How to Play the Drums With Tendonitis in the Shoulder & Elbow

The human body is full of tendons that surround the muscles, joints and bones. If we overuse those tendons, they swell and lead to a condition known as tendonitis. Those who suffer from tendonitis will experience pain just from moving their arms or legs. If you are a drummer who suffers from this, you may initially feel that the pain is too intense to drum. While a certain level of rest is a must, this how-to article will show you the best way to get back on the drummer stool despite the tendonitis.

Things You'll Need

• drums
• drumsticks
• an ergonomic drum setup
• ice
• heat compress

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Instructions

• 1

  Stop playing if you feel pain. It's never a good idea to play through the pain unless you're in the middle of a concert and it's absolutely necessary to finish. As soon as you get the chance, ice the shoulder, elbows or other areas that hurt for 10 minutes. Later in the day, put a heat compress on the effected area for 20 minutes. If the heat exacerbates the situation, stick to the cold.

• 2

  Rest from playing the drums completely if possible. Although it may seem impossible, a few days of rest will help refresh your body. Continue to ice and heat while you rest. After a day or two, begin to stretch your elbow and shoulder. Stretch up to the moment you feel pain and then stop. This will help to build up your shoulder and elbow strength and reduce the risk of future injury.

• 3

  Set up your drums ergonomically. Your tendontitis may have resulted from not only prolonged use but also an inadequate setup. Experiment with various stool heights and drum distances from your body. Play your drums lightly and see if one position helps or hurts more. But be careful. You don't want a setup that works for your shoulder and elbow but throws out your back. Take a look at Pat McLaughlin's online Drum Set Ergonomics book for all the specifics to consider as you setup your set and hold your drum sticks.

• 4

  Begin to play your drums again moderately. As you hit the different drums in your drum set, note whether you experience pain in your shoulders or arms as you hit a particular drum. Experiment with changes in your grip to produce the most comfortable drumming experience. If the pain worsens, stop playing and see a doctor. However, if you've noticed improvement, gradually build up to full drumming levels. Continue to ice and use heat therapy to keep down the swelling.