until you can make a decision about surgery. If you do go to Physical Therapy, you would probably not have to go very long because the therapist will be able to give you a home exercise program that you can continue on your own, so this will be a bit more cost-effective than surgery as well.
As a fellow pianist with the same anatomy issues, I can tell you you’re not alone. My back, neck, and shoulders hurt like you know what after I’ve been sitting at the piano for any length of time. I agree with the above person that some physical therapy might help. Sometimes just learning some stretches, strength exercises, or different ways to position the body can help. As far as a good bra, sometimes department stores, or lingerie stores will offer fittings. That is, they have someone there who is trained to measure you and help you find the right bra for you. Good luck!